RRC Issues 816 Drilling Permits in October
Texas regulators approved 742 permits to drill new oil or gas wells in October, with San Angelo ranking second among districts.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Oil and Gas
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The Railroad Commission of Texas issued 816 original drilling permits statewide in October 2026, including 742 permits to drill new oil or gas wells. Commission staff also processed 869 oil, 359 gas and 68 injection completions during the month.
Why it matters
Permit and completion counts serve as a gauge of drilling activity across Texas's oil and gas districts. Tracking district-level totals shows where operators are concentrating new development.
The San Angelo area recorded 117 new oil completions, ranking second among RRC districts behind Midland's 197. Comparisons with earlier months and years are not included in the available figures.
The players
Railroad Commission of Texas
The state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry in Texas, issuing drilling permits and overseeing well completions across its districts.
The details
Permits included 12 to re-enter plugged wellbores, 60 for recompletion and 2 for reclassification, alongside 143 oil, 71 gas and 532 oil-and-gas well permits. The San Antonio area issued 67 permits and logged 52 new oil and 39 new gas completions.
Timeline
October 2026: Railroad Commission issued 816 original drilling permits statewide.
Market Landscape
The Railroad Commission issues permits by district, and the Midland and San Angelo areas together account for much of the statewide permitting activity reported this month. This concentration reflects where Permian Basin operators are focusing their current drilling programs.
Monthly permit counts indicate where new drilling activity is occurring, which can influence local employment and service-sector demand in those districts. Residents in the San Angelo and Midland areas may see the effects of this activity through local business and job opportunities.
The takeaway
District-level permit data helps readers see where Texas drilling is concentrated, not just the statewide total. Following monthly RRC releases offers a practical way to track shifts in regional activity over time.
Further reading
Explore more on Oil and Gas activity across Texas districts.
More information
View the RRC district map to see which counties fall within each Railroad Commission district.
Source note: This article includes information reported by San Angelo LIVE!.
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