61 wells across 5 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 Lake Michigan formation in Illinois has 61 wells on record across 5 recorded operators, with 0 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh. Its operators with the most wells on record are Illinois State Geological Survey, Il State Geological Survey, Hester N C, Mattheus Spitzer And Pearce and U S Geological Survey. 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 Lake Michigan formation in Illinois:
| # | Operator | Wells in Lake Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois State Geological Survey | 36 |
| 2 | Il State Geological Survey | 11 |
| 3 | Hester N C | 9 |
| 4 | Mattheus Spitzer And Pearce | 4 |
| 5 | U S Geological Survey | — |
The Illinois counties with the most Lake Michigan activity:
Lake, Cook
The Lake Michigan is not among the Illinois formations tracked separately in the yearly permit mix, so only statewide permit counts are shown.
| Year | State permits | This formation | Share | Median lateral |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 190 | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 247 | — | — | — |
| 2024 | 309 | — | — | — |
| 2023 | 238 | — | — | — |
| 2022 | 325 | — | — | — |
| 2021 | 262 | — | — | — |
| 2020 | 207 | — | — | — |
| 2019 | 405 | — | — | — |
Share of each year’s Illinois drilling permits by target formation, for the formations with the most permits.
| Year | Illinois Basin | Wisconsin Arch |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 100% | — |
| 2025 | 97.6% | 2.4% |
| 2024 | 97.4% | 2.6% |
| 2023 | 100% | — |
| 2022 | 100% | — |
| 2021 | 100% | — |
| 2020 | 97.6% | 2.4% |
| 2019 | 100% | — |
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 Lake Michigan is a formation/play group recorded in Illinois, with 61 wells on file across 5 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 0 drilling permits targeting the Lake Michigan 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.
61 wells target the Lake Michigan in Illinois, worked by 5 recorded operators, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
The Lake Michigan operators with the most wells on record in Illinois are Illinois State Geological Survey, Il State Geological Survey, Hester N C, Mattheus Spitzer And Pearce and U S Geological Survey. The full ranking is in the table on this page. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
Operators filed 0 drilling permits targeting the Lake Michigan 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 Lake Michigan in Illinois 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.
Lake Michigan activity in Illinois includes 61 wells on record and 5 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 Lake Michigan in Illinois are Lake, Cook. 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 Lake Michigan activity in your area.
Get Your Free Written OfferFormation: Lake Michigan
State: Illinois
Total wells: 61
Recorded operators: 5
Permits 24mo: 0
Summary date: 2026-11-01
