284 wells across 99 recorded operators, with 4 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at summary refresh.
Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-10-03.
Quick answer: The Santa Barbra Channel Basin formation in California has 284 wells on record across 99 recorded operators, with 4 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh. Its operators with the most wells on record are Dcor, Venoco, Union Oil Company Of California, Exxon Mobil and Fred E Cole. Source: Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-10-03.
The operators with the most well counts targeting the Santa Barbra Channel Basin formation in California:
| # | Operator | Wells in Santa Barbra Channel Basin |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dcor | 39 |
| 2 | Venoco | 16 |
| 3 | Union Oil Company Of California | 16 |
| 4 | Exxon Mobil | 16 |
| 5 | Fred E Cole | 15 |
| 6 | Calnrg Operating LLC | 12 |
| 7 | Arco Oil & Gas Company | 11 |
| 8 | Transoceanic Oil | 10 |
| 9 | Atlantic Richfield Company | 7 |
| 10 | T G Ross | 6 |
The California counties with the most Santa Barbra Channel Basin activity:
Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz Area, Santa Barbara Offshore, Ventura, Ventura Offshore
The Santa Barbra Channel Basin is not among the California formations tracked separately in the yearly permit mix, so only statewide permit counts are shown.
| Year | State permits | This formation | Share | Median lateral |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2,510 | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 5,530 | — | — | — |
| 2024 | 5,346 | — | — | — |
| 2023 | 940 | — | — | — |
| 2022 | 757 | — | — | — |
| 2021 | 130 | — | — | — |
| 2020 | 1,825 | — | — | — |
| 2019 | 2,587 | — | — | — |
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: 2026-10-03. These figures are informational only and are not a valuation of any mineral or royalty interest.
The Santa Barbra Channel Basin is a formation/play group recorded in California, with 284 wells on file across 99 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 4 drilling permits targeting the Santa Barbra Channel 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.
284 wells target the Santa Barbra Channel Basin in California, worked by 99 recorded operators, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-10-03.
The Santa Barbra Channel Basin operators with the most wells on record in California are Dcor, Venoco, Union Oil Company Of California, Exxon Mobil and Fred E Cole. The full ranking is in the table on this page. Formation summary date: 2026-10-03.
Operators filed 4 drilling permits targeting the Santa Barbra Channel Basin in the 24-month window at source refresh, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-10-03.
Operators filed 4 new drilling permits targeting the Santa Barbra Channel 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: 2026-10-03.
Santa Barbra Channel Basin activity in California includes 284 wells on record and 99 recorded operators, with 4 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh — from Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-10-03.
The primary counties recorded for Santa Barbra Channel Basin in California are Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz Area, Santa Barbara Offshore, Ventura, Ventura Offshore. Formation summary date: 2026-10-03.
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: 2026-10-03.
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Formation: Santa Barbra Channel Basin
State: California
Total wells: 284
Recorded operators: 99
Permits 24mo: 4
Summary date: 2026-10-03
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