Rig count as of May 5 was 443, representing 50% of active rigs in US
AUSTIN –– The Railroad Commission of Texas issued a total of 909 original drilling permits in April 2017 compared to 683 in April 2016, according to a press release.
The April total included 821 permits to drill new oil or gas wells, nine to re-enter plugged well bores and 79 for re-completions of existing well bores.
The breakdown of well types for those permits issued April 2017 included 223 oil, 55 gas, 576 oil or gas, 36 injection, one service and 18 other permits.
In April 2017, Commission staff processed 439 oil, 44 gas, 45 injection and two other completions compared to 873 oil, 120 gas, 49 injection and five other completions in April 2016.
Total well completions processed for 2017 year to date are 2,455; down from 4,499 recorded during the same period in 2016.
According to Baker Hughes Inc., the Texas rig count as of May 5 was 443, representing about 50 per cent of all active rigs in the United States.
TABLE 1 – APRIL 2017 OIL AND GAS DRILLING PERMITS AND COMPLETIONS BY RAILROAD COMMISSION OF DISTRICT*
| DISTRICT | PERMITS TO DRILL OIL/GAS HOLES | OIL COMPLETIONS | GAS COMPLETIONS |
| (1) SAN ANTONIO AREA | 183 | 54 | 13 |
| (2) REFUGIO AREA | 60 | 46 | 3 |
| (3) SOUTHEAST TEXAS | 43 | 12 | 2 |
| (4) DEEP SOUTH TEXAS | 24 | 9 | 8 |
| (5) EAST CENTRAL TX | 8 | 6 | 0 |
| (6) EAST TEXAS | 28 | 6 | 0 |
| (7B) WEST CENTRAL TX | 23 | 15 | 3 |
| (7C) SAN ANGELO AREA | 51 | 51 | 0 |
| (8) MIDLAND | 401 | 185 | 11 |
| (8A) LUBBOCK AREA | 34 | 23 | 0 |
| (9) NORTH TEXAS | 29 | 19 | 3 |
| (10) PANHANDLE | 25 | 13 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 909 | 439 | 44 |
