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Delaware Basin Data, History & Stats
This guide provides information about the Delaware Basin: oil and gas data, history, top operators, and other facts.
Overview
Delaware Basin Oil and Gas
The Delaware Basin, as part of the larger Permian Basin, became the most prolific oil-producing region in the United States, and perhaps the most important oilfield in the world today.
The Delaware Basin’s prominent role in the Permian Basin has made it a crucial player in the energy sector, attracting substantial investment and attention from the oil and gas industry.
Delaware Basin: Subbasin of the largest oil-producing region in the US.
The region has been producing for nearly a century and still contains massive resources of oil and gas. In April of 2022, The Permian Basin accounted for 43.6% of oil production within the U.S. and nearly 15% of gas production.Â
What is the Delaware Basin?
The Delaware Basin is a geological province located in the southwestern United States, stretching across parts of West Texas and southeastern New Mexico. It is part of the larger Permian Basin, one of the most prolific oil and gas regions in the world.Â
The Delaware Basin covers an extensive area of approximately 10,000 square miles (26,000 square kilometers). It spans across several counties in Texas, including Loving, Reeves, Ward, Winkler, and Culberson, as well as portions of southeastern New Mexico, including Lea and Eddy counties. Major cities within or near the basin include Midland and Odessa in Texas and Carlsbad in New Mexico.
Horizontal Rig Count
The Delaware Basin: History, Data and Facts
The Delaware Basin has a rich geological and human history that spans hundreds of millions of years. Formed through complex geological processes, the basin’s origins can be traced back to ancient tectonic activity before the time of the dinosaurs, in the Permian period. A complex interplay of continental collision and oceanic subduction along North America’s southern and western edges caused mountain and basin formation in what are known today as the “Ancestral Rockies.” Into the Delaware basin poured sediment and organic matter that millions of years later became hydrocarbons.Â
Today, the Delaware Basin stands as one of the most productive oil and natural gas regions in the United States, contributing to the nation’s energy supply and playing a vital role in the economy of the surrounding regions.
When and how did it start?
Oil production in the Delaware Basin has a rich history that dates back to the early 1900s. Initial exploration activities in the region targeted shallow oil reservoirs. However, a significant milestone in the basin’s history occurred in 1926 with the discovery of the Big Lake Oil Field in Reagan County, Texas. This discovery marked the first major oil field in the Delaware Basin and ignited the region’s oil production boom.
Over the years, advancements in drilling technology, particularly the development of horizontal drilling techniques, transformed the basin’s oil production capabilities. Horizontal drilling, combined with hydraulic fracturing methods, enabled operators to tap into the vast hydrocarbon resources locked within the basin’s shale formations.Â
Although the unconventional revolution came later to the Delaware Basin than it did in the Bakken or Eagle Ford, the Delaware has become the highest-producing unconventional oil region in the world. At around 3 million barrels of oil a day, the Delaware would be the tenth-highest producing country in the world on its own.
