Texas Drilling Permits: Week of August 18–August 25, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

Texas Drilling Permits: Week of August 18–August 25, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

The Railroad Commission of Texas recorded 1,617 new drilling permits during the week of August 18–August 25, 2026, signaling continued momentum in Permian Basin development despite a pullback in oil prices. WTI crude settled at $81.84 per barrel, down $5.99 from the prior close, but permitting activity shows operators remain committed to near-term drilling programs across West Texas and the greater Permian footprint.

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 Loving County rounded out the top five with 13 and 11 permits, respectively. The concentration of activity in Eddy and Lea underscores the continued focus on high-return acreage in the Delaware Basin portion of the play, with the Permian Basin accounting for 1,485 of the week's total permits — roughly 92% of all statewide filings.

On the operator side, EOG Resources Inc. topped the list with 569 permits, more than double the next closest operator, reflecting an aggressive development pace heading into the fall. Oxy USA Inc. filed 147 permits, while XTO Permian Operating LLC. and XTO Energy, Inc. combined for 237 permits across their respective entities, indicating sustained investment from ExxonMobil's Permian subsidiaries. Matador Production Company rounded out the top five operators with 82 new permits, continuing its steady pace of development in the region.

Among the week's filings, several permits stood out for operators and counties outside the core Permian cluster, offering a glimpse into diversified activity across the state. Pitts Energy Co. filed permit #917934 in Ward County, Kodiak Oil & Gas, Inc. filed permit #917938 in Wichita County, and Comstock Oil & Gas, LLC filed permit #917941 in Leon County. Wildfire Energy Operating LLC submitted permit #917913 in Lee County, while BTA Oil Producers, LLC filed permit #917915 in Reeves County. Estimated spud dates for these permits remain TBD, and each currently carries a priority score of 0, suggesting early-stage filings that warrant continued monitoring as operators finalize development timelines.

For land teams, service companies, and E&P operators tracking permit velocity, this week's data reinforces the Permian Basin's dominant share of Texas drilling activity even amid crude price volatility. Understanding which counties and operators are ramping up — or pulling back — remains critical for positioning rigs, crews, and equipment ahead of demand shifts.

DownHole Digital monitors RRC permit filings in real time, giving oilfield professionals early visibility into operator activity, county-level trends, and emerging drilling targets before they hit broader industry reports. As permit volume continues to shift with commodity pricing, staying ahead of filing trends can mean the difference between reactive and proactive business development.

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