The Railroad Commission of Texas issued a total of 768 original drilling permits in October 2021 compared to 395 in October 2020. The October 2021 total includes 689 permits to drill new oil or gas wells, 10 to re-enter plugged wellbores, and 60 for re-completions of existing wellbores.
The breakdown of well types for original drilling permits in October 2021 is 174 oil, 69 gas, 479 oil or gas, 39 injection, and seven other permits.
In October 2021, Commission staff processed 597 oil, 95 gas and 341 injection completions for new drills, re-entries and re-completions, compared to 777 oil, 196 gas, and 119 injection completions in October 2020.
Total well completions processed for 2021 year-to-date for new drills, re-entries and re-completions are 7,980 compared to 12,901 recorded during the same period in 2020.
TABLE 1 – OCTOBER 2021 TEXAS OIL AND GAS NEW DRILLING PERMITS AND COMPLETIONS BY RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS DISTRICT*
| DISTRICT | PERMITS TO DRILL NEW OIL/GAS HOLES | NEW OIL COMPLETIONS | NEW GAS COMPLETIONS |
| (1) SAN ANTONIO AREA | 81 | 23 | 9 |
| (2) REFUGIO AREA | 41 | 29 | 6 |
| (3) SOUTHEAST TEXAS | 17 | 11 | 3 |
| (4) DEEP SOUTH TEXAS | 11 | 1 | 3 |
| (5) EAST CENTRAL TX | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| (6) EAST TEXAS | 28 | 3 | 11 |
| (7B) WEST CENTRAL TX | 23 | 12 | 0 |
| (7C) SAN ANGELO AREA | 43 | 38 | 0 |
| (8) MIDLAND | 370 | 382 | 38 |
| (8A) LUBBOCK AREA | 28 | 9 | 0 |
| (9) NORTH TEXAS | 30 | 11 | 2 |
| (10) PANHANDLE | 12 | 4 | 3 |
| TOTAL | 689 | 523 | 75 |
