# Monterey Formation in California: Operators, Permits & Activity 2026
> **Breadcrumb:** Home › Operators › California Formations & Plays › Monterey (California)

> Monterey oil and gas activity in California: 46412 wells across 3224 operators, 812 recent permits. Top operators, top counties, recent permits and DUC inventory targeting the Monterey formation. Refreshed monthly.

**URL:** https://www.buckheadenergy.com/formation-california/monterey
**Source:** Buckhead Energy (https://www.buckheadenergy.com/)
**Generated:** 2026-08-16 (heuristic; server-side extraction)

## Answer
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.

## Dataset
**Name:** Monterey Formation – California Oil & Gas Activity

Monterey formation operator and drilling activity in California: 46,412 wells, 3,224 active operators, 812 permits in the last 24 months. Top operators, top counties, recent permits, and DUC inventory.

**Variables measured:**
- Total Wells: 46412
- Active Operators: 3224
- Recent Permits (24 Months): 812

## Page Outline
- Monterey Formation in California
  - Top Operators in the Monterey (California)
  - Primary California Counties for the Monterey
  - Recent Monterey Drilling Permits in California
  - Monterey DUCs (Drilled, Uncompleted Wells) in California
  - About the Monterey Formation in California
  - Frequently Asked Questions
  - Own Monterey Mineral Rights in California?
  - Related Operator Intelligence

## Related Pages
- [California Oil & Gas Industry Snapshot Dashboard](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/california-oil-gas-industry-snapshot)
- [Top California Operators Leaderboard](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/top-operators-california)
- [California Drilling Activity Report (permits, DUCs, spuds)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/california-drilling-activity-report)
- [US Mineral Market Activity Index (all 11 states ranked 0–100)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/us-mineral-market-activity-index)
- [US Mineral & Drilling Activity Index (national rollup)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/us-drilling-activity-index)
- [Texas Industry Snapshot (largest producing state)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/texas-oil-gas-industry-snapshot)
- [Oklahoma Industry Snapshot](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/oklahoma-oil-gas-industry-snapshot)
- [Largest US Operators — National Leaderboard](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/top-operators-us)
- [Browse the Full Operator Directory](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/operators)
- [Live Oil & Gas Prices (WTI + Henry Hub)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/oil-gas-prices)
- [Sell Your California Mineral Rights](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/sell)
- [How to Sell Mineral Rights (Step-by-Step)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/2026/how-to-sell-mineral-rights)
- [Oil & Gas Market Data Hub (all dated datasets)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/oil-gas-market-data)

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