Texas Drilling Permits: Week of August 12–August 19, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

Texas Drilling Permits: Week of August 12–August 19, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) data shows 291 new drilling permits filed during the week of August 12–August 19, 2026, reflecting continued momentum in the Permian Basin as WTI crude climbed to $84.77 per barrel, up $2.37 from the prior close. The price uptick appears to be supporting steady permitting activity across West Texas and southeastern New Mexico operating areas tracked under Texas RRC jurisdiction.

Lea County led all counties with 68 permits, followed closely by Eddy County with 56. Reeves County posted 23 permits, while Andrews County and Midland County rounded out the top five with 17 and 15 permits, respectively. These five counties accounted for the bulk of filings this week, underscoring the concentration of operator activity in the core Permian Basin corridor. Basin-level totals confirm this trend, with 124 of the week's 291 permits — roughly 43% — tied directly to Permian Basin development.

On the operator side, EOG Resources Inc. topped the list with 38 permits, a clear signal of continued development drilling across its Permian acreage. Matador Production Company followed with 21 permits, and XTO Energy, Inc. filed 19. Diamondback E&P LLC added 16 permits, while XTO Permian Operating LLC. rounded out the top five with 15. Combined, these five operators represent nearly 38% of all permits filed statewide this week, reinforcing the outsized role major E&P companies continue to play in permitting volume.

Among the week's highest-priority permits, Coterra Energy Operating Co. filed Permit #904515 in Culberson County. Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. filed Permit #917743 in Martin County, while SM Energy Company filed two permits — #917813 and #917812 — both in Webb County. Ovintiv USA Inc. also filed Permit #890468 in Martin County. Spud dates for these permits remain unconfirmed at this time, and priority scoring currently shows no differentiation among this group, suggesting these are early-stage filings worth monitoring for operational updates in the coming weeks.

For land teams, midstream planners, and oilfield service providers, this week's data reinforces the Permian Basin's position as the primary driver of Texas drilling activity, with Lea, Eddy, Reeves, Andrews, and Midland counties commanding the largest share of new permits. The concentration among a handful of major operators — EOG, Matador, XTO, Diamondback, and Ovintiv — also offers a useful signal for service companies planning crew deployment, equipment staging, and logistics support in the weeks ahead.

DownHole Digital monitors RRC permit filings in real time, giving E&P teams, land professionals, and oilfield service providers early visibility into county-level activity, operator trends, and high-priority permits as they're filed — well before spud dates are confirmed.

To track weekly permit activ