Top counties [March 2013 - March 2023]
| Ranking | County | State | Horizontal Well Count - March 2023 | Daily Production (bo/d) - March 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lea | New Mexico | 4,938 | 967,436 |
| 2 | Eddy (NM) | New Mexico | 5,010 | 705,632 |
| 3 | Reeves | Texas | 4,423 | 456,397 |
| 4 | Loving | Texas | 2,958 | 448,071 |
| 5 | Ward (TX) | Texas | 1,211 | 109,718 |
| 6 | Culberson | Texas | 996 | 104,927 |
| 7 | Pecos | Texas | 688 | 65,537 |
| 8 | Winkler | Texas | 347 | 37,652 |
| 9 | Jeff Davis (TX) | Texas | 1 | 0 |
Top 50 oil operators [March 2013 - March 2023]
| Ranking | Operator | State | Horizontal Well Count - March 2023 | Daily Production (Bo/d) - March 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | EOG | Texas & New Mexico | 2,368 | 404,458 |
| 2 | Occidental | Texas & New Mexico | 1,963 | 336,821 |
| 3 | Devon Energy | Texas & New Mexico | 2,061 | 263,060 |
| 4 | ConocoPhillips | Texas & New Mexico | 2,610 | 240,272 |
| 5 | Mewbourne Oil | Texas & New Mexico | 1,139 | 228,396 |
| 6 | Exxon Mobil | Texas & New Mexico | 979 | 199,905 |
| 7 | Coterra Energy | Texas & New Mexico | 1,102 | 141,633 |
| 8 | Chevron | Texas & New Mexico | 975 | 115,700 |
| 9 | Tap Rock Resources | Texas & New Mexico | 328 | 98,642 |
| 10 | Permian Resources | Texas & New Mexico | 750 | 92,847 |
| 11 | Matador Resources Company | Texas & New Mexico | 583 | 86,382 |
| 12 | Kaiser Francis | New Mexico | 159 | 76,896 |
| 13 | Diamondback | Texas & New Mexico | 692 | 70,896 |
| 14 | Earthstone Energy | Texas & New Mexico | 248 | 61,475 |
| 15 | Callon | Texas | 516 | 50,243 |
| 16 | BTA Oil | Texas & New Mexico | 240 | 39,427 |
| 17 | Continental Resources | Texas | 350 | 38,317 |
| 18 | Franklin Mountain Energy | New Mexico | 70 | 34,260 |
| 19 | BP | Texas | 282 | 31,826 |
| 20 | Marathon | New Mexico | 167 | 27,717 |
| 21 | PRI Operating | Texas | 177 | 21,933 |
| 22 | Apache | Texas & New Mexico | 593 | 20,595 |
| 23 | PDC | Texas | 144 | 17,222 |
| 24 | Tall City | Texas | 65 | 16,007 |
| 25 | Spur Energy | New Mexico | 135 | 14,945 |
| 26 | Vital Energy | Texas | 108 | 14,183 |
| 27 | Battalion Oil | Texas | 110 | 8,756 |
| 28 | Lime Rock Resources | Texas & New Mexico | 135 | 8,149 |
| 29 | Rio Oil & Gas | Texas | 46 | 7,795 |
| 30 | Upcurve Energy | Texas | 44 | 7,763 |
| 31 | Point Energy Partners | Texas | 75 | 7,146 |
| 32 | Ameredev | Texas & New Mexico | 46 | 6,034 |
| 33 | Circle-S Energy | Texas | 32 | 5,500 |
| 34 | Blue Ox Resources Operating | Texas | 13 | 5,446 |
| 35 | Ascent Resources | New Mexico | 25 | 5,254 |
| 36 | Avant Natural Resources | New Mexico | 10 | 4,830 |
| 37 | Capitan Energy | Texas | 75 | 4,489 |
| 38 | Gordy Oil | Texas | 42 | 4,311 |
| 39 | Longfellow Energy | New Mexico | 16 | 4,180 |
| 40 | Maple Energy Holdings | Texas | 74 | 4,141 |
| 41 | Caza Operating | New Mexico | 53 | 3,961 |
| 42 | Bosque Texas Oil | Texas | 8 | 3,545 |
| 43 | CP Exploration III | Texas | 21 | 3,441 |
| 44 | Petro-Hunt | Texas | 106 | 3,381 |
| 45 | Manti | Texas | 40 | 3,249 |
| 46 | Revenir Energy | New Mexico | 48 | 2,360 |
| 47 | US Energy Development | Texas | 23 | 2,256 |
| 48 | Henry Resources | Texas | 33 | 2,190 |
| 49 | Marshall & Winston | New Mexico | 12 | 1,836 |
| 50 | Pecos River Exploration | Texas | 24 | 1,703 |
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The Delaware Gas Production
When and how did it start?
Natural gas production in the Delaware Basin has a parallel history alongside oil production. Gas wells were drilled as early as the 1920s, and natural gas has been produced in the region primarily for local and regional consumption. However, the true uprise in natural gas production came with the advancement of unconventional oil developments. In the Delaware, the vast majority of the gas is “associated gas” produced as a byproduct of oil production.Â
Alongside its ~3 million barrels of oil a day, the Delaware produces >12 billion cubic feet of gas a day, nearly as much as the Haynesville. This tremendous supply of gas has contributed significantly to the rise in the US’s domestic production and ability to ship LNG internationally. Alongside the rise in dry natural gas production, the Delaware Basin also experienced a surge in natural gas liquids (NGLs) production.
