The Railroad Commission of Texas (Commission) issued a total of 573 original drilling permits in February 2016 compared to 924 in February 2015. The February total included 455 permits to drill new oil or gas wells, 19 to re-enter plugged well bores and 99 for re-completions of existing well bores. The breakdown of well types for those permits issued February 2016 included 159 oil, 28 gas, 352 oil or gas, 26 injection, five service and three other permits.
In February 2016, Commission staff processed 822 oil, 186 gas, 57 injection and one other completions compared to 1,521 oil, 210 gas, 245 injection and three other completions in February 2015. Total well completions for 2016 year to date are 2,270 down from 3,979 recorded during the same period in 2015.
According to Baker Hughes Inc., the Texas rig count as of March 4 was 227, representing about 46 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 – FEBRUARY 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 | 64 | 118 | 37 |
(2) REFUGIO AREA | 80 | 132 | 21 |
(3) SOUTHEAST TEXAS | 24 | 42 | 25 |
(4) DEEP SOUTH TEXAS | 7 | 1 | 14 |
(5) EAST CENTRAL TX | 2 | 6 | 0 |
(6) EAST TEXAS | 19 | 14 | 13 |
(7B) WEST CENTRAL TX | 26 | 22 | 5 |
(7C) SAN ANGELO AREA | 58 | 28 | 0 |
(8) MIDLAND | 215 | 336 | 29 |
(8A) LUBBOCK AREA | 41 | 50 | 0 |
(9) NORTH TEXAS | 25 | 71 | 24 |
(10) PANHANDLE | 12 | 2 | 18 |
A district map is available on the Railroad Commission of Texas website at
http://www.rrc.texas.gov/media/21430/districts_color_8x11.pdf.