Monthly drilling permits filed in Oklahoma, with spuds and first production alongside, the counties with the most permits, and how long permits take to reach spud. Every figure is a count or percentile Buckhead computes from grouped records; no individual well is listed.
Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Last computed: 2026-10-02.
Quick answer: Oklahoma recorded at least 691 drilling permits in the 12 months through Sep 2026, by Buckhead Energy’s count of published monthly figures; Roger Mills County had the most permits (122). The median permit reached spud in 36 days. Months with fewer than 3 permits are withheld, so totals are floors.
At least 691 in the 12 months through Sep 2026. The figure adds the published monthly counts; months with fewer than 3 permits are withheld, so it is a floor rather than an exact count.
By permits in the last 12 months: Roger Mills County (122), Canadian County (105), Custer County (76). The table on this page lists up to 25 counties.
For permits 6 to 36 months old, the median permit reached spud in 36 days; the middle half took 18 to 73 days. Permits that were never spudded are not in these percentiles.
A permit is regulatory approval to drill. It does not establish that a well will be drilled, which tract it will include, or whether production or royalty payments will follow.
Last 24 months, newest first. Months with fewer than 3 wells in a column show <3. Figures for the most recent months may change as records are updated.
| Month | Permits | Spuds | First production |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 50 | 37 | 0 |
| Aug 2026 | 47 | 51 | 0 |
| Jul 2026 | 68 | 48 | 0 |
| Jun 2026 | 64 | 69 | <3 |
| May 2026 | 86 | 30 | 6 |
| Apr 2026 | 57 | 39 | 28 |
| Mar 2026 | 86 | 54 | 13 |
| Feb 2026 | 49 | 25 | 26 |
| Jan 2026 | 38 | 31 | 11 |
| Dec 2025 | 52 | 31 | 32 |
| Nov 2025 | 50 | 36 | 40 |
| Oct 2025 | 44 | 35 | 39 |
| Sep 2025 | 46 | 17 | 49 |
| Aug 2025 | 51 | 32 | 43 |
| Jul 2025 | 39 | 40 | 43 |
| Jun 2025 | 58 | 27 | 29 |
| May 2025 | 58 | 41 | 34 |
| Apr 2025 | 57 | 51 | 47 |
| Mar 2025 | 68 | 52 | 47 |
| Feb 2025 | 85 | 46 | 30 |
| Jan 2025 | 70 | 55 | 34 |
| Dec 2024 | 68 | 51 | 30 |
| Nov 2024 | 47 | 43 | 48 |
| Oct 2024 | 60 | 55 | 31 |
Ranked by drilling permits in the last 12 complete months. At most 25 counties are shown.
| County | Permits | Spuds | First production |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Mills | 122 | 107 | 41 |
| Canadian | 105 | 75 | 16 |
| Custer | 76 | 68 | 30 |
| Grady | 71 | 76 | 31 |
| Carter | 49 | 21 | 8 |
| Creek | 32 | 3 | 0 |
| Blaine | 29 | 29 | 5 |
| Garvin | 24 | 12 | 0 |
| Seminole | 23 | 3 | 0 |
| Pontotoc | 20 | 10 | 0 |
| McClain | 20 | 9 | 3 |
| Caddo | 17 | 18 | 4 |
| Stephens | 16 | 13 | 11 |
| Pottawatomie | 14 | 9 | 0 |
| Hughes | 11 | 9 | 20 |
| Dewey | 8 | 4 | 3 |
| Kingfisher | 8 | 4 | 14 |
| Kay | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Oklahoma | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| Lincoln | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| Payne | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Beaver | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Major | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Tulsa | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Pawnee | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Cycle-time cohorts: permit-to-spud uses permits 6–36 months old; spud-to-first-production uses spuds 12–36 months old.
| Stage | Wells | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit to spud | 1,568 | 18 | 36 | 73 |
| Spud to first production | 993 | 71 | 115 | 172 |
Buckhead Energy computes every figure on this page from grouped records in public oil and gas data. The page shows counts, sums, percentiles and indexes only; it does not list individual wells, leases or permits.
Counts under 3 wells and percentiles under 5 wells are withheld; totals are floors.
12-month totals add only the monthly figures that were published, so they are floors, not exact counts.
Cycle-time cohorts: permit-to-spud uses permits 6–36 months old; spud-to-first-production uses spuds 12–36 months old.
Last computed: 2026-10-02. These figures are informational only and are not a valuation of any mineral or royalty interest.
Activity in a county does not establish anything about a specific tract. Compare these figures with your own lease, division order and statements when considering your mineral rights.
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A drilling permit records proposed activity. It does not establish that a well is producing or that an owner is receiving royalties. Read the monthly counts alongside the dataset refresh date.
