# Lake Michigan Formation in Illinois: Operators, Permits & Activity 2026
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> Lake Michigan oil and gas activity in Illinois: 61 wells across 5 operators, 0 recent permits. Top operators, top counties, recent permits and DUC inventory targeting the Lake Michigan formation. Refreshed monthly.

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

## Answer
Quick answer: The Lake Michigan formation in Illinois has 61 wells on record across 5 active operators, with 0 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months (as of 2026-08-02). Its most active operators by well count are Illinois State Geological Survey, Il State Geological Survey, Hester N C, Mattheus Spitzer And Pearce and U S Geological Survey. Compiled from Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) well-header records, refreshed monthly.

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

Lake Michigan formation operator and drilling activity in Illinois: 61 wells, 5 active operators, 0 permits in the last 24 months. Top operators, top counties, recent permits, and DUC inventory.

**Variables measured:**
- Total Wells: 61
- Active Operators: 5
- Recent Permits (24 Months): 0

## Page Outline
- Lake Michigan Formation in Illinois
  - Top Operators in the Lake Michigan (Illinois)
  - Primary Illinois Counties for the Lake Michigan
  - About the Lake Michigan Formation in Illinois
  - Frequently Asked Questions
  - Own Lake Michigan 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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