Texas Drilling Permits: Week of October 16–October 23, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

Texas Drilling Permits: Week of October 16–October 23, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

The Texas Railroad Commission recorded 454 new drilling permits for the week of October 16–October 23, 2026, reflecting continued operator commitment to Texas acreage even as WTI crude settled at $100.69 per barrel, down $2.97 from the prior close. The dip in price hasn't slowed permitting pace, with activity remaining heavily concentrated in the Permian Basin, which accounted for 72 permits this week alone.

County-level data shows Eddy County leading all counties with 44 permits, followed closely by Midland County with 40. Martin County logged 32 permits, Reeves County came in with 29, and Lea County rounded out the top five with 28. Together, these five counties represent a significant share of total statewide activity, underscoring the Permian's continued dominance in Texas drilling programs. Operators active in these core counties continue to prioritize Delaware and Midland Basin development, a trend that has held steady through much of 2026.

On the operator side, Diamondback E&P LLC posted the highest permit count by a wide margin, filing 63 new permits during the week. Permian Resources Operating, LLC followed with 32 permits, reinforcing its position as a consistent, high-volume filer in the region. Chevron U.S.A. Inc. added 17 permits, while Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. and Ovintiv USA Inc. each filed 14, rounding out a top-five list dominated by large-cap independents and majors with established Permian footprints.

Beyond the top-line numbers, several permits this week stood out for tracking purposes, including filings from Green Century Exp & Prod, LLC in Crane County, Arenos Energy in Nacogdoches County, Burlington Resources O & G Co LP in Karnes County, Jonah Energy LLC in Dimmit County, and Burk Royalty Co., Ltd. in Hockley County. While spud timing on these filings remains TBD, their geographic spread — from the Permian core into East Texas and the Eagle Ford — illustrates that permitting activity, while Permian-weighted, is not confined to a single play.

For land professionals, midstream planners, and oilfield service companies, this kind of weekly permit data is critical for forecasting rig demand, acreage competition, and service-line bottlenecks before they show up in headline rig counts. DownHole Digital monitors RRC filings in real time, giving teams an early read on operator activity, county-level trends, and permit-to-spud timelines well ahead of public rig count reports.

As crude prices fluctuate and operators recalibrate capital plans heading into year-end, permit data remains one of the most reliable leading indicators of where Texas drilling activity is headed next.

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