Texas Drilling Permits: Week of July 16–July 23, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

Texas Drilling Permits: Week of July 16–July 23, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

The Railroad Commission of Texas recorded 119 new drilling permits during the week of July 16–July 23, 2026, reflecting continued momentum across the state's core producing regions. The pace of permitting comes as WTI crude settled at $90.56 per barrel, up $7.33 from the prior close, giving operators additional incentive to lock in drilling locations while prices remain favorable.

Eddy County led all counties with 42 permits, followed by Lea County with 23. Ward County posted 9 permits, while Pecos County and Borden County each recorded 6. Together, these five counties accounted for the majority of statewide permitting activity, underscoring the ongoing concentration of development in West Texas and the broader Permian Basin, which alone generated 65 permits this week — more than half of the state's total.

On the operator side, OXY USA Inc. topped the list with 12 new permits, followed closely by EOG Resources Inc. with 10. Amtex Energy, Inc. filed 8 permits, while Riley Permian Operating Company, LLC and Continental Resources, Inc. each secured 7. These five operators combined for 44 permits — more than a third of all activity recorded statewide during the reporting period, signaling sustained capital deployment from both large-cap independents and regional operators.

Among the highest-priority permits filed this week, Deep Blue Operating I LLC submitted permit #917206 in Martin County, while EOG Resources, Inc. filed permit #908021 in Gonzales County. TDC Engineering, Inc. logged permit #907002 in Nolan County, and Rogers, S. K. Oil, Inc. filed permit #917224 in Hockley County. Diamondback E&P LLC rounded out the list with permit #858313, also in Martin County. Spud dates for these permits have not yet been finalized, but their inclusion on the priority list suggests operators are positioning for near-term development in key acreage.

For land teams, midstream planners, and oilfield service providers, this week's permit data offers a clear signal: the Permian Basin — and Eddy and Lea counties in particular — remain the epicenter of new drilling activity heading into late summer 2026. With crude prices climbing, operators appear to be accelerating permit filings to capitalize on improved economics before any pricing pullback.

Tracking permit activity at this granularity, county by county and operator by operator, is essential for anyone making decisions around acreage acquisition, crew scheduling, or supply chain logistics. DownHole Digital monitors Texas RRC drilling permits in real time, giving E&P companies, land professionals, and oilfield service providers early visibility into where activity is heating up before it shows up in production data.

To stay ahead of permit trends across Texas basins, learn more at downhole.digital.