An objective 0–100 score of how active oil & gas drilling is across the 11 top US mineral states right now — from permits, DUC inventory, spuds, and new producers. Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data, refreshed daily. Oklahoma is listed but not scored while its drilling counts are reconciled with state records, and is left out of the national average.
As ofAs of November 9, 2026, Texas leads the US Mineral Market Activity Index with a score of 100/100, ahead of New Mexico (45); the 11-state national reading is 20/100 — a relative measure of current drilling activity, from Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data.
| # | State | Activity Score | Permits 12mo | DUCs | Spuds 12mo | First Production 12mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 100 |
8,421 | 5,236 | 3,747 | 3,960 |
| 2 | New Mexico | 45 |
3,550 | 2,075 | 1,972 | 1,772 |
| 3 | Kansas | 15 |
559 | 2,495 | 275 | 13 |
| 4 | North Dakota | 14 |
1,009 | 866 | 690 | 429 |
| 5 | California | 14 |
4,002 | 147 | 40 | 169 |
| 6 | Colorado | 13 |
728 | 745 | 668 | 523 |
| 7 | Wyoming | 8 |
684 | 569 | 323 | 204 |
| 8 | Utah | 8 |
860 | 497 | 331 | 176 |
| 9 | Ohio | 3 |
466 | 26 | 7 | 150 |
| 10 | Mississippi | 1 |
199 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Illinois | 1 |
131 | — | 0 | 0 |
| — | Oklahoma | — |
— | 861 | — | — |
Oklahoma drilling counts are being reconciled with state records and will return here once verified. For current filings, use the Oklahoma Corporation Commission well data finder.
Score = each metric scored 0–100 relative to the leading state, then averaged. Each state links to its dated drilling report. See also the US Mineral & Drilling Activity Index (raw national rollup). Oklahoma is listed but not scored while its drilling counts are reconciled with state records, and is left out of the national average.
For each state we take four forward-looking activity signals from Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data — drilling permits over the last 12 months, current drilled-but-uncompleted (DUC) inventory, wells spudded in the last 12 months, and wells brought onto first production in the last 12 months. Each metric is scored 0–100 relative to the most active state, then the four are equal-weight averaged into the state's composite. The national reading is the mean of the state scores. The underlying data refreshes daily; every figure carries the as-of date above. This is an objective measure of market activity — not a valuation, price, or recommendation to buy or sell. Oklahoma is listed but not scored while its drilling counts are reconciled with state records, and is left out of the national average.
An objective 0–100 score of how active oil & gas drilling is in each of the 11 top US mineral states right now — Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, North Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, California, Kansas, Mississippi, Utah, and Illinois. Each state is scored from four forward-looking signals (drilling permits, DUC inventory, recent spuds, and newly producing wells) — Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data, refreshed daily. Oklahoma is listed but not scored while its drilling counts are reconciled with state records, and is left out of the national average.
Each of the four metrics is scored 0–100 relative to the most active state, then averaged (equal weight) into a state composite. 100 means a state leads on every measure. It is a relative, reproducible measure of current drilling activity — not a price, valuation, or recommendation. Oklahoma is listed but not scored while its drilling counts are reconciled with state records, and is left out of the national average.
As of November 9, 2026, Texas leads the index with a score of 100/100, followed by New Mexico (45). See the full ranking below; each state links to its dated drilling report.
The figures are Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. They are reference data, not a valuation, appraisal or investment advice.
Not by itself. The index measures market activity, not your personal timing. Whether to sell depends on your wells, decline, prices, and goals — see our per-state "is now a good time to sell" pages, and request a free written offer for your specific minerals.
Source: Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Data as of .
Machine-readable: /api/v1/us-drilling-activity-index · daily freshness feed: /data-updates.json
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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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