Texas Drilling Permits: Week of September 09–September 16, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

Texas Drilling Permits: Week of September 09–September 16, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

The Railroad Commission of Texas recorded 257 new drilling permits during the week of September 09–September 16, 2026, reflecting continued momentum across the state's core producing regions. With WTI crude trading at $103.42 per barrel—up $3.37 from the prior close—operators appear to be capitalizing on stronger price signals to lock in permitting ahead of planned development programs.

County-level activity this week was led by Lea and Eddy counties, each posting 40 permits, followed by Loving County with 23. Martin County rounded out the top tier with 21 permits, while Dimmit County added 13. These figures reinforce the Permian Basin's continued dominance in Texas upstream activity, with the basin accounting for 80 of the week's total permits. Operators active in these counties continue to prioritize multi-well pad development, a trend that has become standard practice for maximizing capital efficiency in the current pricing environment.

On the operator side, Diamondback E&P LLC topped the list with 23 new permits, signaling sustained development activity across its Permian acreage. Devon Energy Production Company, LP followed closely with 20 permits, while Kaiser-Francis Oil Co secured 15. Anadarko E&P Onshore LLC filed 12 permits, and Spur Energy Partners LLC rounded out the top five with 9. Collectively, these five operators accounted for a significant share of total weekly activity, underscoring the concentration of permitting among established Permian-focused producers.

Beyond the Permian, several notable permits were filed in South and East Texas counties this week. Burlington Resources O & G Co LP filed in Live Oak County, Hilcorp Energy Company filed in Freestone County, and Gulftex Energy, LLC filed three separate permits in McMullen County. While spud dates for these permits remain to be determined, their filing indicates ongoing interest in legacy and emerging plays outside the Permian core.

For land teams, midstream planners, and oilfield service providers, permit filings like these offer an early signal of where capital and crew activity will concentrate in the coming months. Tracking which operators are ramping up in specific counties—and correlating that with commodity price movement—remains one of the most reliable ways to anticipate service demand, right-of-way needs, and rig mobilization patterns before they become public knowledge through other channels.

DownHole Digital monitors RRC permit filings in real time, giving E&P teams, land professionals, and service companies a faster path to actionable intelligence on where drilling activity is headed next. Rather than waiting on delayed public reports, subscribers get county- and operator-level visibility as filings post.

To stay ahead of Texas drilling activity as it happens, learn more at downhole.digital.