AUSTIN — The Railroad Commission of Texas (Commission) issued a total of 683 original drilling permits in April 2016 compared to 848 in April 2015. The April total included 473 permits to drill new oil or gas wells, 12 to re-enter plugged well bores and 198 for re-completions of existing well bores. The breakdown of well types for those permits issued April 2016 included 209 oil, 36 gas, 403 oil or gas, 25 injection, zero service and 10 other permits.
In April 2016, Commission staff processed 873 oil, 120 gas, 49 injection and five other completions compared to 1,867 oil, 314 gas, 125 injection and one other completions in April 2015. Total well completions for 2016 year to date are 4,499 down from 8,253 recorded during the same period in 2015.
According to Baker Hughes Inc., the Texas rig count as of May 6 was 188, representing about 45 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/.
| DISTRICT | PERMITS TO DRILL OIL/GAS HOLES | OIL COMPLETIONS | GAS COMPLETIONS |
| (1) SAN ANTONIO AREA | 77 | 93 | 15 |
| (2) REFUGIO AREA | 75 | 150 | 15 |
| (3) SOUTHEAST TEXAS | 21 | 42 | 19 |
| (4) DEEP SOUTH TEXAS | 18 | 3 | 11 |
| (5) EAST CENTRAL TX | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| (6) EAST TEXAS | 17 | 12 | 21 |
| (7B) WEST CENTRAL TX | 29 | 24 | 2 |
| (7C) SAN ANGELO AREA | 35 | 55 | 8 |
| (8) MIDLAND | 269 | 402 | 9 |
| (8A) LUBBOCK AREA | 101 | 31 | 0 |
| (9) NORTH TEXAS | 25 | 37 | 7 |
| (10) PANHANDLE | 11 | 21 | 12 |
*
A district map is available on the Railroad Commission of Texas website at
http://www.rrc.texas.gov/media/21430/districts_color_8x11.pdf.
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