1,789 wells across 323 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 Paradox Basin formation in Colorado has 1,789 wells on record across 323 recorded operators, with 0 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh. Its operators with the most wells on record are Kinder Morgan Co2 Co. LLC, American Helium LLC, Highpoint Operating, Mesa Verde Drilling and Bush Drlg Company. 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 Paradox Basin formation in Colorado:
| # | Operator | Wells in Paradox Basin |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kinder Morgan Co2 CO LLC | 241 |
| 2 | American Helium LLC | 161 |
| 3 | Highpoint Operating | 67 |
| 4 | Mesa Verde Drilling | 60 |
| 5 | Bush Drlg Company | 47 |
| 6 | Shell Oil Company | 31 |
| 7 | Wright Robertllc | 30 |
| 8 | Patara Oil & Gas | 29 |
| 9 | Cabot Oil & Gas | 27 |
| 10 | Encana Oil & Gas | 27 |
The Colorado counties with the most Paradox Basin activity:
Montezuma, San Miguel, Dolores, Montrose, La Plata
The Paradox Basin 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 Paradox Basin is a formation/play group recorded in Colorado, with 1,789 wells on file across 323 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 0 drilling permits targeting the Paradox 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.
1,789 wells target the Paradox Basin in Colorado, worked by 323 recorded operators, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
The Paradox Basin operators with the most wells on record in Colorado are Kinder Morgan Co2 Co. LLC, American Helium LLC, Highpoint Operating, Mesa Verde Drilling and Bush Drlg Company. The full ranking is in the table on this page. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
Operators filed 0 drilling permits targeting the Paradox Basin 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 Paradox Basin 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.
Paradox Basin activity in Colorado includes 1,789 wells on record and 323 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 Paradox Basin in Colorado are Montezuma, San Miguel, Dolores, Montrose, La Plata. 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.
Get a free written offer based on your specific tract, operator, and the current Paradox Basin activity in your area.
Get Your Free Written OfferFormation: Paradox Basin
State: Colorado
Total wells: 1,789
Recorded operators: 323
Permits 24mo: 0
Summary date: 2026-11-01
