From The Houston Chronicle

The proof is in the numbers.

Crude oil traded above $60 per barrel for most of 2018, and the higher prices resulted in more drilling activity in Texas, data from the Railroad Commission of Texas shows.

Some 1,020 oil and natural gas companies asked state regulators for 13,294 original drilling permits through Dec. 26 of this year. The figures mark two consecutive years of growth for exploration and production activity in Texas.

The Houston oil company EOG Resources was the top Texas driller in 2018 with 556 drilling permits filed, with more than 70 percent in Eagle Ford and 27 percent in the Permian Basin. The Permian, meanwhile, was the top destination in Texas for oil and natural gas companies, accounting for more than 60 percent of drilling permits filed in the state.

The 2018 figures show that the shale revolution is still going strong. Horizontal drilling projects accounted 67 percent of exploration and production activity in Texas while vertical wells accounted for nearly 30 percent.

 

Permian Basin

Some 407 companies filed 8,039 drilling permit applications for projects in the Permian Basin. Endeavor Energy Resources of Midland was the top company in the region with 440 drilling permit filings. Owned by wildcatter billionaire and reality TV star Autry Stephens, the company has become an acquisition target by major oil companies seeking to boost their presence in the West Texas shale play. More than 69 percent of drilling permit applications filed in the Permian Basin were for horizontal drilling projects.

 

Top 10 Permian Basin Drillers

Endeavor Energy Resources 440

Pioneer Natural Resources 405

Occidental Petroleum 369

Apache Corporation 289

ExxonMobil 285

Diamondback Energy 230

Parsley Energy 211

Crownquest Operating 185

COG Operating 176

Kinder Morgan 155

 

Eagle Ford Shale

Some 187 companies filed 2,920 drilling permits for projects in the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas. EOG Resources was the top company in the region with 392 drilling permit applications. Most of EOG’s leases are in the oil-rich central region of the shale play. With 562 drilling permits, Karnes County was the top destination in the Eagle Ford. More than 90 percent of drilling permits filed in the region were for horizontal drilling projects.

 

Top 10 Eagle Ford Shale Drillers

EOG Resources 392

ConocoPhillips 200

Sanchez Energy 188

WildHorse Resources 131

Chesapeake Energy 123

Marathon Oil 111

Lewis Energy 106

Carrizo Oil & Gas

EP Energy 99

BP 79

 

Barnett Shale

Some 142 companies filed for 462 drilling permits in the Barnett Shale of North Texas. The Mexican company PetroBAL was the top driller with 42 permits followed by Devon Energy of Oklahoma with 34. With 86 drilling permits, Jack County was the top destination for oil and natural gas companies in the Barnett. More than 81 percent of drilling permits filed in the region were for vertical drilling projects.

 

Barnett Shale Top 10 Drillers

PetroBAL 42

Devon Energy 34

Stasney Well Service 27

White Knight Production 23

TEP Barnett USA 19

EnerVest 16

HWH Production 10

Bonfire Operating 7

Bridwell Oil 7

Tied: Basa Resources, Cholla Petroleum, G&F Oil and Willowbend Investments 6

 

Haynesville Shale

Some 49 companies filed for 407 drilling permits for projects in the natural gas-rich Haynesville Shale of East Texas. Rockcliff Energy of Houston was the top company in the region with 56 drilling permits. Rockcliff is a pure-play Haynesville company that uses horizontal drilling techniques to develop natural gas wells. Nearly two-thirds of drilling permits filed in the region were for horizontal drilling projects.

 

Haynesville Shale Top 10 Drillers

Rockcliff Energy 56

Sabine Oil & Gas 53

XTO Energy 48

BP 37

CCI East Texas Upstream 25

Tanos Exploration 25

Sheridan Production Company 19

Aethon Energy 17

KJ Energy 14

Covey Park Resources 11

 

Conventionals

A large amount of exploration and production activity goes on outside of the state’s four shale basins. More than 376 companies filed for 1,466 drilling permits in these conventional oil fields, led by Frostwood Energy of Houston with 85 followed by Hilcorp Energy, also of Houston, with 79. . Founded in April 2016, Frostwood has developed a mix of horizontal and vertical wells in Victoria County and surrounding areas. With 104 drilling permits, Wichita County was the top destination for conventional drillers.

 

Top 10 Non-Shale Basin Drillers

Frostwood Energy 85

Hilcorp Energy 79

Scout Energy Management 47

Newport Operating 47

North South Oil 27

4P Energy Texas 27

Unit Petroleum Co. 26

Sojourner Drilling Company 26

Tecolote Energy 24

Le Norman Operating 21

 

Top 10 Texas drillers in 2018

Here’s the most active oil and natural gas companies ranked by drilling permit filings.

EOG Resources 556

Pioneer Natural Resources 455

Endeavor Energy Resources 440

ExxonMobil 400

Occidental Petroleum 369

Apache Corporation 305

Diamondback Energy 230

Parsley Energy 211

ConocoPhillips 200

Sanchez Energy 188

 

Source: Railroad Commission of Texas


Legal Notice