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The Wyoming Oil & Gas Formations & Plays Directory

Every active oil and gas formation and play in Wyoming — Niobrara- Mowry, Powder River Basin, Mesaverde-Lance-Lewis, Muddy J Sand, Mesaverde-Lance, Hilliardbaxtermancos-Niobrara, and more — ranked by well count, with the top operators and primary counties for each.

Refreshed monthly from WOGCC well records. Data current as of 2026-08-12.

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Quick answer: The most-targeted oil and gas formations in Wyoming are the Niobrara- Mowry, Powder River Basin, Mesaverde-Lance-Lewis, Muddy J Sand and Mesaverde-Lance, led by the Niobrara- Mowry with 76,491 wells on record. Ranked by well count across 23 tracked formations from Wyoming Oil & Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC) well-header records (as of 2026-08-12) and refreshed monthly.

Original Data As of 2026-08-12

As of 2026-08-12, the most-developed Wyoming formation is the Niobrara- Mowry with 76,491 wells on record, across 23 tracked formations, per Wyoming Oil & Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC) well records.

Niobrara- Mowry
Most-developed formation
76,491 wells
Wells on record in that formation
23
Formations tracked
Source: Wyoming Oil & Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC) well-header records
Methodology: Formations ranked by well count from WOGCC well-header records; active operators and recent permits are aggregated per formation.
Updated: Refreshed monthly — data current as of 2026-08-12
Active Formations
23
Total Wells
155,518
Total Lateral
52,266 miles
Recent Permits (24mo)
493

Niobrara- Mowry

76,491 wells 1,572 active operators 37,946 miles of lateral 69 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Eog Resources (6,887), Devon Energy Production Company (3,774), Wold Energy Partners (3,661), Anadarko Petroleum (3,182), Lance Oil & Gas Company (2,402), Fdl Operating (2,325), Contango Resources Company (2,005), Wrc Energy LLC (1,953), Carbon Creek Energy (1,617), Anschutz Exploration (1,608)

Primary counties: Campbell, Converse, Natrona, Johnson, Weston

Powder River Basin

13,880 wells 1,480 active operators 2,826 miles of lateral 124 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Carbon Creek Energy (1,402), Eog Resources (826), Anschutz Exploration (756), Davis Oil Company (509), Atx Energy Partners (464), Seven Sisters Oil & Gas (397), Ballard Petroleum Holdings (287), True Oil (237), Osage Partners (207), Pine Haven Resources (143)

Primary counties: Campbell, Johnson, Weston, Crook, Niobrara

Mesaverde-Lance-Lewis

12,094 wells 346 active operators 4,626 miles of lateral 1 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Crowheart Energy (3,438), Wamsutter E And P LLC (1,117), Noble Energy (875), Bpx Operating Company (819), Southland Royalty Company (708), Devon Energy Production Company (476), Wexpro Company (408), Rockies Resources Holdings (384), Amoco Production Company (337), Anadarko Petroleum (287)

Primary counties: Sweetwater, Carbon, Fremont, Converse, Sublette

Muddy J Sand

10,091 wells 233 active operators 3,115 miles of lateral 2 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Anadarko Petroleum (2,691), Eog Resources (1,553), Wave Petroleum Operating (979), North Silo Resources LLC (907), Samson Resources Company (536), Longs Peak Resources (512), Gungnir Operating LLC (381), Fh Petroleum (303), Kaiserfrancis Oil Company (189), Rockies Holdings LLC (146)

Primary counties: Laramie, Goshen, Platte

Mesaverde-Lance

9,538 wells 207 active operators 2,247 miles of lateral 9 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Purewest Resources INC (3,610), Jonah Energy (2,914), Ultra Resources (803), Shell Oil Company (292), Encana Oil & Gas (262), Qep Energy Company (161), Eog Resources (140), Saurus Resources (108), Pinedale Energy Partners Operating (91), Bpx Operating Company (75)

Primary counties: Sublette, Sweetwater, Uinta, Teton, Fremont

Hilliardbaxtermancos-Niobrara

7,062 wells 418 active operators 272 miles of lateral 0 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Hilcorp Energy Company (1,146), Eog Resources (872), Urban Oil & Gas Group (599), Anadarko Petroleum (469), Wexpro Company (386), Wy Basin Operating LLC (316), Breitburn Operating (281), Contango Resources Company (218), Fdl Operating (187), Cabot Oil & Gas (153)

Primary counties: Sweetwater, Sublette, Lincoln, Carbon, Uinta

Big Horn Basin

6,082 wells 768 active operators 152 miles of lateral 2 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Merit Energy Company (1,440), Marathon Oil Company (555), Contango Resources Company (383), Citation Oil & Gas (284), Breitburn Operating (160), Bpx Operating Company (135), Granite Creek Energy LLC (106), Conocophillips Company (91), Vaquero Big Horn (82), Natural Gas Processing Company (65)

