# Illinois Basin Formation in Illinois: Operators, Permits & Activity 2026
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> Illinois Basin oil and gas activity in Illinois: 199282 wells across 13020 operators, 493 recent permits. Top operators, top counties, recent permits and DUC inventory targeting the Illinois Basin formation. Refreshed monthly.

**URL:** https://www.buckheadenergy.com/formation-illinois/illinois-basin
**Source:** Buckhead Energy (https://www.buckheadenergy.com/)
**Generated:** 2026-08-02 (heuristic; server-side extraction)

## Answer
Quick answer: The Illinois Basin formation in Illinois has 199,282 wells on record across 13,020 active operators, with 493 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months (as of 2026-08-02). Its most active operators by well count are The Ohio Oil, Marathon Oil Company, The Texas Company, Pure Oil Company and Texaco. Compiled from Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) well-header records, refreshed monthly.

## Dataset
**Name:** Illinois Basin Formation – Illinois Oil & Gas Activity

Illinois Basin formation operator and drilling activity in Illinois: 199,282 wells, 13,020 active operators, 493 permits in the last 24 months. Top operators, top counties, recent permits, and DUC inventory.

**Variables measured:**
- Total Wells: 199282
- Active Operators: 13020
- Recent Permits (24 Months): 493

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

## Related Pages
- [Illinois Oil & Gas Industry Snapshot Dashboard](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/illinois-oil-gas-industry-snapshot)
- [Top Illinois Operators Leaderboard](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/top-operators-illinois)
- [Illinois Drilling Activity Report (permits, DUCs, spuds)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/illinois-drilling-activity-report)
- [US Mineral Market Activity Index (all 11 states ranked 0–100)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/us-mineral-market-activity-index)
- [US Mineral & Drilling Activity Index (national rollup)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/us-drilling-activity-index)
- [Texas Industry Snapshot (largest producing state)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/texas-oil-gas-industry-snapshot)
- [Oklahoma Industry Snapshot](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/oklahoma-oil-gas-industry-snapshot)
- [Largest US Operators — National Leaderboard](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/top-operators-us)
- [Browse the Full Operator Directory](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/operators)
- [Live Oil & Gas Prices (WTI + Henry Hub)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/oil-gas-prices)
- [Sell Your Illinois Mineral Rights](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/sell)
- [How to Sell Mineral Rights (Step-by-Step)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/2026/how-to-sell-mineral-rights)
- [Oil & Gas Market Data Hub (all dated datasets)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/oil-gas-market-data)

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