Midland County Posts Record Oil Output Year

Royalty Clerk's compilation of Railroad Commission filings shows Midland County produced 238.9 million barrels in the twelve months ending August 2026.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Oil and Gas

Midland County Posts Record Oil Output Year

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Royalty Clerk reported Midland County produced 2.35 billion barrels of oil from 1993 through August 2026, with its best year in the twelve months ending that month at 238.9 million barrels. The county also produced 7.9 trillion cubic feet of gas over the same period.

Why it matters

Midland County holds the most oil equivalent production of any Texas county, making its output a key indicator of activity in the Permian Basin. The figures show how production has been concentrated among a small number of operators and across the region's counties.

Midland County's 2026 appraisal roll lists 442,391 mineral accounts, second only to Tarrant County among 143 appraisal rolls. Operators Endeavor Energy Resources and XTO Energy reported 216.3 million and 208.4 million barrels in the county, respectively.

The players

Royalty Clerk

Royalty Clerk is an organization that compiles public oil and gas production records from Texas state filings.

Railroad Commission of Texas

The Railroad Commission of Texas is the state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry and receives monthly production reports from operators.

Pioneer Natural Resources

Pioneer Natural Resources is a Permian Basin oil producer whose reported Midland County output of 737.3 million barrels made it the county's largest operator, and it was acquired by Exxon Mobil in May 2024.

The details

Production records were compiled from monthly filings each operator submitted to the Railroad Commission of Texas, with each month's output credited to the operator that filed the report. Each lease is counted in its main county, and Midland County's totals reflect the leases so assigned.

January 1993: Royalty Clerk's production records begin.
1994: Pecos County production peaks.
May 2024: Exxon Mobil purchases Pioneer Natural Resources.
2025: Martin, Loving, Reeves, Upton and Reagan counties post their best production years.
August 2026: Royalty Clerk's production records end.

Permian Perspective

Midland County's record year comes as the Permian Basin's share of Texas output has grown, as reflected in Railroad Commission monthly filings. Other counties show a different pattern, with Ector, Crane and Gaines counties yet to exceed their 1993 production levels.

Shifts in county-level production can affect local tax bases, since mineral accounts on the appraisal roll contribute to property valuations. Residents in heavily producing counties may see these effects in their local budgets.

The takeaway

Production concentrated in a few counties and operators means local economies are closely tied to the output of a small number of producers. Tracking monthly Railroad Commission filings offers a clear way to follow these shifts over time.