Texas Drilling Permits: Week of September 14–September 21, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

Texas Drilling Permits: Week of September 14–September 21, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

The Texas Railroad Commission recorded 309 new drilling permits for the week of September 14–September 21, 2026, reflecting continued operator interest across the Permian Basin despite a pullback in crude prices. WTI crude settled at $93.38 per barrel, down $9.05 from the prior close, a decline that will likely draw attention from land teams and operators weighing near-term development pace against commodity volatility.

County-level activity remained concentrated in core Permian counties. Lea County led all counties with 41 new permits, followed by Martin County with 31, Eddy County with 24, Loving County with 23, and Upton County with 19. Together, these five counties accounted for a significant share of statewide permitting, underscoring the sustained operator focus on the Delaware and Midland sub-basins. Basin-wide, the Permian recorded 65 permits this week, reaffirming its position as the primary driver of Texas drilling activity.

On the operator side, Paloma Permian AssetCo, LLC topped the list with 26 permits, followed closely by Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. with 24. Diamondback E&P LLC filed 18 permits, EOG Resources, Inc. filed 17, and Silver Hill Energy Operating LLC rounded out the top five with 13. These five operators alone account for nearly a third of total statewide permit volume, signaling ongoing consolidation of activity among large-cap and well-capitalized independents in the current pricing environment.

Among the week's highest-priority filings, Ovintiv USA Inc. submitted three permits in Upton County — numbers 918609, 918611, and 918612 — pointing to a possible multi-well pad development in that area. Texas American Resources Company filed permit #918608 in La Salle County, and Gouger Oil Company, LLC filed permit #918616 in Live Oak County. Estimated spud dates for these filings remain unset (TBD), which is typical for newly issued permits before rig scheduling is finalized.

For land teams, midstream planners, and oilfield service providers, this week's data reinforces two trends: sustained Permian-centric permitting despite crude price softness, and continued permit concentration among a handful of well-capitalized operators. Tracking these filings early — before spud dates are confirmed — gives service companies and landmen a head start on business development and acreage positioning.

DownHole Digital monitors Texas 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 basin shifts as they happen. Staying ahead of permit data like this week's Lea, Martin, and Eddy County filings can mean the difference between reacting to activity and anticipating it.

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