6,411 wells across 129 active operators, with 2 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months.
Refreshed monthly from NMOCD well-header records. Data current as of 2026-08-24.
Quick answer: The Dakota formation in New Mexico has 6,411 wells on record across 129 active operators, with 2 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months (as of 2026-08-24). Its most active operators by well count are Hilcorp Energy Company, Simcoe LLC, Logos Operating, Bpx Operating Company and Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company. Compiled from New Mexico Oil Conservation Division (NMOCD) well-header records, refreshed monthly.
The operators with the most well counts targeting the Dakota formation in New Mexico:
| # | Operator | Wells in Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hilcorp Energy Company | 2,593 |
| 2 | Simcoe LLC | 550 |
| 3 | Logos Operating | 485 |
| 4 | Bpx Operating Company | 341 |
| 5 | Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company | 341 |
| 6 | Dugan Production | 270 |
| 7 | Xto Energy | 243 |
| 8 | Morning Star Oil Company | 196 |
| 9 | Conocophillips Company | 152 |
| 10 | Epic Energy | 92 |
The New Mexico counties with the most Dakota activity:
San Juan, Rio Arriba, Mckinley, Sandoval
The Dakota is one of New Mexico's active oil and gas plays, with 6,411 wells on file across 129 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 2 drilling permits targeting the Dakota in the last 24 months — a measure of how active the play is right now versus its historical baseline.
For mineral owners with interests in San Juan, Rio Arriba, Mckinley, Sandoval, knowing whether your tract sits within an active Dakota footprint is a foundational valuation question. Active formations with consistent permit flow command premium pricing; legacy formations with steady but declining production are valued differently.
See all New Mexico oil & gas formations & plays · Download the New Mexico formations dataset (CSV)
6,411 wells target the Dakota in New Mexico, worked by 129 active operators, per NMOCD well-header records (as of 2026-08-24).
By well count, the most active Dakota operators in New Mexico are Hilcorp Energy Company, Simcoe LLC, Logos Operating, Bpx Operating Company and Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company. The full ranking is in the table on this page.
Operators filed 2 drilling permits targeting the Dakota in the last 24 months — a live measure of current activity, per NMOCD records.
Operators filed 2 new drilling permits targeting the Dakota in New Mexico over the last 24 months. New permits and spuds are the clearest signal of active Dakota drilling, per NMOCD records (as of 2026-08-24).
Dakota activity in New Mexico currently spans 6,411 wells on record and 129 active operators, led by Hilcorp Energy Company, Simcoe LLC, Logos Operating, Bpx Operating Company and Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company, with 2 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months — refreshed monthly from New Mexico Oil Conservation Division (NMOCD) well-header records (as of 2026-08-24).
The most active Dakota counties in New Mexico are San Juan, Rio Arriba, McKinley, Sandoval.
Value depends on your net mineral acres or royalty decimal, the operator, the remaining drilling locations, and current oil and gas prices. Buckhead Energy checks your tract against current Dakota well and permit data and puts a free, no-obligation written offer in writing — this page is informational only, not a valuation.
Cite this dataset
Permanently archived and citable via a DOI on Zenodo (CERN), under a CC BY 4.0 license. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21442884 · View on Zenodo
License & attribution: This data is licensed CC BY 4.0. You are free to share and adapt it, including commercially, provided you credit “Buckhead Energy” and link back to this page or the DOI above.
Get a free written offer based on your specific tract, operator, and the current Dakota activity in your area.
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Formation: Dakota
State: New Mexico
Total wells: 6,411
Active operators: 129
Permits 24mo: 2
Last refresh: 2026-08-24