Texas Drilling Permits: Week of July 14–July 21, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

Texas Drilling Permits: Week of July 14–July 21, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

The Railroad Commission of Texas recorded 88 new drilling permits during the week of July 14–July 21, 2026, reflecting continued operator interest across the Permian Basin and surrounding plays. With WTI crude trading at $83.88 per barrel, up $4.93 from the prior close, operators appear to be responding to firmer pricing with steady permitting activity heading into the back half of the year.

Eddy County led all counties with 19 new permits, followed by Lea County with 10, Ward County with 9, Pecos County with 6, and Midland County with 5. Together, these five counties accounted for nearly half of the week's total permit activity, underscoring the ongoing concentration of drilling interest in the western Permian region. The Permian Basin itself contributed 29 permits to the weekly total, reaffirming its position as the primary driver of Texas drilling activity.

On the operator side, Amtex Energy, Inc. topped the list with 8 new permits, followed closely by OXY USA Inc and Continental Resources, Inc., each with 7 permits. Diamondback E&P LLC filed 6 permits, and Marathon Oil Permian LLC rounded out the top five with 4 permits. This mix of independents and larger operators suggests broad-based confidence in current development economics, rather than activity concentrated among a single class of operator.

Among the week's highest-priority permits — those flagged for potential near-term development attention — Mammoth Operating LLC filed a permit in Young County, while McClure Oil Company, Inc. submitted two permits in Gaines County. Silver Hill Energy Operating LLC also filed two permits in Shelby County. Spud dates for these permits remain to be determined, and operators and land teams tracking these assets should watch for updates as completion schedules firm up.

For E&P teams, land professionals, and oilfield service providers, tracking permit filings in near real time is essential for identifying emerging development trends, competitor activity, and potential service opportunities before they become widely known. DownHole Digital monitors RRC drilling permit data continuously, giving subscribers early visibility into county-level trends, operator activity, and high-priority permits like those highlighted this week in Gaines, Shelby, and Young counties.

With crude prices climbing and permit activity holding steady across core Permian counties, the coming weeks will be worth watching for signs of accelerated development, particularly among top filers like Amtex Energy, OXY USA, and Continental Resources. Staying current on permit-level data remains one of the most reliable ways to anticipate where drilling and completion activity is headed next.

Learn more about real-time Texas drilling permit tracking at downhole.digital.