# Nichols Operating Drilling Permits in Texas, Oklahoma, and Illinois

**TL;DR**: Nichols Operating has filed 1 oil and gas drilling permit across Texas, Oklahoma, and Illinois in the last 24 months, with the most recent permit dated April 3, 2026. The sole permit is located in Wabash County, Illinois, targeting the Illinois Basin. Permit data is sourced from state regulators and refreshed monthly to track where the operator is deploying capital.

## Key Takeaways

- Nichols Operating filed 1 drilling permit between August 2024 and August 2026, with the most recent filing on April 3, 2026
- All current permit activity is concentrated in Wabash County, Illinois, targeting the Illinois Basin formation
- The single permitted well is named Johnson 6W-20 (API #121852938801) and had not yet started producing as of the August 5, 2026 data refresh
- Drilling permits represent leading indicators of where operators are allocating capital before wells begin production
- Mineral owners near permitted wells may see new production activity and should consider obtaining a valuation before leasing or selling
- Permit data is sourced from the Texas Railroad Commission and Oklahoma Corporation Commission and refreshed monthly
- Despite the page covering Texas and Oklahoma, the current permit inventory shows only Illinois activity

## Page Highlights

**Recent Drilling Activity Overview**: The page tracks all drilling permits filed by Nichols Operating over a 24-month lookback period across Texas, Oklahoma, and Illinois. Permits represent applications for new wells and serve as forward-looking indicators of operator capital deployment before production begins.

**Geographic Concentration**: Current permit activity is entirely focused in Wabash County, Illinois, with no active permits shown in Texas or Oklahoma during the lookback period despite the page's stated coverage area.

**Formation Targeting**: The operator is exclusively targeting the Illinois Basin formation in its current permit portfolio, with one permit covering this play.

**Mineral Owner Implications**: Landowners and mineral rights holders located near permitted wells may be positioned to receive royalty payments from future production or may want to evaluate selling their interests while permits signal upcoming development.

**Data Sources and Freshness**: All permit information is compiled from official state regulatory filings (Texas Railroad Commission, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, and presumably Illinois authorities) with monthly refresh cycles to ensure current data as of August 5, 2026.

## Dataset Variables

The page does not include JSON-LD structured data, but the permit table tracks the following variables for each drilling permit:

- Permit Date (when the permit was filed)
- Well Name (operator-assigned designation)
- API Number (unique well identifier)
- County (location of permitted well)
- State (TX, OK, or IL)
- Formation / Play (geologic target)
- Lateral Length (measured in feet, where applicable)

## Related Topics

- [Nichols Operating Profile](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/operators/nichols-operating) — full operator overview and activity summary
- [Full Operator Directory](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/operators) — database of oil and gas operators
- [Sell Your Mineral Rights](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/sell) — information on selling mineral interests
- [Mineral Rights Glossary](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/glossary) — definitions of industry terms

---

**About Buckhead Energy**: Buckhead Energy is a mineral rights acquisition company providing transparent valuations and purchase offers for mineral and royalty owners across major U.S. oil and gas basins.

**Ready to evaluate your mineral rights?** [Get a free written valuation](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/sell) based on the latest permit, production, and lease data.