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

> Santa Cruz Basin oil and gas activity in California: 290 wells across 108 operators, 13 recent permits. Top operators, top counties, recent permits and DUC inventory targeting the Santa Cruz Basin formation. Refreshed monthly.

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

## Answer
Quick answer: The Santa Cruz Basin formation in California has 290 wells on record across 108 active operators, with 13 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months (as of 2026-08-16). Its most active operators by well count are Neaves Petro Developments, Chevron, Union Oil Company Of California, Costa Loma and The Eric And Susan Dunn Living Trust Dated July 27 2006. Compiled from California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) well-header records, refreshed monthly.

## Dataset
**Name:** Santa Cruz Basin Formation – California Oil & Gas Activity

Santa Cruz Basin formation operator and drilling activity in California: 290 wells, 108 active operators, 13 permits in the last 24 months. Top operators, top counties, recent permits, and DUC inventory.

**Variables measured:**
- Total Wells: 290
- Active Operators: 108
- Recent Permits (24 Months): 13

## Page Outline
- Santa Cruz Basin Formation in California
  - Top Operators in the Santa Cruz Basin (California)
  - Primary California Counties for the Santa Cruz Basin
  - Recent Santa Cruz Basin Drilling Permits in California
  - About the Santa Cruz Basin Formation in California
  - Frequently Asked Questions
  - Own Santa Cruz Basin Mineral Rights in California?
  - Related Operator Intelligence

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