A dated index of who is drilling, where, and how much — rigs, permits, the most active operators and counties, and what it means for your minerals. Data as of August 25, 2026.
As of August 25, 2026, the Permian Basin is running 280 active drilling rigs, with 1,749 new drilling permits filed across 26 core counties in the trailing 90 days (May 27 – August 25, 2026). Eddy County, NM leads all counties (496 permits) and ExxonMobil leads all operators (266 permits, as of August 25, 2026). These are activity statistics, not valuations.
What drives mineral and royalty value in each part of the Permian:
New drilling permits and active rigs are the earliest public signals of where development — and royalty income — is headed next in the Permian Basin. Concentrated activity by well-capitalized operators on or near your acreage can mean new wells, new division orders, and new or larger royalty checks, and it is one of the most important factors buyers weigh when pricing mineral and royalty interests. These pages track that activity with dated, sourced data so you can see exactly where the basin is most active right now.
Activity statistics are indicators, not a measure of what any specific interest is worth — that depends on your net mineral acres, the formations and wells under your tract, your decimal, and current prices. ARB provides a free, no-obligation valuation of your specific interest.
You're welcome to cite this page. Suggested format: "Permian Drilling Activity, American Royalty Buyers, data as of August 25, 2026 (americanroyaltybuyers.com/permian-drilling-activity)." Underlying data: Texas Railroad Commission and New Mexico OCD filings via Energy Domain; rig tracking via Energy Domain. Updated quarterly.