Texas Drilling Permits: Week of July 20–July 27, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

Texas Drilling Permits: Week of July 20–July 27, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

The Texas Railroad Commission recorded 161 new drilling permits for the week of July 20–July 27, 2026, reflecting continued momentum in the Permian Basin despite a pullback in crude prices. WTI settled at $83.22 per barrel, down $3.61 from the prior close, but permitting activity shows operators are still committing capital to development in West Texas and the New Mexico side of the play.

Of the 161 total permits filed, 105 were tied directly to the Permian Basin, underscoring its continued dominance in Texas E&P activity. Eddy County led all counties with 71 permits, followed by Lea County with 34. Both counties remain central to horizontal development activity along the Delaware Basin's western edge. Farther east, Ward County posted 10 permits, Reeves County recorded 8, and Pecos County rounded out the top five with 6 permits. Together, these five counties accounted for the vast majority of new filings for the week, reinforcing the concentration of drilling activity in this core operating region.

On the operator side, OXY USA Inc. topped the list with 24 new permits, followed by Longfellow Energy, LP with 16. COG Operating LLC filed 11 permits, EOG Resources Inc. added 10, and Avant Operating II, LLC rounded out the top five with 9 permits. This mix of majors and independents points to sustained development interest across both established leaseholds and newer acreage positions.

Among this week's filings, five permits from Amtex Energy, Inc. in Ward County stand out for tracking purposes: Permit #917292, #917293, #917294, #917295, and #917296. Each carries an estimated spud date of TBD and a current priority score of 0, meaning these locations are still early in the pipeline and worth monitoring as operational details firm up in the coming weeks.

For land teams, midstream planners, and oilfield service companies, permit data like this offers an early signal of where activity is headed before rigs move in. Tracking county-level trends alongside operator filing patterns helps teams position crews, equipment, and business development efforts ahead of competitors. With WTI pricing under some pressure, it's worth watching whether permitting pace in Eddy, Lea, and Ward counties holds steady or slows into August.

DownHole Digital monitors RRC drilling permit filings in real time, giving operators, land professionals, and service providers a clear view of where activity is concentrated and which operators are leading new development. Rather than waiting on delayed public reporting, teams can use this kind of data to move faster on leasing, logistics, and vendor outreach tied to newly filed permits.

Stay ahead of Texas permitting trends and get real-time updates on activity across the Permian Basin — learn more at downhole.digital.