Statewide permits, drilled-but-uncompleted inventory, recent spuds, newly producing wells, and the most active operators and counties — compiled monthly from California Geologic Energy Management Division well-header records. Free to cite, quote, and embed with attribution.
Data as of · CC BY 4.0As of August 1, 2026, California has 1,898 drilling permits filed over the trailing 24 months, 5 drilled-but-uncompleted (DUC) wells in inventory, 4 wells spudded in the last 90 days, and 27 wells brought onto first production in the last six months, across 51 producing counties — per California Geologic Energy Management Division records compiled by Buckhead Energy.
| # | Operator | Wells | Permits 24mo | DUCs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevron | 59,417 | 2,497 | 7,358 |
| 2 | Aera Energy | 57,810 | 2,186 | 7,401 |
| 3 | California Resources Production | 15,274 | 763 | 1,329 |
| 4 | Sentinel Peak Resources Ca | 10,943 | 758 | 1,294 |
| 5 | Berry Petroleum Company | 8,439 | 822 | 793 |
| # | County | Recent Permits | DUCs | Producing Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kern | 7,882 | 13,885 | — |
| 2 | Los Angeles | 411 | 1,124 | — |
| 3 | Fresno | 268 | 5,259 | — |
| 4 | Orange | 242 | 112 | — |
| 5 | Ventura | 253 | 968 | — |
Compiled from California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) well-header and production filings: permits over a trailing 24-month window, current DUC inventory (spudded, not yet completed), spuds in the last 90 days, and wells with first production within six months. Refreshed monthly; every figure carries the as-of date above.
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Wondering whether to sell now? See Is now a good time to sell mineral rights in California? — it ties this drilling data to the factors that decide timing, then routes to a free written offer.
Buckhead Energy, "California Drilling Activity Report — August 2026," compiled from California Geologic Energy Management Division records, August 1, 2026. https://www.buckheadenergy.com/california-drilling-activity-report
Journalists and researchers: monthly figures, county-level breakdowns, and CSV extracts are available on request — [email protected].