Primary counties: Park, Hot Springs, Big Horn, Washakie, Sheridan

Bighorn Basin

3,940 wells 768 active operators 76 miles of lateral 3 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Merit Energy Company (594), Marathon Oil Company (361), Contango Resources Company (222), Citation Oil & Gas (112), Bpx Operating Company (97), Breitburn Operating (72), Conocophillips Company (63), Bareto Energy, LLC (59), Granite Creek Energy LLC (46), Husky Oil Company (46)

Primary counties: Park, Hot Springs, Big Horn, Washakie, Sheridan

Cretaceous-Lower Tertiary

3,680 wells 460 active operators 214 miles of lateral 0 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Contango Resources Company (290), Aethon Energy Operating (226), Brown Tom (223), Hilcorp Energy Company (208), Encana Oil & Gas (164), Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company (114), Bill Barrett (100), Ovintiv USA INC (93), Adamas Energy LLC (88), Citation Oil & Gas (87)

Primary counties: Fremont, Natrona

Green River Basin

3,579 wells 531 active operators 219 miles of lateral 204 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Urban Oil & Gas Group (301), Amplify Energy Operating (274), Eog Resources (204), Wexpro Company (159), Chevron (154), Purewest Resources INC (147), Hilcorp Energy Company (126), Crowheart Energy (95), Marathon Oil Company (90), Atlantic Richfield Company (89)

Primary counties: Sweetwater, Sublette, Carbon, Albany, Lincoln

Greater Green River Basin

2,381 wells 390 active operators 108 miles of lateral 40 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Urban Oil & Gas Group (212), Eog Resources (174), Hilcorp Energy Company (162), Chevron (118), Bcemach (103), Atlantic Richfield Company (100), Amplify Energy Operating (88), Wexpro Company (67), Richardson Operating Company (65), Bpx Operating Company (55)

Primary counties: Sweetwater, Sublette, Lincoln, Carbon, Fremont

Codell-Niobrara

1,722 wells 110 active operators 179 miles of lateral 0 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Gungnir Operating LLC (996), Eme Wyoming LLC (252), Bill Barrett (55), Rki Exploration & Production (23), Hesperus Energy Ii LLC (22), Petrovalues Wy LLC (21), Chesapeake Energy (20), Largo Exploration Resources LLC (18), Devon Energy Production Company (16), Samson Resources Company (15)

Primary counties: Goshen, Platte, Laramie, Sweetwater

Wind River Basin

1,355 wells 364 active operators 9 miles of lateral 0 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Wesco Operating (106), Denbury Onshore (75), Wind River Energy (73), Devon Energy Production Company (48), Citation Oil & Gas (40), Bpx Operating Company (37), Conocophillips Company (25), Merit Energy Company (23), Marathon Oil Company (22), Atlantic International (22)

Primary counties: Fremont, Natrona, Hot Springs, Sweetwater

Central Western Overthrust

1,232 wells 255 active operators 100 miles of lateral 8 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Bcemach (92), Urban Oil & Gas Group (91), Bpx Operating Company (91), Hilcorp Energy Company (86), Chevron (82), Eog Resources (65), North Shore Exploration & Production (48), Rocky Mountain Gas (30), Texaco Exploration And Production (22), Spire Storage West LLC (20)

Primary counties: Lincoln, Uinta

Overthrust Belt

758 wells 181 active operators 39 miles of lateral 0 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Urban Oil & Gas Group (141), Exxon Mobil (65), Bpx Operating Company (46), Chevron (43), Eog Resources (39), Spring Valley Oil & Gas (33), Hilcorp Energy Company (27), North Shore Exploration & Production (21), Big Piney Oil & Gas Company (21), Wexpro Company (16)

Primary counties: Uinta, Sublette, Lincoln, Teton

Mowry

487 wells 119 active operators 25 miles of lateral 0 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Kentex Worland LLC (53), Contango Resources Company (47), Devon Energy Production Company (33), Tenneco Oil Company (31), Bass Enterprises Production Company (17), Valkyrie Operating LLC (16), Kcs Mountain Resources (14), Washakie Energies Company (14), Cabot Oil & Gas (14), Carolholly Oil (12)

Primary counties: Washakie, Big Horn, Park, Hot Springs, Weston

Denver Basin

280 wells 106 active operators 83 miles of lateral 23 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Gungnir Operating LLC (27), Samson Resources Company (16), Shell Oil Company (16), North Silo Resources LLC (15), Tallgrass High Plains Carbon Storage LLC (15), Bison Iv Operating LLC (13), Longs Peak Resources (12), Prima Exploration (11), Phoenix Operating Company (10), Rockies Holdings LLC (7)

Primary counties: Laramie, Goshen, Platte, Campbell

Laramie

248 wells 98 active operators 1 miles of lateral 0 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Marathon Oil Company (36), Rock River Operating (29), Petcon Associates (10), Gibson J W (8), Bitterroot Energy Partners LLC (8), Chevron (7), Pds Resources LLC (7), Oklahoma Oil Company (6), Loil Oil (5), Chaco Energy Company (4)

