2,350 wells across 92 active operators, with 0 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months.
Refreshed monthly from ECMC well-header records. Data current as of 2026-08-23.
Quick answer: The Dakota formation in Colorado has 2,350 wells on record across 92 active operators, with 0 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months (as of 2026-08-23). Its most active operators by well count are Simcoe LLC, Red Willow Production Company, Hilcorp Energy Company, Enduring Resources and Logos Operating. Compiled from Colorado Energy & Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) well-header records, refreshed monthly.
The operators with the most well counts targeting the Dakota formation in Colorado:
| # | Operator | Wells in Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simcoe LLC | 917 |
| 2 | Red Willow Production Company | 358 |
| 3 | Hilcorp Energy Company | 266 |
| 4 | Enduring Resources | 113 |
| 5 | Logos Operating | 83 |
| 6 | Bpx Operating Company | 71 |
| 7 | Pineland Operating Company LLC | 61 |
| 8 | Arco Oil & Gas Company | 45 |
| 9 | Maralex Resources | 39 |
| 10 | Abundance Energy Services LLC | 39 |
The Colorado counties with the most Dakota activity:
La Plata
The Dakota is one of Colorado's active oil and gas plays, with 2,350 wells on file across 92 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 0 drilling permits targeting the Dakota 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 La Plata, knowing whether your tract sits within an active Dakota 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 Colorado oil & gas formations & plays · Download the Colorado formations dataset (CSV)
2,350 wells target the Dakota in Colorado, worked by 92 active operators, per ECMC well-header records (as of 2026-08-23).
By well count, the most active Dakota operators in Colorado are Simcoe LLC, Red Willow Production Company, Hilcorp Energy Company, Enduring Resources and Logos Operating. The full ranking is in the table on this page.
Operators filed 0 drilling permits targeting the Dakota in the last 24 months — a live measure of current activity, per ECMC records.
Operators filed 0 new drilling permits targeting the Dakota in Colorado over the last 24 months. New permits and spuds are the clearest signal of active Dakota drilling, per ECMC records (as of 2026-08-23).
Dakota activity in Colorado currently spans 2,350 wells on record and 92 active operators, led by Simcoe LLC, Red Willow Production Company, Hilcorp Energy Company, Enduring Resources and Logos Operating, with 0 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months — refreshed monthly from Colorado Energy & Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) well-header records (as of 2026-08-23).
The most active Dakota counties in Colorado are La Plata.
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 Dakota 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 Dakota activity in your area.
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Formation: Dakota
State: Colorado
Total wells: 2,350
Active operators: 92
Permits 24mo: 0
Last refresh: 2026-08-23