5,070 wells across 731 recorded operators, with 5 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 Paradox Basin formation in Utah has 5,070 wells on record across 731 recorded operators, with 5 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh. Its operators with the most wells on record are Elk Operating Company, Wesgra, Star Oil Operating Company LLC, Harken Energy and Orphanno Responsible Operator. 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 Paradox Basin formation in Utah:
| # | Operator | Wells in Paradox Basin |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elk Operating Company | 832 |
| 2 | Wesgra | 191 |
| 3 | Star Oil Operating Company LLC | 136 |
| 4 | Harken Energy | 121 |
| 5 | Orphanno Responsible Operator | 109 |
| 6 | Superior Oil Company | 104 |
| 7 | Mobil Oil | 97 |
| 8 | Texaco | 86 |
| 9 | Running Foxes Petroleum | 82 |
| 10 | US Oil & Gas | 80 |
The Utah counties with the most Paradox Basin activity:
San Juan, Grand, Emery, Garfield, Wayne
Drilling permits in Utah each year, the Paradox Basin count and share of them, and the median lateral length of those Paradox Basin permits.
| Year | State permits | This formation | Share | Median lateral |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 692 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2025 | 523 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2024 | 447 | 14 | 3.1% | n<5 |
| 2023 | 801 | 16 | 2% | n<5 |
| 2022 | 339 | 17 | 5% | n<5 |
| 2021 | 387 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2020 | 389 | 5 | 1.3% | n<5 |
| 2019 | 263 | <3 | — | n<5 |
Share of each year’s Utah drilling permits by target formation, for the formations with the most permits.
| Year | Uinta Basin | Mesaverde-Wasatch | Paradox Basin | Overthrust&Wasatch Uplift | Hermosa |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 99.6% | — | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 100% | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | 95.5% | — | 3.1% | 1.3% | — |
| 2023 | 84.4% | 13.2% | 2% | 0.4% | — |
| 2022 | 80.8% | 13.3% | 5% | 0.9% | — |
| 2021 | 12.1% | 84.5% | — | 0.8% | 1% |
| 2020 | — | 97.9% | 1.3% | — | — |
| 2019 | — | 98.9% | — | — | — |
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 Paradox Basin is a formation/play group recorded in Utah, with 5,070 wells on file across 731 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 5 drilling permits targeting the Paradox Basin 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.
5,070 wells target the Paradox Basin in Utah, worked by 731 recorded operators, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
The Paradox Basin operators with the most wells on record in Utah are Elk Operating Company, Wesgra, Star Oil Operating Company LLC, Harken Energy and Orphanno Responsible Operator. The full ranking is in the table on this page. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
Operators filed 5 drilling permits targeting the Paradox Basin 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 5 new drilling permits targeting the Paradox Basin in Utah 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.
Paradox Basin activity in Utah includes 5,070 wells on record and 731 recorded operators, with 5 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 Paradox Basin in Utah are San Juan, Grand, Emery, Garfield, Wayne. 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 Paradox Basin activity in your area.
Get Your Free Written OfferFormation: Paradox Basin
State: Utah
Total wells: 5,070
Recorded operators: 731
Permits 24mo: 5
Summary date: 2026-11-01