Primary counties: Albany, Carbon

Denver-Cheyenne Basin

225 wells 98 active operators 19 miles of lateral 7 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Longs Peak Resources (39), Bison Iv Operating LLC (22), Shell Oil Company (12), Gungnir Operating LLC (8), True Oil (7), Exeter Drilling Company (7), Bill Barrett (4), Griffin Drilling Company (4), Severson Petroleum Company (4), Bpx Operating Company (3)

Primary counties: Laramie, Platte, Goshen, Converse, Niobrara

Hanna

220 wells 116 active operators 2 miles of lateral 1 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Marathon Oil Company (17), Production Service & Equipment (14), Mingo Oil Producers (11), Ames Oil & Gas (6), True Oil (4), Metfuel Wyoming (4), Nortex Gas & Oil Company (4), Bpx Operating Company (4), Black Hills Wyoming Gas LLC (3), Sonoma Energy (3)

Primary counties: Carbon

Muddy-Frontier-Mesaverde

77 wells 44 active operators 7 miles of lateral 0 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Bpx Operating Company (7), Bill Barrett (6), Anadarko Petroleum (5), Koch Exploration Company (3), Cirque Resources (3), Hunt Oil Company (3), Garywilliams Oil Producer (3), Devon Energy Production Company (2), Casey E M (2), Pogo Producing Company (2)

Primary counties: Big Horn, Park, Washakie, Hot Springs

Shirley Basin

70 wells 40 active operators 0 miles of lateral 0 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Wolf Energy Company (9), Six Ten Operating Company (8), New York Oil Company (4), K & W Oil Company (3), Markley & Woodin (3), Bales Conrad E (2), Carter Oil Company (2), Dyer J G (2), Iowawyoming Oil Company (2), Aladdin Petroleum (2)

Primary counties: Natrona, Carbon, Albany

Yellowstone Province

26 wells 21 active operators 0 miles of lateral 0 permits (24mo)

Top Operators:

Williams Exploration Company (3), Exxon Mobil (3), American Beryllium Oil (2), Colorado Oil & Gas (1), British American Oil Production Company (1), Texaco Exploration And Production (1), Travis G (1), Chs Mcpherson Refinery (1), Placid Oil Company (1), Bradco Oil & Gas Company (1)

Primary counties: Teton, Sublette

About This Data

Source: Wyoming Oil & Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC) well-header records, aggregated by primary play / interpreted formation / basin.

Threshold: Only formations with at least 50 wells are listed (excludes one-off wildcat plays).

Why it matters: Knowing which formation underlies your tract — and which operators are actively drilling that formation — is the foundation of mineral-rights valuation. Stacked-pay plays carry materially different upside than mature single-bench plays.

Refresh cadence: Monthly. Data current as of 2026-08-12.

Download: CSV · JSON — free to reuse under CC BY 4.0.

Cite this dataset

Permanently archived and citable via a DOI on Zenodo (CERN), under a CC BY 4.0 license. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21442884  ·  View on Zenodo

Citation (plain text)
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License & attribution: This data is licensed CC BY 4.0. You are free to share and adapt it, including commercially, provided you credit “Buckhead Energy” and link back to this page or the DOI above.

Frequently Asked Questions

What oil and gas formations are targeted in Wyoming?

The most-developed formations and plays in Wyoming are the Niobrara- Mowry, Powder River Basin, Mesaverde-Lance-Lewis, Muddy J Sand and Mesaverde-Lance, among others. This directory tracks 23 active formations ranked by well count, per Wyoming Oil & Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC) records.

Which formation has the most wells in Wyoming?

The Niobrara- Mowry has the most wells on record in Wyoming — 76,491 wells, worked by 1,572 active operators, per WOGCC well-header data. This is a well-count ranking, not a reserves or value ranking.

Who operates in the Niobrara- Mowry in Wyoming?

The most active operators in the Niobrara- Mowry are EOG Resources, Devon Energy Production Company, Wold Energy Partners, Anadarko Petroleum, Lance Oil & Gas Company. Each formation card below lists its top operators by well count.

How many drilling permits were filed across Wyoming formations in the last 24 months?

About 493 drilling permits were filed across the tracked Wyoming formations in the last 24 months, per WOGCC records — a rough measure of where new activity is concentrated.

How do I find out if I own minerals in a Wyoming formation?

Your deed and county records determine which formations your mineral rights cover; a tract can own multiple stacked formations. Buckhead Energy can check the geology under your tract against current well and permit data and put a free, no-obligation written offer in writing — this directory is informational only, not a valuation.

Know What Formation Underlies Your Minerals?

The geology under your tract drives your valuation. Get a free written offer based on your specific formation and county.

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Quick Stats

State: Wyoming

Active formations: 23

Total wells: 155,518

Recent permits: 493

Last refresh: 2026-08-12

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