Dated, sourced drilling-activity statistics for the most active oil basin in the United States — updated quarterly. Data as of June 11, 2026.
As of June 11, 2026: the Permian Basin is running 251 active drilling rigs, and operators filed 1,381 new drilling permits across 26 core Permian counties in the trailing 90 days (March 13 – June 11, 2026). WTI crude: $85.78/bbl · Henry Hub gas: $3.08/MMBtu.
The Permian Basin is running 251 active rigs as of June 11, 2026 — more than any other U.S. basin. The most active counties:
| County | State | Active Rigs |
|---|---|---|
| Eddy | NM | 56 |
| Lea | NM | 35 |
| Upton | TX | 27 |
| Midland | TX | 25 |
| Loving | TX | 21 |
| Martin | TX | 11 |
| Reeves | TX | 11 |
| Reagan | TX | 10 |
Source: Energy Domain DataStream (rig tracking), state + satellite data, as of June 11, 2026.
Operators filed 1,381 drilling permits across 26 core Permian counties in the trailing 90 days (March 13 – June 11, 2026). Permits are the clearest forward indicator of where drilling — and royalty income — is headed next. The most-permitted counties:
| County | State | Permits |
|---|---|---|
| Eddy | NM | 333 |
| Lea | NM | 244 |
| Midland | TX | 113 |
| Loving | TX | 76 |
| Upton | TX | 66 |
| Martin | TX | 60 |
| Crane | TX | 60 |
| Glasscock | TX | 55 |
| Andrews | TX | 43 |
| Reagan | TX | 43 |
| Operator | Permits (90 days) |
|---|---|
| Permian Resources | 154 |
| ExxonMobil | 152 |
| EOG Resources | 106 |
| Diamondback Energy | 94 |
| Occidental (Oxy) | 80 |
| Mewbourne Oil | 74 |
| Blackbeard Operating | 49 |
| Devon Energy | 46 |
Source: Energy Domain DataStream (Texas RRC + New Mexico OCD filings), trailing 90 days (March 13 – June 11, 2026).
Source: Commodities-API spot quotes, June 11, 2026. Benchmark prices — wellhead realizations vary by area and contract.
Rig counts and permit filings are the activity behind every royalty check: permits show where operators intend to drill next, and rigs show where capital is working right now. If your county appears in the tables above, operators are actively investing around you — which is exactly the data ARB analyzes, at the tract level, when valuing mineral and royalty interests. These are activity statistics, not valuations; what any specific interest is worth depends on your acreage, and the only reliable way to know is a free, no-obligation valuation.
You're welcome to cite this page. Suggested format: "Permian Basin by the Numbers, American Royalty Buyers, data as of June 11, 2026 (americanroyaltybuyers.com/permian-basin-by-the-numbers)." Underlying data: Texas Railroad Commission and New Mexico OCD filings via Energy Domain; spot prices via Commodities-API. Updated quarterly.