Holiday Office Closure

In observance of the Christmas holidays, Railroad Commission of Texas offices will be closed December 23-27. The offices will re-open at 8 a.m. on Monday, December 30 for regular business. Expedited Drilling Permits will be processed within standard processing times. If assistance is needed, please email Drillingpermits-info@rrc.texas.gov.
RRC maintains a 24-hour emergency phone line to report any leaks or spills. That number is 844-773-0305

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Texas Drilling Permits and Completions Statistics for August 2017

September 11, 2017

AUSTIN –– The Railroad Commission of Texas (Commission) issued a total of 1,125 original drilling permits in August 2017 compared to 660 in August 2016. The August total included 987 permits to drill new oil or gas wells, 14 to re-enter plugged well bores and 124 for re-completions of existing well bores. The breakdown of well types for those permits issued August 2017 included 298 oil, 74 gas, 666 oil or gas, 64 injection, two service and 21 other permits.

In August 2017, Commission staff processed 401 oil, 115 gas, 38 injection and three other completions compared to 545 oil, 223 gas, 46 injection and eight other completions in August 2016. Total well completions processed for 2017 year to date are 8,628; up from 4,830 recorded during the same period in 2016.

According to Baker Hughes Inc., the Texas rig count as of September 8 was 455, representing about 48 percent of all active rigs in the United States.

For additional drilling permit and completion statistics, visit the Commission’s monthly drilling completion summaries web page. 

TABLE 1 – AUGUST 2017 TEXAS OIL AND GAS DRILLING PERMITS AND COMPLETIONS BY RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS DISTRICT*

DISTRICT

PERMITS TO DRILL OIL/GAS HOLES

OIL COMPLETIONS

GAS COMPLETIONS

(1) SAN ANTONIO AREA

123

17

13

(2) REFUGIO AREA

80

4

17

(3) SOUTHEAST TEXAS

48

17

26

(4) DEEP SOUTH TEXAS

21

3

5

(5) EAST CENTRAL TX

8

5

1

(6) EAST TEXAS

35

2

38

(7B) WEST CENTRAL TX

36

15

2

(7C) SAN ANGELO AREA

67

37

0

(8) MIDLAND

550

245

6

(8A) LUBBOCK AREA

73

39

1

(9) NORTH TEXAS

49

11

2

(10) PANHANDLE

35

6

4

TOTAL

1,125

401

115

* A district map is available on the Railroad Commission of Texas here.

About the Railroad Commission:
Our mission is to serve Texas by our stewardship of natural resources and the environment, our concern for personal and community safety, and our support of enhanced development and economic vitality for the benefit of Texans. The Commission has a long and proud history of service to both Texas and to the nation, including more than 100 years regulating the oil and gas industry. The Commission also has jurisdiction over alternative fuels safety, natural gas utilities, surface mining and intrastate pipelines. Established in 1891, the Railroad Commission of Texas is the oldest regulatory agency in the state. To learn more, please visit https://www.rrc.texas.gov/about-us/.