46,412 wells across 3,224 active operators, with 812 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months.
Refreshed monthly from CalGEM well-header records. Data current as of 2026-08-16.
Quick answer: The Monterey formation in California has 46,412 wells on record across 3,224 active operators, with 812 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months (as of 2026-08-16). Its most active operators by well count are Chevron, Tidelands Oil Production Company, Aera Energy, California Resources Production and Union Oil Company Of California. Compiled from California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) well-header records, refreshed monthly.
The operators with the most well counts targeting the Monterey formation in California:
| # | Operator | Wells in Monterey |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevron | 4,975 |
| 2 | Tidelands Oil Production Company | 3,825 |
| 3 | Aera Energy | 2,634 |
| 4 | California Resources Production | 2,209 |
| 5 | Union Oil Company Of California | 1,931 |
| 6 | Calnrg Operating LLC | 1,919 |
| 7 | Thums Long Beach Company | 1,893 |
| 8 | Sentinel Peak Resources Ca | 1,657 |
| 9 | Exxon Mobil | 1,210 |
| 10 | Union Pacific Resources Company | 898 |
The California counties with the most Monterey activity:
Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles Offshore
The most recent 100 drilling permits filed for Monterey wells in California:
| Permit Date | Well | API | County | Operator | Lateral (ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-07 | Mcgrath 5 915 | 04111008110000 |
Ventura | Calnrg Operating LLC | — |
| 2026-08-06 | Stearns 291 | 04059215390000 |
Orange | Bridge Energy LLC | 249 |
| 2026-08-06 | Ows 004 | 04037302480000 |
Los Angeles | Tidelands Oil Production Company | — |
| 2026-08-06 | Stearns 293 | 04059215420000 |
Orange | Bridge Energy LLC | — |
| 2026-08-04 | 100 Acre 23 | 04059070390000 |
Orange | Sycamore Development Partners LLC | — |
| 2026-07-24 | 100 Acre 54 | 04059000240000 |
Orange | Sycamore Development Partners LLC | — |
| 2026-07-24 | 100 Acre 62 | 04059070550000 |
Orange | Sycamore Development Partners LLC | — |
| 2026-07-22 | Angus B-9 I | 04059214860000 |
Orange | E B Natural Resources Management | — |
| 2026-07-21 | Unspecified 1 | 04037014570000 |
Los Angeles | The Port Of Long Beach | — |
| 2026-07-21 | Smvu Union-Bradley I K-1 | 04083229690000 |
Santa Barbara | Pre Resources | — |
| 2026-07-21 | Lease By Thums Long Beach CO. J-339 I | 04037200100000 |
Los Angeles | Thums Long Beach Company | — |
| 2026-07-20 | Taylor 707 | 04111214910000 |
Ventura | Aera Energy | — |
| 2026-07-17 | Lease By Thums Long Beach CO. D-505 I | 04237202650000 |
Los Angeles Offshore | Thums Long Beach Company | 357 |
| 2026-07-17 | Wtu 2376 | 04037305420000 |
Los Angeles | Warren E P | — |
| 2026-07-16 | Lease By Tidelands Oil Production CO. Fx-23 | 04037027590000 |
Los Angeles | Tidelands Oil Production Company | — |
| 2026-07-15 | Lease By Thums Long Beach CO. B-102 I | 04237203950000 |
Los Angeles Offshore | Thums Long Beach Company | 2,846 |
| 2026-07-14 | Lease By Tidelands Oil Production CO. 2at37b | 04037235780000 |
Los Angeles | Tidelands Oil Production Company | — |
| 2026-07-13 | Lease By Thums Long Beach CO. D-432 I | 04237222620000 |
Los Angeles Offshore | Thums Long Beach Company | 1,805 |
| 2026-07-13 | Lease By Tidelands Oil Production CO. 585-W | 04037032310000 |
Los Angeles | Tidelands Oil Production Company | 472 |
| 2026-07-10 | Lloyd 262 | 04111220320000 |
Ventura | Aera Energy | — |
| 2026-07-09 | 100 Acre 83 | 04059070660000 |
Orange | Sycamore Development Partners LLC | — |
| 2026-07-09 | 100 Acre 30 | 04059070420000 |
Orange | Sycamore Development Partners LLC | — |
| 2026-07-09 | 100 Acre 46 | 04059070470000 |
Orange | Sycamore Development Partners LLC | — |
| 2026-07-02 | Lease By Tidelands Oil Production CO. 2at36b | 04037235770000 |
Los Angeles | Tidelands Oil Production Company | — |
| 2026-07-01 | Lease By Tidelands Oil Production CO. 3t32c | 04037221850000 |
Los Angeles | Tidelands Oil Production Company | — |
| 2026-06-30 | Lease By Lena Pauline Savage 1 | 04037187530000 |
Los Angeles | Lena Pauline Savage | — |
| 2026-06-24 | Lease By Mills Petro. CO. 1 | 04037073820000 |
Los Angeles | Mills Petro Company | — |
| 2026-06-23 | Vru 259 | 04037230730000 |
Los Angeles | Sentinel Peak | — |
| 2026-06-23 | Vru 259 | 04037230730000 |
Los Angeles | Sentinel Peak Resources Ca | — |
| 2026-06-18 | Angus A-3 I | 04059214780000 |
Orange | E B Natural Resources Management | 562 |
| 2026-06-16 | Olinda Two 8 | 04059067340000 |
Orange | Sycamore Development Partners LLC | — |
| 2026-06-15 | Angus B-8 I | 04059214850000 |
Orange | E B Natural Resources Management | — |
| 2026-06-12 | Angus B-16 I | 04059214930000 |
Orange | E B Natural Resources Management | — |
| 2026-06-12 | Lease By Thums Long Beach CO. A-671 I | 04237237780000 |
Los Angeles Offshore | Thums Long Beach Company | 701 |
| 2026-06-12 | Angus B-11 I | 04059214880000 |
Orange | E B Natural Resources Management | — |
| 2026-06-10 | Lease By Thums Long Beach CO. C-605 I | 04237205910000 |
