Texas Drilling Permits: Week of September 22–September 29, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

Texas Drilling Permits: Week of September 22–September 29, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

The Texas Railroad Commission recorded 146 new drilling permits during the week of September 22–September 29, 2026, reflecting continued operator activity across the state's core producing basins despite softer crude pricing. WTI crude settled at $91.13 per barrel, down $3.48 from the prior close, a pullback that operators appear to be looking past as permitting volumes held steady.

The Permian Basin remained the dominant driver of activity, accounting for 90 of the week's 146 total permits — roughly 62% of statewide filings. New Mexico's Lea County led all counties with 47 permits, followed closely by Eddy County with 43. Together, these two counties represented more than 60% of total permit activity for the week, underscoring the Delaware Basin's continued pull on operator capital. East Texas saw modest but notable activity as well, with Shelby County and Panola County each posting 8 permits, while Loving County rounded out the top five with 6 permits.

On the operator side, Kaiser-Francis Oil Co topped the list with 17 new permits, followed by COG Operating LLC with 13. Mewbourne Oil Co and Marathon Oil Permian LLC each filed 11 permits, and Avant Operating II, LLC added 9 to round out the week's most active filers. The presence of both large-cap Permian operators and East Texas-focused independents suggests permitting momentum is broad-based rather than concentrated in a single play.

Among the week's highest-priority filings, Silver Hill Energy Operating LLC stood out with multiple permits in Shelby County — including permit numbers 918827, 918828, 918829, and 918830 — signaling a concentrated development push in that area. PDEH LLC also filed a notable permit (#918835) in Loving County. Spud dates for these permits remain unannounced (TBD), so land teams and service providers should watch for updates in the coming weeks as operators finalize development schedules.

For E&P land teams, midstream planners, and oilfield service providers, tracking permit filings at the county and operator level remains essential for forecasting rig demand, staffing needs, and infrastructure planning. Weekly shifts in filing patterns — such as the sustained Lea and Eddy County activity seen this week — often precede changes in rig counts and completion crew demand in the following months.

DownHole Digital monitors RRC drilling permit filings in real time, giving operators, service companies, and land professionals early visibility into where activity is concentrating across Texas and the broader Permian region. Staying ahead of permit trends like these can mean the difference between reacting to market shifts and anticipating them.

To get real-time permit alerts and deeper county-level analysis, learn more at downhole.digital.