Stored formation/play groups ranked by recorded well count, with recorded operators and primary counties. Coverage is limited to the groups included below.
Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Daily refresh scheduled. Stored source refresh: 2026-11-01.
Stored source refresh: 2026-11-01. Formation/play groups require at least 25 recorded wells and a known operator; the directory shows at most 50 groups ranked by well count. Operator counts reflect distinct recorded operator names, not verified current operations. Permit counts use the preceding 24 months at summary refresh. Grouping can represent a formation, play or basin; it is not an inventory of every geological formation. Figures are Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data; counts under 3 wells are withheld.
Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Scheduled refreshes do not guarantee that new regulator filings are available; the state regulator remains the record of any specific well.
Quick answer: The highest well-count groups listed for Colorado are the Muddy J Sand, D Sand, Niobrara East, Piceance Basin and Pierre -Niobrara, led by the Muddy J Sand with 52,469 wells on record. Ranked by well count across 24 tracked formations from Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Stored source refresh: 2026-11-01. These are limited stored records; reporting windows are evaluated at source refresh.
The highest well-count groups listed for Colorado are the Muddy J Sand, D Sand, Niobrara East, Piceance Basin and Pierre -Niobrara, led by the Muddy J Sand with 52,469 wells on record. Ranked by well count across 24 tracked formations from Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Stored source refresh: 2026-11-01. These are limited stored records; reporting windows are evaluated at source refresh.
Top Operators:
Noble Energy (9,898), Kerrmcgee (9,073), Pdc Energy (7,689), Crestone Peak Resources Operating (2,191), Extraction Oil & Gas (1,523), K P Kauffman Company (1,419), Bonanza Creek Energy Operating Company (1,103), Bison Iv Operating LLC (999), Highpoint Operating (951), Prairie Operating CO LLC (615)
Primary counties: Weld, Adams, Morgan, Arapahoe, Larimer
Top Operators:
Padco (446), British American Oil Production Company (315), Allison Drilling Company (261), Tiger Oil Company (236), Exeter Drilling Company (205), Plains Exploration & Production Company (205), Impetro Resources (196), Kimbark Oil & Gas Company (193), Pcr Operating (182), Petroleum (172)
Primary counties: Washington, Logan, Morgan, Adams, Arapahoe
Top Operators:
Own Resources Operating (3,440), Omimex Petroleum (477), J W Operating Company (270), Rosewood Resources (235), Wme Yates LLC (212), Pdc Energy (141), Berry Petroleum Company (128), Noble Energy (128), Samedan Oil (113), Rosetta Resources Operating (79)
Primary counties: Yuma, Phillips, Kit Carson, Sedgwick
Top Operators:
Scout Energy Management (1,162), Tep Rocky Mountain (212), Qb Energy Operating LLC (191), Laramie Energy (160), Twin Arrow (158), Vision Energy Group (119), Sg Interests I (116), Fram Operating (90), Chevron (73), Diamond Back Drilling & Supply (72)
Primary counties: Rio Blanco, Mesa, Garfield, Gunnison, Delta
Top Operators:
Evergreen Natural Resources LLC (2,505), Ogris Operating LLC (536), Pioneer Natural Resources (232), High River Resources Operating LLC (149), Evergreen Operating (107), Petroglyph Operating Company (80), Tep Rocky Mountain (65), Xto Energy (56), Red River Ranch Holdings (51), Cedar Ridge (44)
Primary counties: Las Animas, Huerfano
Top Operators:
Kerrmcgee (699), Pdc Energy (530), Noble Energy (339), Crestone Peak Resources Operating (237), Bison Iv Operating LLC (220), Verdad Resources (170), Extraction Oil & Gas (105), Prairie Operating CO LLC (83), Bonanza Creek Energy Operating Company (65), Javernick Oil (58)
Primary counties: Weld, Fremont, Lincoln, Adams, Arapahoe
Top Operators:
Mull Drilling Company (487), Anadarko Petroleum (435), Citation Oil & Gas (219), Murfin Drilling (121), Txo Production (104), Strachan Exploration (69), Wiepkingfullerton Energy (64), Poandg Operating (58), Texas Oil & Gas (57), Champlin Petroleum Company (55)
