Texas Drilling Permits: Week of July 31–August 07, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

Texas Drilling Permits: Week of July 31–August 07, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

The Railroad Commission of Texas recorded 144 new drilling permits for the week of July 31 through August 07, 2026, reflecting continued momentum across the Permian Basin even as crude prices softened. West Texas Intermediate settled at $76.62 per barrel, down $3.72 from the prior close, but operators showed no signs of pulling back on permitting activity heading into the back half of the year.

Eddy County led all counties with 62 permits filed, followed by Lea County with 36. Midland County posted 7 new permits, while Wilbarger and Loving counties each recorded 6. The concentration of activity in Eddy and Lea underscores the ongoing operator focus on the Delaware Basin corridor, with the Permian Basin overall accounting for 98 of the week's 144 total permits — roughly 68% of statewide filings.

On the operator side, EOG Resources Inc. topped the list with 25 permits, reinforcing its position as one of the most active drillers in the current cycle. XTO Energy, Inc. followed with 20 permits, and Permian Resources Operating, LLC filed 19. OXY USA Inc. and Devon Energy Production Company, LP rounded out the top five, each posting 8 permits for the week. These five operators alone accounted for more than half of all new permits filed statewide, signaling that a relatively small group of large-cap and mid-cap E&Ps continue to drive the bulk of Texas drilling activity.

Among the highest-priority permits this week, EOG Resources filed four separate permits in Loving County — #913310, #913314, #913315, and #913316 — all currently showing an estimated spud date of TBD. Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. also filed a notable permit, #905958, in Reagan County, also pending a spud timeline. While these permits carry a current priority score of 0, their filing volume and operator profile make them worth tracking as spud schedules firm up in the coming weeks.

For land teams, service companies, and E&P planners, permit-level detail like this is critical for anticipating rig moves, staffing needs, and service demand before activity becomes public knowledge through other channels. DownHole Digital monitors RRC drilling permit filings in real time, giving oilfield professionals early visibility into county-level trends, operator activity, and high-priority wells like those filed by EOG Resources and Pioneer Natural Resources this week.

With WTI trading below $77 and permitting activity still concentrated in Eddy, Lea, Midland, Wilbarger, and Loving counties, operators appear to be positioning for continued Permian development despite near-term price pressure. Tracking these filings week over week offers an early signal for where drilling and completions activity is headed next.

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