4,432 wells across 394 recorded operators, with 122 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 Piceance Basin formation in Colorado has 4,432 wells on record across 394 recorded operators, with 122 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh. Its operators with the most wells on record are Scout Energy Management, Tep Rocky Mountain, Qb Energy Operating LLC, Laramie Energy and Twin Arrow. 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 Piceance Basin formation in Colorado:
| # | Operator | Wells in Piceance Basin |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scout Energy Management | 1,162 |
| 2 | Tep Rocky Mountain | 212 |
| 3 | Qb Energy Operating LLC | 191 |
| 4 | Laramie Energy | 160 |
| 5 | Twin Arrow | 158 |
| 6 | Vision Energy Group | 119 |
| 7 | Sg Interests I | 116 |
| 8 | Fram Operating | 90 |
| 9 | Chevron | 73 |
| 10 | Diamond Back Drilling & Supply | 72 |
The Colorado counties with the most Piceance Basin activity:
Rio Blanco, Mesa, Garfield, Gunnison, Delta
Drilling permits in Colorado each year, the Piceance Basin count and share of them, and the median lateral length of those Piceance Basin permits.
| Year | State permits | This formation | Share | Median lateral |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 604 | 41 | 6.8% | 588 ft |
| 2025 | 696 | 80 | 11.5% | 532 ft |
| 2024 | 862 | 106 | 12.3% | 448 ft |
| 2023 | 902 | 77 | 8.5% | 363 ft |
| 2022 | 1,044 | 99 | 9.5% | 567 ft |
| 2021 | 517 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2020 | 958 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2019 | 1,637 | 3 | 0.2% | n<5 |
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 Piceance Basin is a formation/play group recorded in Colorado, with 4,432 wells on file across 394 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 122 drilling permits targeting the Piceance 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.
4,432 wells target the Piceance Basin in Colorado, worked by 394 recorded operators, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
The Piceance Basin operators with the most wells on record in Colorado are Scout Energy Management, Tep Rocky Mountain, Qb Energy Operating LLC, Laramie Energy and Twin Arrow. The full ranking is in the table on this page. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
Operators filed 122 drilling permits targeting the Piceance 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 122 new drilling permits targeting the Piceance 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.
Piceance Basin activity in Colorado includes 4,432 wells on record and 394 recorded operators, with 122 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 Piceance Basin in Colorado are Rio Blanco, Mesa, Garfield, Gunnison, Delta. 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: Piceance Basin
State: Colorado
Total wells: 4,432
Recorded operators: 394
Permits 24mo: 122
Summary date: 2026-11-01
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