AUSTIN –– The Railroad Commission of Texas (Commission) issued a total of 997 original drilling permits in October 2017 compared to 855 in October 2016. The October total included 885 permits to drill new oil or gas wells, 5 to re-enter plugged well bores and 107 for re-completions of existing well bores. The breakdown of well types for those permits issued October 2017 included 236 oil, 46 gas, 646 oil or gas, 48 injection, zero service and 21 other permits.
In October 2017, Commission staff processed 257 oil, 91 gas, 39 injection and four other completions compared to 445 oil, 203 gas, 20 injection and zero other completions in October 2016. Total well completions processed for 2017 year to date are 5,799; down from 9,405 recorded during the same period in 2016.
According to Baker Hughes Inc., the Texas rig count as of November 2 was 444, representing about 49 percent of all active rigs in the United States.
For additional drilling permit and completion statistics, visit the Commission’s website at http://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-gas/research-and-statistics/well-information/monthly-drilling-completion-and-plugging-summaries/.
TABLE 1 – OCTOBER 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 | 126 | 36 | 19 |
| (2) REFUGIO AREA | 91 | 15 | 10 |
| (3) SOUTHEAST TEXAS | 34 | 10 | 5 |
| (4) DEEP SOUTH TEXAS | 35 | 4 | 10 |
| (5) EAST CENTRAL TX | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| (6) EAST TEXAS | 34 | 1 | 18 |
| (7B) WEST CENTRAL TX | 39 | 27 | 0 |
| (7C) SAN ANGELO AREA | 79 | 46 | 1 |
| (8) MIDLAND | 440 | 83 | 16 |
| (8A) LUBBOCK AREA | 62 | 12 | 0 |
| (9) NORTH TEXAS | 26 | 9 | 6 |
| (10) PANHANDLE | 26 | 9 | 4 |
| TOTAL | 997 | 257 | 91 |
*A district map is available on the Railroad Commission of Texas website at http://www.rrc.texas.gov/media/21430/districts_color_8x11.pdf.