◆Draft preview.
We're still finalizing how we count (details). The data
itself is real, from the RRC's public records, but some numbers could shift
a little once the counting rules are locked in.
Who's moving: 2026Q1 vs 2025Q4
The operators whose permit counts moved the most between 2025Q4 and 2026Q1, statewide. Click a name to see the full comparison in that operator's busiest counties.
Top gainers
| Operator | P-5 | 2025Q4 | 2026Q1 | Δ | Δ% | Busiest counties (2026Q1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIONEER NATURAL RES. USA, INC. | Active | 118 | 186 | +68 | +57.6% | MARTIN · UPTON · MIDLAND |
| DIAMONDBACK E&P LLC | Active-Ext | 103 | 168 | +65 | +63.1% | MIDLAND · HOWARD · ECTOR |
| ANADARKO E&P ONSHORE LLC | Active | 28 | 76 | +48 | +171.4% | LOVING · REEVES |
| COTERRA ENERGY OPERATING CO. | Active | 0 | 44 | +44 | n/a (from zero) | CULBERSON |
| APACHE CORPORATION | Active | 17 | 56 | +39 | +229.4% | UPTON · HOWARD · WARD |
| OCCIDENTAL PERMIAN LTD. | Active | 18 | 48 | +30 | +166.7% | YOAKUM · ECTOR · GAINES |
| OXYROCK OPERATING, LLC | Active | 19 | 47 | +28 | +147.4% | MIDLAND · GLASSCOCK · MARTIN |
| APEX NATURAL GAS, LLC | Active | 4 | 27 | +23 | +575.0% | SAN AUGUSTINE |
| EXXONMOBIL LOW C SOL ON STOR LLC | Active | 0 | 17 | +17 | n/a (from zero) | JEFFERSON · LIBERTY · HIGH IS-SB |
| PERMIAN RESOURCES OPERATING, LLC | Active | 26 | 42 | +16 | +61.5% | REEVES · REAGAN |
| BLACKBEARD OPERATING, LLC | Active | 18 | 33 | +15 | +83.3% | CRANE |
| DE CENTRAL OPERATING, LLC | Active | 22 | 37 | +15 | +68.2% | REAGAN |
| PDEH LLC | Active | 7 | 22 | +15 | +214.3% | WINKLER · LOVING |
| SM ENERGY COMPANY | Active | 9 | 24 | +15 | +166.7% | WEBB · UPTON |
| MARATHON OIL EF LLC | Active | 0 | 14 | +14 | n/a (from zero) | KARNES |
| ROSEWOOD RESOURCES, INC. | Active | 2 | 16 | +14 | +700.0% | FAYETTE · DIMMIT · ZAVALA |
| BTA OIL PRODUCERS, LLC | Active | 6 | 19 | +13 | +216.7% | CRANE · REEVES · LOVING |
| CATURUS ENERGY, LLC | Active-Ext | 5 | 18 | +13 | +260.0% | WEBB · MCMULLEN · LIVE OAK |
| COG OPERATING LLC | Active-Ext | 20 | 32 | +12 | +60.0% | UPTON · LOVING |
| DEVON ENERGY PRODUCTION CO, L.P. | Active | 9 | 20 | +11 | +122.2% | DE WITT |
| OXY USA INC. | Active | 14 | 25 | +11 | +78.6% | GAINES |
| U.S. ENERGY DEVELOPMENT CORP | Active | 0 | 11 | +11 | n/a (from zero) | REEVES |
| RING ENERGY, INC. | Active | 4 | 14 | +10 | +250.0% | ANDREWS · YOAKUM · CRANE |
| ATMOS ENERGY,WEST TEXAS DIVISION | Active | 0 | 9 | +9 | n/a (from zero) | LUBBOCK · MIDLAND · ECTOR |
| EXCO OPERATING COMPANY, LP | Active | 0 | 9 | +9 | n/a (from zero) | NACOGDOCHES |
Top decliners
| Operator | P-5 | 2025Q4 | 2026Q1 | Δ | Δ% | Busiest counties (2026Q1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XTO ENERGY INC. | Active | 57 | 4 | -53 | -93.0% | MIDLAND · LOVING |
| CHEVRON U. S. A. INC. | Active | 40 | 6 | -34 | -85.0% | MIDLAND |
| CIMAREX ENERGY CO. | Delinquent | 24 | 0 | -24 | -100.0% | |
| FIREBIRD ENERGY II LLC | Active | 26 | 8 | -18 | -69.2% | UPTON |
| BURLINGTON RESOURCES O & G CO LP | Active | 53 | 40 | -13 | -24.5% | DE WITT · LIVE OAK · KARNES |
| CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC. | Active | 28 | 16 | -12 | -42.9% | MIDLAND · WINKLER · PECOS |
| FASKEN OIL AND RANCH, LTD. | Active | 24 | 12 | -12 | -50.0% | ANDREWS · MIDLAND |
| SURGE OPERATING, LLC | Active-Ext | 19 | 7 | -12 | -63.2% | BORDEN · HOWARD |
| SUMMIT PETROLEUM LLC | Active | 13 | 1 | -12 | -92.3% | UPTON |
| BKV BARNETT, LLC | Active | 12 | 1 | -11 | -91.7% | WISE |
| BPX OPERATING COMPANY | Active | 44 | 33 | -11 | -25.0% | DE WITT · REEVES · MCMULLEN |
| VITAL ENERGY, INC. | Active | 14 | 3 | -11 | -78.6% | UPTON |
| VERDUN OIL & GAS LLC | Active | 12 | 1 | -11 | -91.7% | DIMMIT |
| HANNATHON PETROLEUM II, LLC | Active | 9 | 0 | -9 | -100.0% | |
| TEP BARNETT USA, LLC | Active | 12 | 3 | -9 | -75.0% | TARRANT |
| BAYTEX ENERGY USA, INC. | Active | 8 | 0 | -8 | -100.0% | |
| DALLAS PRODUCTION COMPANY LLC | Active | 8 | 0 | -8 | -100.0% | |
| AGERON ENERGY, LLC | Active | 7 | 0 | -7 | -100.0% | |
| KIMMERIDGE TEXAS GAS, LLC | Delinquent | 7 | 0 | -7 | -100.0% | |
| GREENLAKE ENERGY OPERATING, LLC | Active | 17 | 10 | -7 | -41.2% | LOVING · REEVES |
| IRON ORCHARD OPERATING LLC | Active | 7 | 0 | -7 | -100.0% | |
| BIRCH OPERATIONS, INC. | Active | 6 | 0 | -6 | -100.0% | |
| PITTS ENERGY CO. | Active | 7 | 1 | -6 | -85.7% | WARD |
| UPP OPERATING, LLC | Active | 10 | 4 | -6 | -60.0% | TARRANT |
| WATERBRIDGE STATELINE LLC | Active | 11 | 5 | -6 | -54.5% | LOVING · ANDREWS |
Counts are original permits by approval date, credited to whoever holds the permit now. Watch the percentage column when the starting number is small: +200% might just mean two permits.