Texas Drilling Permits: Week of August 17–August 24, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

Texas Drilling Permits: Week of August 17–August 24, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

The Railroad Commission of Texas logged 1,609 new drilling permits for the week of August 17–August 24, 2026, reflecting continued momentum in the Permian Basin as operators lock in drilling locations ahead of fall completions activity. Of the total permits filed, 1,485 were tied to the Permian Basin, underscoring the region's dominant share of statewide drilling activity this cycle.

Eddy County led all counties with 862 new permits, followed closely by Lea County with 623. Culberson County posted 22 permits, while Martin County and Reeves County rounded out the top five with 13 and 12 permits, respectively. The concentration of activity in Eddy and Lea counties points to sustained operator interest in the Delaware Basin's core acreage, even as broader market conditions remain mixed.

On the operator side, EOG Resources Inc. topped the list by a wide margin with 569 permits filed during the week, more than triple the next closest competitor. OXY USA Inc. followed with 147 permits, while XTO Permian Operating LLC and XTO Energy, Inc. combined for 237 permits between their two filing entities. Matador Production Company rounded out the top five operators with 82 permits, reflecting steady development activity across its Permian holdings.

Among the week's highest-priority permits, Perun Energy LLC filed two permits in Reeves County (#917434 and #917435), while Pitts Energy Co. filed in Ward County (#917934). Kodiak Oil & Gas, Inc. filed a permit in Wichita County (#917938), and Comstock Oil & Gas, LLC filed in Leon County (#917941). Spud dates for these permits remain to be determined, and operators and service providers tracking these filings should monitor updates as completion schedules firm up.

Crude prices softened slightly during the reporting period, with WTI settling at $85.31 per barrel, down $0.52 from the prior close. While the modest pullback hasn't visibly slowed permitting activity, sustained price volatility remains a factor operators are weighing as they plan capital allocation for the remainder of the year.

For land teams, midstream planners, and oilfield service companies, permit-level data like this offers an early signal of where rig activity and completions crews will be needed next. Understanding which counties and operators are ramping up filings helps service providers position equipment and personnel ahead of demand, rather than reacting after the fact.

DownHole Digital monitors RRC permit filings in real time, giving E&P teams, land professionals, and oilfield service companies early visibility into where operators like EOG Resources, OXY USA, and Matador Production are directing new drilling activity across Texas basins.

Learn more at downhole.digital.