Primary counties: Cheyenne, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Bent, Otero
Top Operators:
Simcoe LLC (917), Red Willow Production Company (358), Hilcorp Energy Company (266), Enduring Resources (113), Logos Operating (83), Bpx Operating Company (71), Pineland Operating Company LLC (61), Arco Oil & Gas Company (45), Maralex Resources (39), Abundance Energy Services LLC (39)
Primary counties: La Plata
Top Operators:
Utah Gas Op LTD Dba Utah Gas (693), Locin Oil (373), Conocophillips Company (83), Coseka Resources (82), Chandler & Associates (81), Encana Oil & Gas (78), Kgh Operating Company (47), Mitchell Energy (37), Fuel Resources Development Company (32), Robert L Bayless Producer (27)
Primary counties: Rio Blanco, Garfield, Mesa
Top Operators:
Simcoe LLC (333), Red Willow Production Company (208), Catamount Energy Partners (166), Hughes William E (76), Red Mesa Holdings/O&G (76), Hilcorp Energy Company (68), Williford Resources (58), Enduring Resources (55), Petrox Resources (45), Morning Star Oil Company (32)
Primary counties: La Plata, Archuleta, Montezuma
Top Operators:
Simcoe LLC (452), Red Willow Production Company (442), Hilcorp Energy Company (197), Abundance Energy Services LLC (123), Logos Operating (115), Bpx Operating Company (74), Morning Star Oil Company (43), High River Resources Operating LLC (33), Amoco Production Company (28), Pan American Petroleum (25)
Primary counties: La Plata, Archuleta
Top Operators:
Kinder Morgan Co2 CO LLC (241), American Helium LLC (161), Highpoint Operating (67), Mesa Verde Drilling (60), Bush Drlg Company (47), Shell Oil Company (31), Wright Robertllc (30), Patara Oil & Gas (29), Cabot Oil & Gas (27), Encana Oil & Gas (27)
Primary counties: Montezuma, San Miguel, Dolores, Montrose, La Plata
Top Operators:
Colorado Interstate Gas Company (80), Horizon Oil & Gas Company (65), Dover Atwood (58), Murfin Drilling (57), Berry Walter V Dba Berry Energy (51), Txo Production (42), Samson Resources Company (38), Energy Alliance Company (35), Sovereign Operating Company (32), The Marlin Oil (32)
Primary counties: Baca, Prowers, Cheyenne, Kiowa
Top Operators:
Wexpro Company (291), Hilcorp Energy Company (90), Southwestern Energy Production Company (54), Argali Exploration Company (40), Eog Resources (40), Questar Exploration & Production Company (38), Antler Energy (37), Western Gas Resources (37), North Shore Exploration & Production (32), Wolverine Resources LLC (28)
Primary counties: Moffat
Top Operators:
Grmr Oil & Gas (72), Southwestern Energy Production Company (60), Entek Grb (40), Robert L Bayless Producer (29), Pioneer Natural Resources (27), Beeman Oil & Gas (24), Texas Company (20), Phillips Petroleum Company (20), Texaco Exploration And Production (17), Petroleum Resources (17)
Primary counties: Moffat, Routt
Top Operators:
K P Kauffman Company (121), Fulcrum Energy Operating LLC (114), Conocophillips Company (57), Bonanza Creek Energy Operating Company (42), Nielson & Associates (39), North Park Energy (30), Continental Oil Company (25), Sandridge Exploration & Production (21), Cm Production (21), Noffsinger Manufacturing Company (20)
Primary counties: Jackson
Top Operators:
Conocophillips Company (36), Texaco Exploration And Production (36), Cabot Oil & Gas (27), Anschutz Exploration (23), Wesco Operating (19), Beeman Oil & Gas (13), Andrikopoulos Resources A G (12), Poci (11), Grmr Oil & Gas (10), Eastern American Energy (10)
Primary counties: Moffat, Routt, Rio Blanco
Top Operators:
Public Service Company Of Colorado (39), Prospect Energy (11), Wissota Petroleum (9), Petrocanada Resources (7), Western Gas Supply Company (5), Hs Resources (4), Western Petroleum Company (4), Union Oil Company Of California (4), Energy & Carbon Management Commission (4), Premier Oil & Gas (3)
Primary counties: Boulder, Larimer, Jefferson
Top Operators:
Oxy (39), Bnl Enterprise INC (20), Desert Eagle Operating LLC (15), Arco Oil & Gas Company (15), Atlantic Richfield Company (11), Helium Company (8), Energy & Carbon Management Commission (7), Skelly Oil Company (6), Addington & Associates H W (6), Nsc Helium Colorado LLC (5)
