Texas rig count as of Jan. 6 was 327, representing 49% of all active rigs in US
AUSTIN –The Railroad Commission of Texas issued a total of 1,009 original drilling permits in Dec. 2016 compared to 727 in Dec. 2015.
The Dec. total included 909 permits to drill new oil or gas wells, 17 to re-enter plugged well bores and 83 for re-completions of existing well bores.
The breakdown of well types for those permits issued Dec. 2016 included 267 oil, 57 gas, 612 oil or gas, 62 injection, zero service and 11 other permits.
In Dec. 2016, Commission staff processed 430 oil, 93 gas, 20 injection and two other completions compared to 788 oil, 151 gas, 53 injection and one other completions in Dec. 2015.
Total well completions for 2016 are 10,468; down from 19,503 recorded in 2015.
According to Baker Hughes Inc., the Texas rig count as of Jan. 6 was 327, representing about 49 per cent of all active rigs in the United States.
TABLE 1 – DECEMBER 2016 TEXAS OIL AND GAS DRILLING PERMITS AND COMPLETIONS BY RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS DISTRICT*
| DISTRICT | PERMITS TO DRILL OIL/GAS HOLES | OIL COMPLETIONS | GAS COMPLETIONS |
| (1) SAN ANTONIO AREA | 143 | 93 | 13 |
| (2) REFUGIO AREA | 121 | 33 | 19 |
| (3) SOUTHEAST TEXAS | 35 | 11 | 22 |
| (4) DEEP SOUTH TEXAS | 23 | 3 | 7 |
| (5) EAST CENTRAL TX | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| (6) EAST TEXAS | 38 | 12 | 5 |
| (7B) WEST CENTRAL TX | 37 | 11 | 2 |
| (7C) SAN ANGELO AREA | 89 | 34 | 0 |
| (8) MIDLAND | 374 | 159 | 10 |
| (8A) LUBBOCK AREA | 88 | 39 | 0 |
| (9) NORTH TEXAS | 35 | 26 | 2 |
| (10) PANHANDLE | 16 | 8 | 13 |
| TOTAL | 1,009 | 430 | 93 |
