Drilling permits by state over the last 12 months and how long permits take to reach spud — counts and percentiles Buckhead Energy computes from grouped records. Each state links to its permit, spud, first-production and DUC-proxy pages. Last computed 2026-10-15.
Quick answer: Buckhead Energy’s permit tracker counts at least 20,366 drilling permits across 11 states in the last 12 months, with Texas recording the most (8,326). Monthly counts under 3 are withheld, so every total is a floor.
A drilling permit is a state regulator’s approval for an operator to drill a well at a planned location. It is filed before drilling, so it is an early public signal of planned activity; it does not guarantee the well will be drilled.
By permits in the last 12 months, Texas (8,326), California (4,124), New Mexico (3,558) lead the states tracked here. Totals add published monthly counts and are floors.
Each state row shows the median days from permit to spud for permits 6 to 36 months old that were spudded. Percentiles are withheld when fewer than 5 wells stand behind them.
The tracker publishes only grouped counts and percentiles that Buckhead computes. It does not list wells, leases, API numbers or permit dates.
| State | Permits, last 12 months | Median permit to spud | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 8,326 | 41 days | Permit activity · Snapshot · Report |
| California | 4,124 | 201 days | Snapshot · Report |
| New Mexico | 3,558 | 71 days | Snapshot · Report |
| North Dakota | 977 | 81 days | Snapshot · Report |
| Utah | 852 | 92 days | Snapshot · Report |
| Colorado | 732 | 98 days | Snapshot · Report |
| Wyoming | 628 | 68 days | Snapshot · Report |
| Kansas | 504 | 18 days | Snapshot · Report |
| Ohio | 306 | 17 days | Permit activity · Snapshot · Report |
| Mississippi | 218 | 33 days | Snapshot · Report |
| Illinois | 141 | n<5 | Snapshot · Report |
Ranked by permits in the last 12 complete months. Totals add only published monthly counts, so each is a floor.
Oklahoma drilling counts are being reconciled with state records and will return here once verified. For current Oklahoma filings, use the Oklahoma Corporation Commission well data finder.
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.
12-month totals add only the monthly figures that were published, so they are floors, not exact counts.
Cycle-time cohorts: permit-to-spud uses permits 6–36 months old; spud-to-first-production uses spuds 12–36 months old.
Last computed: 2026-10-15. These figures are informational only and are not a valuation of any mineral or royalty interest.
A permit is regulatory approval to drill, not a guarantee that a well will be drilled. If you own minerals where activity is picking up, get a free written offer.
Buckhead Energy buys mineral and royalty interests across all 50 states and has completed acquisitions in 33 states. Buckhead Energy is a direct buyer, not a broker — we purchase mineral and royalty interests with our own capital. Buckhead Energy has been buying mineral and royalty interests since 2006. Buckhead Energy holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
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