Texas Mineral Radar → drilling permits

Texas drilling permits

Every drilling permit filed in Texas is public record. This is 16,296 of them — who is drilling, on what lease, in which county, and whether the well is horizontal — free, with no login. The newest filing on record here was made 2026-10-29.

The mineral owners under these permits

For mineral buyers and landmen: the Permit Owner File matches each new W-1 drilling permit in a package of named counties to the listed mineral owners under it and delivers them every Monday as a CSV with mailing addresses. Midland Basin package live; other counties on request.

The 250 most recent Texas drilling permits

Newest filing first, statewide. Open a permit for the survey tract, depth, field and location; open an operator to see everywhere it drills.

Texas drilling permits by county

The 30 counties with the most permits on record. Every county page lists its permits, its operators and its producing wells.

All 205 counties with drilling permits →

How many drilling permits are filed in Texas each month

Filings by month from the permit records we hold. The most recent month is partial — permits keep arriving.

Common questions

What is a W-1 drilling permit?

A W-1 is the application an operator files with the Railroad Commission of Texas before drilling. It names the operator, the lease, the county and survey tract, the target field and the depth, and says whether the well is horizontal. It is the earliest public signal that development is coming to an area.

Why does a horizontal permit matter if it is not on my land?

A horizontal well travels sideways underground and can produce minerals from a mile or more from the surface location shown on the permit. A permit filed on the tract next door can still be producing what you own. Every permit above shows whether it is horizontal.

Who owns the minerals under a new permit?

Mineral ownership is a county record. The Permit Owner File matches new permits to the listed owners on the public mineral assessment record for named-county packages and delivers them weekly with mailing addresses. Listed owners are prospecting candidates, not title.