6,709 wells across 229 recorded operators, with 0 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at summary refresh.
Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
Quick answer: The Niobrara East formation in Colorado has 6,709 wells on record across 229 recorded operators, with 0 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh. Its operators with the most wells on record are Own Resources Operating, Omimex Petroleum, J W Operating Company, Rosewood Resources and Wme Yates LLC. Source: Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
The operators with the most well counts targeting the Niobrara East formation in Colorado:
| # | Operator | Wells in Niobrara East |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Own Resources Operating | 3,440 |
| 2 | Omimex Petroleum | 477 |
| 3 | J W Operating Company | 270 |
| 4 | Rosewood Resources | 235 |
| 5 | Wme Yates LLC | 212 |
| 6 | Pdc Energy | 141 |
| 7 | Berry Petroleum Company | 128 |
| 8 | Noble Energy | 128 |
| 9 | Samedan Oil | 113 |
| 10 | Rosetta Resources Operating | 79 |
The Colorado counties with the most Niobrara East activity:
Yuma, Phillips, Kit Carson, Sedgwick
The Niobrara East is not among the Colorado formations tracked separately in the yearly permit mix, so only statewide permit counts are shown.
| Year | State permits | This formation | Share | Median lateral |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 604 | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 696 | — | — | — |
| 2024 | 862 | — | — | — |
| 2023 | 902 | — | — | — |
| 2022 | 1,044 | — | — | — |
| 2021 | 517 | — | — | — |
| 2020 | 958 | — | — | — |
| 2019 | 1,637 | — | — | — |
Share of each year’s Colorado drilling permits by target formation, for the formations with the most permits.
| Year | Muddy J Sand | Denver Basin | Mesaverde | Piceance Basin | San Juan Basin | Las Vegas - Raton Basin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 16.2% | 69.5% | — | 6.8% | 1.7% | 1.2% |
| 2025 | 16.8% | 64.1% | 3.3% | 11.5% | 2.4% | 0.7% |
| 2024 | 15.3% | 64.6% | 2% | 12.3% | 1.6% | 1.2% |
| 2023 | 22.1% | 56.8% | 5.7% | 8.5% | 4.8% | 1.1% |
| 2022 | 37.1% | 32.5% | 8.3% | 9.5% | 7.7% | 0.5% |
| 2021 | 65.6% | — | 26.1% | — | 4.8% | 0.6% |
| 2020 | 88.4% | 0.6% | 10.5% | — | — | — |
| 2019 | 85.1% | 0.4% | 10.8% | 0.2% | 0.6% | — |
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: 2026-11-01. These figures are informational only and are not a valuation of any mineral or royalty interest.
The Niobrara East is a formation/play group recorded in Colorado, with 6,709 wells on file across 229 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 0 drilling permits targeting the Niobrara East 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.
6,709 wells target the Niobrara East in Colorado, worked by 229 recorded operators, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
The Niobrara East operators with the most wells on record in Colorado are Own Resources Operating, Omimex Petroleum, J W Operating Company, Rosewood Resources and Wme Yates LLC. The full ranking is in the table on this page. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
Operators filed 0 drilling permits targeting the Niobrara East in the 24-month window at source refresh, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
Operators filed 0 new drilling permits targeting the Niobrara East in Colorado 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: 2026-11-01.
Niobrara East activity in Colorado includes 6,709 wells on record and 229 recorded operators, with 0 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh — from Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
The primary counties recorded for Niobrara East in Colorado are Yuma, Phillips, Kit Carson, Sedgwick. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
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: 2026-11-01.
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Get Your Free Written OfferFormation: Niobrara East
State: Colorado
Total wells: 6,709
Recorded operators: 229
Permits 24mo: 0
Summary date: 2026-11-01