5,594 wells across 468 recorded operators, with 20 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at summary refresh.
Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
Quick answer: The Utica formation in West Virginia has 5,594 wells on record across 468 recorded operators, with 20 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh. Its operators with the most wells on record are Pin Oak Operating LLC, Antero Resources, EQT Production Company, Diversified Production LLC and Ritchie Petroleum. Source: Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
The operators with the most well counts targeting the Utica formation in West Virginia:
| # | Operator | Wells in Utica |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pin Oak Operating LLC | 395 |
| 2 | Antero Resources | 384 |
| 3 | Eqt Production Company | 236 |
| 4 | Diversified Production LLC | 225 |
| 5 | Ritchie Petroleum | 183 |
| 6 | Wv Mineral Group LLC | 182 |
| 7 | Creston Oil | 146 |
| 8 | Zickefoose R L And Wf | 122 |
| 9 | Greylock Opco | 121 |
| 10 | Jaybee Oil & Gas | 118 |
The West Virginia counties with the most Utica activity:
Ritchie, Pleasants, Wood, Tyler, Marshall
Drilling permits in West Virginia each year, the Utica count and share of them, and the median lateral length of those Utica permits.
| Year | State permits | This formation | Share | Median lateral |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 469 | 13 | 2.8% | n<5 |
| 2025 | 657 | 15 | 2.3% | n<5 |
| 2024 | 445 | 5 | 1.1% | n<5 |
| 2023 | 714 | 31 | 4.3% | 183 ft |
| 2022 | 589 | 17 | 2.9% | n<5 |
| 2021 | 588 | 36 | 6.1% | 9,606 ft |
| 2020 | 381 | 69 | 18.1% | 14,083 ft |
| 2019 | 775 | 173 | 22.3% | 11,152 ft |
Share of each year’s West Virginia drilling permits by target formation, for the formations with the most permits.
| Year | Marcellus | Appalachian Basin - (Eastern Overthrust Area) | Utica | Medina-Clinton-Tuscarora | Appalachian Basin | Berea-Murrysville |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 21.5% | 54.2% | 2.8% | 9.6% | 6.8% | 0.9% |
| 2025 | 29.4% | 61.3% | 2.3% | 1.5% | 5.5% | — |
| 2024 | 33.5% | 59.8% | 1.1% | 2.2% | 3.4% | — |
| 2023 | 31% | 52.5% | 4.3% | 4.2% | 8% | — |
| 2022 | 29.9% | 59.4% | 2.9% | 3.4% | 4.4% | — |
| 2021 | 59% | 27.9% | 6.1% | 3.6% | 2.9% | 0.5% |
| 2020 | 66.4% | 6.8% | 18.1% | 7.9% | 0.8% | — |
| 2019 | 64.6% | 4.5% | 22.3% | 6.3% | 1.4% | 0.8% |
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: 2026-11-06. These figures are informational only and are not a valuation of any mineral or royalty interest.
The Utica is a formation/play group recorded in West Virginia, with 5,594 wells on file across 468 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 20 drilling permits targeting the Utica 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.
5,594 wells target the Utica in West Virginia, worked by 468 recorded operators, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
The Utica operators with the most wells on record in West Virginia are Pin Oak Operating LLC, Antero Resources, EQT Production Company, Diversified Production LLC and Ritchie Petroleum. The full ranking is in the table on this page. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
Operators filed 20 drilling permits targeting the Utica in the 24-month window at source refresh, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
Operators filed 20 new drilling permits targeting the Utica in West Virginia 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: 2026-11-06.
Utica activity in West Virginia includes 5,594 wells on record and 468 recorded operators, with 20 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh — from Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
The primary counties recorded for Utica in West Virginia are Ritchie, Pleasants, Wood, Tyler, Marshall. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
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: 2026-11-06.
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Get Your Free Written OfferFormation: Utica
State: West Virginia
Total wells: 5,594
Recorded operators: 468
Permits 24mo: 20
Summary date: 2026-11-06
