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

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

The Texas Railroad Commission recorded 202 new drilling permits during the week of September 18–September 25, 2026, reflecting steady operator activity across the state's core producing basins even as WTI crude slipped to $92.48 per barrel, down $3.30 from the prior close. The pullback in oil prices didn't appear to slow permitting momentum, with the Permian Basin once again leading the way, accounting for 67 of the week's total permits.

Eddy County topped the list of most active counties with 35 new permits, followed closely by Lea County with 32. Loving County rounded out the top tier with 22 permits, while Upton County and Shelby County each added 8 permits to the statewide total. The concentration of activity in Eddy and Lea counties underscores continued operator interest in the Delaware Basin portion of the Permian, while Loving County's strong showing reflects ongoing development in one of the play's most active corridors.

On the operator side, Marathon Oil Permian LLC led all companies with 14 permits filed during the week, followed by COG Operating LLC with 13 and EOG Resources, Inc. with 11. Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. and Circle-S Energy, LLC tied for fourth with 10 permits apiece. The mix of major independents and smaller operators filing permits this week highlights the breadth of activity across both established and emerging acreage positions.

Among the week's highest-priority filings, Warwick-Artemis, LLC submitted two permits in Wilson County (#918762 and #918763), while Powderhorn Operating, LLC filed three consecutive permits in Loving County (#918742, #918743, and #918744). All five carried a priority score of 0, with spud dates listed as TBD, suggesting these are early-stage filings operators are likely to firm up in the coming weeks.

For E&P teams, land professionals, and oilfield service providers, tracking permit activity at this level of detail is essential for forecasting rig demand, planning logistics, and identifying emerging development trends before they show up in production data. Staying ahead of filings by operators like Marathon Oil Permian, COG Operating, and Powderhorn Operating can mean the difference between reacting to activity and anticipating it.

DownHole Digital monitors Texas RRC permit filings in real time, giving operators, service companies, and land teams the visibility they need to track county-level and operator-level trends as they happen. To see how real-time permit tracking can support your business development and operational planning, learn more at downhole.digital.