Texas Drilling Permits: Week of October 19–October 26, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

Texas Drilling Permits: Week of October 19–October 26, 2026 — RRC Activity Report

The Texas Railroad Commission recorded 412 new drilling permits for the week of October 19–October 26, 2026, reflecting continued momentum across the Permian Basin as operators respond to firmer crude pricing. WTI crude settled at $101.26 per barrel, up $4.11 from the prior close, giving operators additional incentive to lock in permits ahead of winter capital budgeting.

County-level activity remained concentrated in the core Permian footprint. Eddy County led all counties with 38 permits, followed by Midland County with 34, Lea County with 28, Glasscock County with 25, and Reeves County with 24. These five counties accounted for roughly a third of total statewide permitting activity, underscoring the Permian's continued dominance in near-term development planning. Basin-wide, the Permian recorded 66 permits for the week, consistent with the sustained pace of activity seen throughout the back half of 2026.

On the operator side, Diamondback E&P LLC topped the list with 48 permits filed during the reporting period, more than double the next closest operator. Permian Resources Operating, LLC followed with 27 permits, while Ovintiv USA Inc. and Chevron U.S.A. Inc. each filed 14. Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. rounded out the top five with 12 permits. The spread between Diamondback's filings and the rest of the field suggests the operator is positioning for an active development push into Q1 2027, particularly given its concentrated acreage in Midland and Reeves counties.

Several high-priority permits are worth flagging for land and operations teams tracking near-term spud activity. Chevron U.S.A. Inc. filed two permits in Culberson County (#919464 and #919465), both still showing TBD spud timing. Active Iron Energy, LLC filed a permit in Gaines County (#919517), while Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. filed in Midland County (#919487). Burlington Resources O&G Co LP also filed a permit in Karnes County (#919503), notable given it falls outside the Permian's core counties and may signal renewed interest in Eagle Ford acreage.

With permit volume and crude pricing both trending upward, oilfield service providers, land teams, and midstream planners should expect increased rig mobilization requests and acreage competition in the coming weeks, particularly across Midland, Reeves, and Glasscock counties. Monitoring permit filings in real time has become essential for teams trying to stay ahead of competitor acreage positions and anticipate service demand.

DownHole Digital tracks RRC drilling permit activity in real time, giving E&P, land, and oilfield service teams early visibility into filings like these before they hit broader industry reports. Learn more at downhole.digital.