Texas Drilling Permits: Week of September 29–October 06, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

Texas Drilling Permits: Week of September 29–October 06, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

The Texas Railroad Commission recorded 80 new drilling permits during the week of September 29–October 06, 2026, reflecting continued operator activity across the Permian Basin and East Texas plays despite softer crude pricing. WTI crude closed the week at $87.21 per barrel, down $5.66 from the prior close, a pullback that bears watching as operators weigh near-term capital plans against longer-cycle development programs.

Permit filings this week were heavily concentrated in Permian-adjacent counties, with Eddy County leading all areas at 24 permits, followed by Martin County with 13, Lea County with 7, Upton County with 6, and Winkler County rounding out the top five with 4 permits. Combined, Permian Basin activity accounted for 31 permits, underscoring the basin's continued role as the primary driver of Texas drilling activity even as commodity prices softened during the reporting period.

On the operator side, Mewbourne Oil Co. posted the most permits for the week with 15, with an additional 4 permits filed under the Mewbourne Oil Company entity, bringing the group's combined total to 19. Diamondback E&P LLC followed closely with 13 permits, reinforcing its position as one of the most active Permian operators tracked this quarter. Spur Energy Partners LLC filed 5 permits, while Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. added 4, rounding out a top-five operator list dominated by Permian-focused independents and majors.

Among the week's highest-priority filings, TGNR East Texas II LLC submitted three permits in Panola County (#918981, #918982, and #918983), signaling renewed interest in East Texas acreage outside the Permian's traditional footprint. Flat Land Oil & Gas, LLC filed a permit in Fayette County (#918957), and Oxyrock Operating, LLC filed in Midland County (#913949). All five permits currently carry an estimated spud date of TBD, suggesting these are early-stage filings worth monitoring for updated timing as operators finalize rig scheduling and completion plans.

For land teams, landmen, and oilfield service providers, permit data like this offers an early read on where capital is flowing before rigs physically mobilize. Tracking county-level trends — such as the continued concentration in Eddy, Martin, Lea, Upton, and Winkler counties — helps service companies position equipment and crews ahead of demand, while E&P teams use the same data to benchmark competitor activity and identify emerging leasehold interest.

DownHole Digital monitors Texas RRC permit filings in real time, giving operators, land professionals, and oilfield service companies a faster view into weekly drilling activity, operator movement, and basin-level trends like those seen this week across the Permian and East Texas regions. Staying current on permit flow remains one of the simplest ways to anticipate rig activity before it hits the field.

To see real-time permit tracking and weekly RRC activity reports, learn more at downhole