Texas Drilling Permits: Week of September 28–October 05, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

Texas Drilling Permits: Week of September 28–October 05, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

The Texas Railroad Commission recorded 85 new drilling permits for the week of September 28 through October 5, 2026, reflecting continued steady activity across the Permian Basin and surrounding plays. With WTI crude holding at $90.42 per barrel, operators are maintaining a consistent pace of permitting as they position for late-year drilling programs.

Eddy County led all counties with 29 new permits, followed by Lea County with 14 and Martin County with 13. Upton County added 6 permits, while Winkler County rounded out the top five with 4. Together, these five counties accounted for the bulk of filing activity, underscoring the Permian Basin's continued dominance in Texas drilling plans. Of the 85 total permits filed statewide, 43 were tied directly to Permian Basin operations, confirming the region's status as the primary driver of new well activity this cycle.

On the operator side, Mewbourne Oil Co. topped the list with 16 permits, much of that activity concentrated in Eddy County. Diamondback E&P LLC followed closely with 13 permits, continuing its active development pace. Kaiser-Francis Oil Co. filed 6 permits, Spur Energy Partners LLC added 5, and Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. rounded out the top five with 4 permits. These five operators collectively represent a significant share of the week's total filings, reflecting ongoing capital deployment from both large-cap independents and private operators in the basin.

Among the week's highest-priority permits, HighPeak Energy Holdings, LLC filed three permits in Borden County (#918208, #918209, and #918204), signaling potential development activity in that part of the basin, though estimated spud dates remain TBD for all three. Mewbourne Oil Co. also filed two notable permits in Eddy County (#NM-30-015-59006 and #NM-30-015-59007), consistent with the company's strong overall permit count for the week.

For land teams, service providers, and E&P professionals tracking rig placement and acreage competition, permit filings like these offer an early signal of where operators plan to direct capital in the coming months. Tracking county-level trends alongside operator activity helps teams anticipate service demand, logistics needs, and leasing opportunities before drilling begins.

DownHole Digital monitors Texas RRC permit filings in real time, giving oilfield professionals timely visibility into new activity across counties, operators, and basins as soon as filings are made public. Staying current on permit trends like Mewbourne's Eddy County push or Diamondback's continued Permian development can help teams move faster on business development and resource planning.

To get real-time alerts on drilling permits like these, learn more at downhole.digital.