3,860 wells across 773 recorded operators, with 149 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at summary refresh.
Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-10-02.
Quick answer: The Los Angeles Basin formation in California has 3,860 wells on record across 773 recorded operators, with 149 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh. Its operators with the most wells on record are Shadow Wolf Energy LLC, Chevron, Sentinel Peak Resources Ca, Southern Community and West Energy Operating LLC. Source: Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-10-02.
The operators with the most well counts targeting the Los Angeles Basin formation in California:
| # | Operator | Wells in Los Angeles Basin |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shadow Wolf Energy LLC | 535 |
| 2 | Chevron | 356 |
| 3 | Sentinel Peak Resources Ca | 283 |
| 4 | Southern Community | 258 |
| 5 | West Energy Operating LLC | 119 |
| 6 | Warren E & P | 116 |
| 7 | Caltico Oil | 94 |
| 8 | Thums Long Beach Company | 88 |
| 9 | The Termo Company | 67 |
| 10 | Crimson Resource Management | 63 |
The California counties with the most Los Angeles Basin activity:
Los Angeles, Orange, Los Angeles Offshore, San Bernardino, Ventura
Drilling permits in California each year, the Los Angeles Basin count and share of them, and the median lateral length of those Los Angeles Basin permits.
| Year | State permits | This formation | Share | Median lateral |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2,510 | 54 | 2.2% | 320 ft |
| 2025 | 5,530 | 73 | 1.3% | 377 ft |
| 2024 | 5,346 | 94 | 1.8% | 302 ft |
| 2023 | 940 | 26 | 2.8% | n<5 |
| 2022 | 757 | 29 | 3.8% | n<5 |
| 2021 | 130 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2020 | 1,825 | 6 | 0.3% | n<5 |
| 2019 | 2,587 | 9 | 0.3% | n<5 |
Share of each year’s California drilling permits by target formation, for the formations with the most permits.
| Year | Monterey-Temblor | San Joaquin Basin | Monterey | Coastal Basins | Sacramento Basin | Los Angeles Basin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 31% | 39.9% | 11.3% | 8.5% | 4.8% | 2.2% |
| 2025 | 49% | 33.7% | 8.8% | 2.4% | 2.9% | 1.3% |
| 2024 | 50.9% | 36.8% | 5.2% | 0.8% | 2.4% | 1.8% |
| 2023 | 33.7% | 55.1% | 5% | 0.3% | 1.8% | 2.8% |
| 2022 | 4.4% | 81.5% | 2% | 3.8% | — | 3.8% |
| 2021 | 50.8% | 30.8% | 16.2% | 2.3% | — | — |
| 2020 | 71.1% | 24.9% | 1.9% | 1.4% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2019 | 40% | 40% | 15.2% | 2.2% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
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.
Share is the formation’s permits as a percent of the state’s permits that year. Median lateral length is published only when at least 5 permits stand behind it.
Last computed: 2026-10-02. These figures are informational only and are not a valuation of any mineral or royalty interest.
The Los Angeles Basin is a formation/play group recorded in California, with 3,860 wells on file across 773 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 149 drilling permits targeting the Los Angeles Basin in the 24-month window at summary refresh. These are stored records, not a live measure of drilling.
Recorded formation activity provides regional context. It does not establish ownership, future production, royalty payments or a value for an individual tract. Consult qualified professionals about your specific interest.
3,860 wells target the Los Angeles Basin in California, worked by 773 recorded operators, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-10-02.
The Los Angeles Basin operators with the most wells on record in California are Shadow Wolf Energy LLC, Chevron, Sentinel Peak Resources Ca, Southern Community and West Energy Operating LLC. The full ranking is in the table on this page. Formation summary date: 2026-10-02.
Operators filed 149 drilling permits targeting the Los Angeles Basin in the 24-month window at source refresh, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-10-02.
Operators filed 149 new drilling permits targeting the Los Angeles Basin in California in the 24-month window at source refresh. New permits and spuds record reported activity stages; they do not establish ongoing drilling, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-10-02.
Los Angeles Basin activity in California includes 3,860 wells on record and 773 recorded operators, with 149 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh — from Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-10-02.
The primary counties recorded for Los Angeles Basin in California are Los Angeles, Orange, Los Angeles Offshore, San Bernardino, Ventura. Formation summary date: 2026-10-02.
Value depends on your net mineral acres or royalty decimal, the operator, the remaining drilling locations, and current oil and gas prices. This page is informational only, not a valuation. Formation summary date: 2026-10-02.
Get a free written offer based on your specific tract, operator, and the current Los Angeles Basin activity in your area.
Get Your Free Written OfferCalifornia Oil & Gas Industry Snapshot Dashboard
Top California Operators Leaderboard
California Drilling Activity Report (permits, DUCs, spuds)
US Mineral Market Activity Index (all 11 states ranked 0–100)
US Mineral & Drilling Activity Index (national rollup)
Texas Industry Snapshot (largest producing state)
Largest US Operators — National Leaderboard
Browse the Full Operator Directory
Live Oil & Gas Prices (WTI + Henry Hub)
Sell Your California Mineral Rights
Formation: Los Angeles Basin
State: California
Total wells: 3,860
Recorded operators: 773
Permits 24mo: 149
Summary date: 2026-10-02
Free written offers on Los Angeles Basin mineral rights in California.
Get Your Free Offer