Los Angeles Offshore | Thums Long Beach Company | 1,747 |
| 2026-06-06 | 100 Acre 48 | 04059070480000 |
Orange | Sycamore Development Partners LLC | — |
| 2026-06-04 | Angus B-5 I | 04059214830000 |
Orange | E B Natural Resources Management | — |
| 2026-05-30 | Angus A-14 I | 04059214670000 |
Orange | E B Natural Resources Management | — |
| 2026-05-29 | Angus A-7 I | 04059214740000 |
Orange | E B Natural Resources Management | — |
| 2026-05-26 | Lease By Tidelands Oil Production CO. Fj-80 | 04037023570000 |
Los Angeles | Tidelands Oil Production Company | — |
| 2026-05-21 | Lease By Thums Long Beach CO. D-515 I | 04237201580000 |
Los Angeles Offshore | Thums Long Beach Company | — |
| 2026-05-21 | Lease By Thums Long Beach CO. D-517 I | 04237200350000 |
Los Angeles Offshore | Thums Long Beach Company | — |
| 2026-05-21 | Lease By Thums Long Beach CO. D-512 I | 04237204780000 |
Los Angeles Offshore | Thums Long Beach Company | — |
| 2026-05-21 | Angus A-1 I | 04059214760000 |
Orange | E B Natural Resources Management | — |
| 2026-05-15 | Latimer 1 | 04059020540000 |
Orange | The Kingdom Of Management INC | — |
| 2026-05-01 | Lease By Signal Hill Petroleum, INC. 23-14 | 04037216730000 |
Los Angeles | Signal Hill Petroleum | 105 |
| 2026-04-22 | Torrey 73 | 04111042040000 |
Ventura | Calnrg Operating LLC | — |
| 2026-04-22 | Torrey W-2 | 04111042390000 |
Ventura | Calnrg Operating LLC | — |
| 2026-04-22 | Mcgonigle 52 | 04111219970000 |
Ventura | Aera Energy | — |
Wells targeting the Monterey that have been spudded but are waiting on completion — near-term production upside:
| Spud Date | Days Waiting | Well | Operator | County | Lateral (ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-24 | 22 | Baldwin-Cienega 105 | Sentinel Peak Resources Ca | Los Angeles | — |
| 2026-07-10 | 36 | Lease By Mills Petro. CO. 1 | Mills Petro Company | Los Angeles | — |
| 2026-07-03 | 43 | St. James 5 | Allenco Energy | Los Angeles | 644 |
| 2026-06-26 | 50 | Vickers 1 580 | Sentinel Peak Resources Ca | Los Angeles | — |
The Monterey is one of California's active oil and gas plays, with 46,412 wells on file across 3,224 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 812 drilling permits targeting the Monterey in the last 24 months — a measure of how active the play is right now versus its historical baseline.
For mineral owners with interests in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles Offshore, knowing whether your tract sits within an active Monterey footprint is a foundational valuation question. Active formations with consistent permit flow command premium pricing; legacy formations with steady but declining production are valued differently.
See all California oil & gas formations & plays · Download the California formations dataset (CSV)
46,412 wells target the Monterey in California, worked by 3,224 active operators, per CalGEM well-header records (as of 2026-08-16).
By well count, the most active Monterey operators in California are Chevron, Tidelands Oil Production Company, Aera Energy, California Resources Production and Union Oil Company Of California. The full ranking is in the table on this page.
Operators filed 812 drilling permits targeting the Monterey in the last 24 months, and there are 4 drilled-but-uncompleted (DUC) wells awaiting completion — a live measure of current activity, per CalGEM records.
Operators filed 812 new drilling permits targeting the Monterey in California over the last 24 months, with 4 drilled-but-uncompleted (DUC) wells awaiting completion. New permits and spuds are the clearest signal of active Monterey drilling, per CalGEM records (as of 2026-08-16).
Monterey activity in California currently spans 46,412 wells on record and 3,224 active operators, led by Chevron, Tidelands Oil Production Company, Aera Energy, California Resources Production and Union Oil Company Of California, with 812 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months — refreshed monthly from California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) well-header records (as of 2026-08-16).
The most active Monterey counties in California are Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles Offshore.
Value depends on your net mineral acres or royalty decimal, the operator, the remaining drilling locations, and current oil and gas prices. Buckhead Energy checks your tract against current Monterey well and permit data and puts a free, no-obligation written offer in writing — this page is informational only, not a valuation.
Cite this dataset
Permanently archived and citable via a DOI on Zenodo (CERN), under a CC BY 4.0 license. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21442884 · View on Zenodo
License & attribution: This data is licensed CC BY 4.0. You are free to share and adapt it, including commercially, provided you credit “Buckhead Energy” and link back to this page or the DOI above.
Get a free written offer based on your specific tract, operator, and the current Monterey activity in your area.
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Formation: Monterey
State: California
Total wells: 46,412
Active operators: 3,224
Permits 24mo: 812
Last refresh: 2026-08-16