NGLs, such as ethane, propane, and butane, are extracted from the natural gas stream and have diverse industrial applications. The growth of natural gas production in the Delaware Basin has also led to the development of infrastructure for natural gas exports. Pipelines and liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities have been constructed to transport and export natural gas from the basin to domestic and international markets.
Gas production over the last 10 years
Top counties [March 2013 - March 2023]
| Ranking | County | State | Horizontal Well Count - March 2023 | Daily Production (Mc/d) - March 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eddy (NM) | New Mexico | 5,010 | 3.756,242 |
| 2 | Reeves | Texas | 4,423 | 2.909,168 |
| 3 | Lea | New Mexico | 4,938 | 2.768,236 |
| 4 | Loving | Texas | 2,958 | 1.482,279 |
| 5 | Culberson | Texas | 996 | 1.159,337 |
| 6 | Ward (TX) | Texas | 1,211 | 370,949 |
| 7 | Pecos | Texas | 688 | 166,044 |
| 8 | Winkler | Texas | 347 | 79,644 |
| 9 | Jeff Davis (TX) | Texas | 1 | 0 |
Top 50 natural gas operators [March 2013 - March 2023]
| Ranking | County | State | Horizontal Well Count - March 2023 | Daily Production (Mcf/d) - March 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | EOG | Texas & New Mexico | 2,368 | 1.698,639 |
| 2 | Devon Energy | Texas & New Mexico | 2,061 | 1.188,930 |
| 3 | Occidental | Texas & New Mexico | 1,963 | 1.145,230 |
| 4 | Exxon Mobil | Texas & New Mexico | 979 | 995,611 |
| 5 | Coterra Energy | Texas & New Mexico | 1,102 | 958,317 |
| 6 | ConocoPhillips | Texas & New Mexico | 2,610 | 957,687 |
| 7 | Mewbourne Oil | Texas & New Mexico | 1,139 | 857,239 |
| 8 | Chevron | Texas & New Mexico | 975 | 701,867 |
| 9 | Apache | Texas & New Mexico | 593 | 442,296 |
| 10 | Permian Resources | Texas & New Mexico | 750 | 432,742 |
| 11 | Tap Rock Resources | Texas & New Mexico | 328 | 387,341 |
| 12 | Matador Resources Company | Texas & New Mexico | 583 | 362,464 |
| 13 | Earthstone Energy | Texas | 248 | 291,253 |
| 14 | Diamondback | Texas & New Mexico | 692 | 265,886 |
| 15 | BP | Texas | 282 | 231,874 |
| 16 | Kaiser Francis | New Mexico | 159 | 221,557 |
| 17 | Callon | Texas | 516 | 177,642 |
| 18 | BTA Oil | Texas & New Mexico | 240 | 163,064 |
| 19 | PDC | Texas | 144 | 127,854 |
| 20 | Marathon | New Mexico | 167 | 90,029 |
| 21 | Rio Oil & Gas | Texas | 46 | 86,882 |
| 22 | Continental Resources | Texas & New Mexico | 350 | 68,704 |
| 23 | Capitan Energy | Texas | 75 | 64,132 |
| 24 | Franklin Mountain Energy | New Mexico | 70 | 56,786 |
| 25 | Petro-Hunt | Texas | 106 | 54,261 |
| 26 | PRI Operating | Texas | 177 | 45,026 |
| 27 | Battalion Oil | Texas | 110 | 42,787 |
| 28 | Tall City | Texas | 65 | 39,095 |
| 29 | CP Exploration III | Texas | 21 | 35,795 |
| 30 | Ameredev | Texas & New Mexico | 46 | 35,107 |
| 31 | Upcurve Energy | Texas | 44 | 34,851 |
| 32 | Maple Energy Holdings | Texas | 74 | 34,415 |
| 33 | Spur Energy | New Mexico | 135 | 32,415 |
| 34 | Vital Energy | Texas | 108 | 32,357 |
| 35 | Lime Rock Resources | Texas & New Mexico | 135 | 28,857 |
| 36 | Point Energy Partners | Texas | 75 | 21,228 |
| 37 | 1920 Energy | Texas | 20 | 17,852 |
| 38 | US Energy Development | Texas | 23 | 15,092 |
| 39 | Bosque Texas Oil | Texas | 8 | 13,808 |
| 40 | Caza Operating | New Mexico | 53 | 13,167 |
| 41 | Circle-S Energy | Texas | 32 | 12,092 |
| 42 | Gordy Oil | Texas | 42 | 11,598 |
| 43 | Encore | Texas | 16 | 11,485 |
| 44 | Murchison Oil & Gas | New Mexico | 54 | 10,785 |
| 45 | Alchemist Energy | Texas | 11 | 10,211 |
