102,167 wells across 7,109 recorded operators, with 3,236 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 Gulf Coast Basin (La - Tx) formation in Texas has 102,167 wells on record across 7,109 recorded operators, with 3,236 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh. Its operators with the most wells on record are Hilcorp Energy Company, Exxon Mobil, EOG Resources, Denbury Onshore and Radco Operations. 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 Gulf Coast Basin (La - TX) formation in Texas:
| # | Operator | Wells in Gulf Coast Basin (La - TX) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hilcorp Energy Company | 3,987 |
| 2 | Exxon Mobil | 3,351 |
| 3 | Eog Resources | 1,579 |
| 4 | Denbury Onshore | 1,096 |
| 5 | Radco Operations | 964 |
| 6 | Poandg Operating | 932 |
| 7 | Tc Oil Company | 893 |
| 8 | Highmark Energy Operating | 869 |
| 9 | Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company | 798 |
| 10 | Marathon Oil Company | 705 |
The Texas counties with the most Gulf Coast Basin (La - TX) activity:
Wharton, Harris, Jackson, Refugio, Hardin
Drilling permits in Texas each year, the Gulf Coast Basin (La - TX) count and share of them, and the median lateral length of those Gulf Coast Basin (La - TX) permits.
| Year | State permits | This formation | Share | Median lateral |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8,004 | 1,424 | 17.8% | 9,061 ft |
| 2025 | 8,037 | 1,525 | 19% | 8,937 ft |
| 2024 | 8,916 | 1,859 | 20.9% | 8,628 ft |
| 2023 | 9,280 | 1,995 | 21.5% | 8,220 ft |
| 2022 | 12,110 | 2,025 | 16.7% | 7,330 ft |
| 2021 | 9,907 | 611 | 6.2% | 5,177 ft |
| 2020 | 9,447 | 308 | 3.3% | 1,081 ft |
| 2019 | 15,566 | 500 | 3.2% | 665 ft |
Share of each year’s Texas drilling permits by target formation, for the formations with the most permits.
| Year | Permian Basin | Gulf Coast Basin (La - Tx) | Avalon-Bone Spring | Thirty-One Carbonate-Chert | Austin Chalk | East Texas Basin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 58.1% | 17.8% | 0.5% | 1.4% | 0.7% | 5.9% |
| 2025 | 62.9% | 19% | 1.4% | 1.9% | 1.2% | 4.5% |
| 2024 | 65.7% | 20.9% | 0.5% | 2% | 0.7% | 3.8% |
| 2023 | 59.7% | 21.5% | 1.8% | 3.1% | 0.9% | 3.7% |
| 2022 | 44.7% | 16.7% | 2.9% | 4.6% | 2% | 3% |
| 2021 | 34.3% | 6.2% | 8.4% | 10.3% | 7.9% | 0.8% |
| 2020 | 24.4% | 3.3% | 11.6% | 9% | 11.2% | 0.3% |
| 2019 | 24.8% | 3.2% | 14% | 9.2% | 12.1% | 0.2% |
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 Gulf Coast Basin (La - TX) is a formation/play group recorded in Texas, with 102,167 wells on file across 7,109 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 3,236 drilling permits targeting the Gulf Coast Basin (La - TX) 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.
102,167 wells target the Gulf Coast Basin (La - Tx) in Texas, worked by 7,109 recorded operators, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
The Gulf Coast Basin (La - Tx) operators with the most wells on record in Texas are Hilcorp Energy Company, Exxon Mobil, EOG Resources, Denbury Onshore and Radco Operations. The full ranking is in the table on this page. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
Operators filed 3,236 drilling permits targeting the Gulf Coast Basin (La - Tx) 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 3,236 new drilling permits targeting the Gulf Coast Basin (La - Tx) in Texas 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.
Gulf Coast Basin (La - Tx) activity in Texas includes 102,167 wells on record and 7,109 recorded operators, with 3,236 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 Gulf Coast Basin (La - Tx) in Texas are Wharton, Harris, Jackson, Refugio, Hardin. 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: Gulf Coast Basin (La - TX)
State: Texas
Total wells: 102,167
Recorded operators: 7,109
Permits 24mo: 3,236
Summary date: 2026-11-01
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