AUSTIN — The Railroad Commission of Texas (Commission) issued a total of 660 original drilling permits in August 2016 compared to 864 in August 2015. The August total included 512 permits to drill new oil or gas wells, eight to re-enter plugged well bores and 140 for re-completions of existing well bores. The breakdown of well types for those permits issued August 2016 included 203 oil, 24 gas, 392 oil or gas, 26 injection, zero service and 15 other permits.
In August 2016, Commission staff processed 545 oil, 223 gas, 46 injection and eight other completions compared to 1,113 oil, 172 gas, 36 injection and 11 other completions in August 2015. Total well completions for 2016 year to date are 8,107 down from 14,665 recorded during the same period in 2015.
According to Baker Hughes Inc., the Texas rig count as of September 9 was 245, representing about 48 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 – AUGUST 2016 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 | 70 | 81 | 42 |
| (2) REFUGIO AREA | 19 | 42 | 62 |
| (3) SOUTHEAST TEXAS | 29 | 49 | 44 |
| (4) DEEP SOUTH TEXAS | 22 | 1 | 6 |
| (5) EAST CENTRAL TX | 11 | 15 | 1 |
| (6) EAST TEXAS | 29 | 5 | 8 |
| (7B) WEST CENTRAL TX | 30 | 13 | 1 |
| (7C) SAN ANGELO AREA | 47 | 30 | 0 |
| (8) MIDLAND | 275 | 226 | 18 |
| (8A) LUBBOCK AREA | 74 | 55 | 0 |
| (9) NORTH TEXAS | 22 | 21 | 9 |
| (10) PANHANDLE | 32 | 7 | 32 |
| TOTAL | 660 | 545 | 223 |
*A
district map is available on the Railroad Commission of Texas website at
http://www.rrc.texas.gov/media/21430/districts_color_8x11.pdf.