Texas Drilling Permits: Week of October 01–October 08, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

Texas Drilling Permits: Week of October 01–October 08, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

The Texas Railroad Commission recorded 99 new drilling permits for the week of October 01–October 08, 2026, reflecting continued operator confidence as WTI crude climbed to $92.23 per barrel, up $2.80 from the prior close. The price gain appears to be supporting steady permitting activity across the state's core producing regions, particularly in the Permian Basin, which accounted for 48 of the week's total permits — nearly half of all statewide filings.

Eddy County led all counties with 30 new permits, followed by Lea County with 18. Martin County posted 13 permits, while Upton County and Live Oak County rounded out the top five with 6 and 3 permits, respectively. The concentration of activity in Eddy and Lea counties underscores ongoing development in the Delaware Basin portion of the Permian, while Martin County's permit count reflects sustained Midland Basin drilling programs.

On the operator side, Mewbourne Oil Co. topped the list with 26 permits filed during the week, maintaining its position as one of the most active drillers in the Eddy and Lea County corridor. Diamondback E&P LLC followed with 13 permits, concentrated heavily in Martin County. EOG Resources Inc. filed 8 permits, while Spur Energy Partners LLC and Texas Standard Operating NM LLC added 6 and 5 permits, respectively. These five operators combined for 58 permits, nearly 59% of total statewide activity for the week.

Among the highest-priority permits identified this week, Diamondback E&P LLC filed four separate permits in Martin County — #919038, #919032, #919036, and #919035 — signaling a concentrated development push in that area, though estimated spud dates remain TBD for all four. RHB Exploration & Production, LLC also filed a notable permit, #893585, in Mitchell County. While spud timing has not yet been determined for these permits, their priority ranking suggests they warrant close monitoring from land teams, midstream planners, and service providers positioning for upcoming activity.

For E&P teams, land professionals, and oilfield service companies tracking permit trends, this week's data points to continued Permian Basin dominance, with Eddy, Lea, and Martin counties driving the bulk of new activity. Operators like Mewbourne Oil Co. and Diamondback E&P LLC remain key names to watch as drilling programs develop in the coming weeks.

DownHole Digital monitors Texas RRC drilling permits in real time, giving operators, landmen, and service providers early visibility into permit filings, operator activity, and county-level trends as they happen — well before spud dates are finalized.

Learn more at downhole.digital.