Primary counties: Las Animas, Huerfano, Custer, Otero
Top Operators:
Fulcrum Energy Operating LLC (30), Burton/Hawks (14), Kamphausen Dan (6), Voyager Petroleums (6), Dakota Exploration (5), Mack Petroleum (3), Clayton Oil Company (—), Sandridge Exploration & Production (—), Colorado Pacific Petr (—), Tomberlin Bill (—)
Primary counties: Jackson, Grand
Top Operators:
Lexam Explorations (7), Waggonerbaldridge Oper (4), Coda Energy (—), Carrwilliam F (—), Eastdale Oil Company (—), Faith Energy Exploration (—), Tuckerorrin (—), Alamosa Drilling (—), Wolverine Exploration Company11/Ofb (—), Champlin Petroleum Company (—)
Primary counties: Saguache, Rio Grande, Alamosa, Costilla, Conejos
Top Operators:
Red Willow Production Company (14), Hilcorp Energy Company (7), Conocophillips Company (3), Sg Interests I (—), Chevron (—), Bowen Exploration (—), Arco Oil & Gas Company (—), Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company (—), Murchison Trusts (—), Epic Energy (—)
Primary counties: La Plata
Top Operators:
Shell Oil Company (6), Ep Energy E And P Company (5), South Park Oil & Gas (4), Amoco Production Company (—), Mcdannald Oil Company (—), Geary William J (—), Kramerhuff Drilling (—), Wapiti Operating (—), Tennessee Gas Pipeline (—), Jonah Energy (—)
Primary counties: Park
Top Operators:
Hackathorn Drilling Company (5), Elgin Carl Oil Company (5), Odessa Natural (3), Ridgeway Petroleum (—), Stanfield Jeffie (—), Energy & Carbon Management Commission (—), Stanford Petroleum (—), All States Oil & Production (—), Bensonmontingreer Drilling (—), Cheyenne Drilling (—)
Primary counties: Ouray, Archuleta
Source: Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data, aggregated by primary play / interpreted formation / basin.
Threshold: Groups require at least 25 recorded wells and a known operator. The directory shows up to 50 groups by well count; omitted groups are not evidence of no activity.
Owner context: These formation summaries describe reported activity. They do not establish ownership, payment entitlement or a value for an individual tract.
Refresh cadence: Daily refresh scheduled. Stored source refresh: 2026-11-01.
The highest well-count formation/play groups listed for Colorado are the Muddy J Sand, D Sand, Niobrara East, Piceance Basin and Pierre -Niobrara, among others. This directory tracks 24 recorded formation/play groups ranked by well count, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Stored source refresh: 2026-11-01. These are limited stored records; reporting windows are evaluated at source refresh.
The Muddy J Sand has the most wells among the listed Colorado groups — 52,469 wells, worked by 1,352 recorded operators, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. This is a well-count ranking, not a reserves or value ranking. Stored source refresh: 2026-11-01. These are limited stored records; reporting windows are evaluated at source refresh.
The operators with the most wells on record in the Muddy J Sand are Noble Energy, Kerr-McGee, PDC Energy, Crestone Peak Resources Operating, Extraction Oil & Gas. Each formation card below lists its top operators by well count. Stored source refresh: 2026-11-01. These are limited stored records; reporting windows are evaluated at source refresh.
About 1,411 drilling permits were filed across the tracked Colorado formations in the 24-month window at source refresh, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data — a rough measure of where new activity is concentrated. Stored source refresh: 2026-11-01. These are limited stored records; reporting windows are evaluated at source refresh.
Your deed and county records determine which formations your mineral rights cover; a tract can own multiple stacked formations. This directory is informational only, not a valuation. Stored source refresh: 2026-11-01. These are limited stored records; reporting windows are evaluated at source refresh.
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Get Your Free Written OfferState: Colorado
Active formations: 24
Total wells: 104,492
Recent permits: 1,411
Last refresh: 2026-11-01
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