9,538 wells across 207 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 Mesaverde-Lance formation in Wyoming has 9,538 wells on record across 207 recorded operators, with 5 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh. Its operators with the most wells on record are Purewest Resources Inc., Jonah Energy, Ultra Resources, Shell Oil Company and Encana Oil & Gas. 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 Mesaverde-Lance formation in Wyoming:
| # | Operator | Wells in Mesaverde-Lance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purewest Resources INC | 3,610 |
| 2 | Jonah Energy | 2,914 |
| 3 | Ultra Resources | 803 |
| 4 | Shell Oil Company | 292 |
| 5 | Encana Oil & Gas | 262 |
| 6 | Qep Energy Company | 161 |
| 7 | Eog Resources | 140 |
| 8 | Saurus Resources | 108 |
| 9 | Pinedale Energy Partners Operating | 91 |
| 10 | Bpx Operating Company | 75 |
The Wyoming counties with the most Mesaverde-Lance activity:
Sublette, Sweetwater, Uinta, Teton, Fremont
Drilling permits in Wyoming each year, the Mesaverde-Lance count and share of them, and the median lateral length of those Mesaverde-Lance permits.
| Year | State permits | This formation | Share | Median lateral |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 616 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2025 | 566 | 5 | 0.9% | 1,313 ft |
| 2024 | 459 | 5 | 1.1% | 2,501 ft |
| 2023 | 581 | 6 | 1% | 1,051 ft |
| 2022 | 696 | 47 | 6.8% | 1,611 ft |
| 2021 | 505 | 90 | 17.8% | 1,960 ft |
| 2020 | 456 | 12 | 2.6% | 9,605 ft |
| 2019 | 1,197 | 207 | 17.3% | 1,318 ft |
Share of each year’s Wyoming drilling permits by target formation, for the formations with the most permits.
| Year | Niobrara- Mowry | Powder River Basin | Mesaverde-Lance | Muddy J Sand | Green River Basin | Mesaverde-Lance-Lewis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2.8% | 70% | — | — | 16.4% | — |
| 2025 | 6.5% | 59.4% | 0.9% | — | 19.8% | — |
| 2024 | 17.2% | 52.5% | 1.1% | — | 9.2% | 1.7% |
| 2023 | 15% | 42.3% | 1% | 7.6% | 13.3% | 0.7% |
| 2022 | 33.9% | 26.4% | 6.8% | 10.8% | 4.3% | 2.3% |
| 2021 | 59.4% | 4.6% | 17.8% | 13.9% | — | 2.6% |
| 2020 | 69.7% | 5% | 2.6% | 15.1% | — | 3.1% |
| 2019 | 56% | 6.5% | 17.3% | 9.4% | — | 6.7% |
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 Mesaverde-Lance is a formation/play group recorded in Wyoming, with 9,538 wells on file across 207 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 5 drilling permits targeting the Mesaverde-Lance 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.
9,538 wells target the Mesaverde-Lance in Wyoming, worked by 207 recorded operators, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
The Mesaverde-Lance operators with the most wells on record in Wyoming are Purewest Resources Inc., Jonah Energy, Ultra Resources, Shell Oil Company and Encana Oil & Gas. The full ranking is in the table on this page. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
Operators filed 5 drilling permits targeting the Mesaverde-Lance 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 Mesaverde-Lance in Wyoming 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.
Mesaverde-Lance activity in Wyoming includes 9,538 wells on record and 207 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 Mesaverde-Lance in Wyoming are Sublette, Sweetwater, Uinta, Teton, Fremont. 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: Mesaverde-Lance
State: Wyoming
Total wells: 9,538
Recorded operators: 207
Permits 24mo: 5
Summary date: 2026-11-01
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