| 46 | Revenir Energy | New Mexico | 48 | 8,528 |
| 47 | Ascent Resources | New Mexico | 25 | 8,322 |
| 48 | Manti | Texas | 40 | 5,943 |
| 49 | BC | New Mexico | 35 | 5,904 |
| 50 | Rover Petroleum | Texas | 5 | 4,252 |
Natural resources in the Delaware Basin
In addition to its primary hydrocarbon resources, the Delaware Basin is known to contain various other natural resources. Sylvite, Langbeinite, Halite (rock salt), Sulfur, and Uranium have been identified within the basin.
Sylvite, discovered in 1925, has been utilized for the production of potassium salts, commonly known as Potash. Halite, a byproduct of potash mining, has also been extracted. These minerals were deposited as evaporites after the Permian seas that formed the Wolfcamp and Bone Spring formations dried up, leaving behind thousands of feet of mineral-rich strata. Notably, the Carlsbad area in New Mexico has served as a prominent potash district, supplying a significant portion of the potassium produced in the United States.
Due to the strategic importance of Potash to fertilizer supply, the federal government has protected “Designated Potash Districts”. In these areas, oil and gas operators must follow more stringent surface regulations to ensure that both hydrocarbon and potassium resources can be responsibly developed.Â
The Delaware Basin formations
The Delaware Basin is a sedimentary basin that originated during the Paleozoic era. It was primarily formed as a result of tectonic activity and the accumulation of sediment over millions of years. The basin’s formation can be attributed to the subsidence of the Earth’s crust, creating a depression where sediments were deposited.
Delaware Basin is a complex and dynamic geological feature, characterized by variations in its sub-basins, structural features, and stratigraphy.
Major formations:
Delaware Mountain Group
The Delaware Mountain Group is composed of a sequence of Permian-age sedimentary rocks, including limestone, dolomite, sandstone, and shale. This group includes various sub-formations, such as the Yeso Formation and the Glorieta Sandstone. The Delaware Mountain Group serves as a reservoir rock for oil and gas production in some areas of the basin.
Leonardian Series
The Leonardian Series is a group of Permian-age formations including hte Bone Spring and Avalon. These formations consist of interbedded sandstones, shales, and limestones. Prospectivity varies significantly around the basin.Â
Avalon Shale
The Avalon Shale is an organic-rich shale formation found within the Leonardian Series. It is known for its hydrocarbon potential and serves as a source rock for oil and gas. The Avalon Shale has been a target for exploration and production activities within the Delaware Basin.
Bone Spring Formation
The Bone Spring Formation is a composite formation that consists of several members, including the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Bone Spring members. It is primarily composed of sandstones, shales, and limestones. The Bone Spring Formation serves as both a source rock and a reservoir rock, containing significant hydrocarbon resources.
Wolfcamp Formation
The Wolfcamp Formation is a prominent hydrocarbon-bearing unit within the Delaware Basin. It is a layered formation that includes various lithologies, such as shale, siltstone, sandstone, and limestone. The formation is divided into three main subdivisions: the Upper, Middle, and Lower Wolfcamp. The Wolfcamp Formation is known for its abundant organic-rich shales that have served as source rocks for the generation and migration of oil and gas. It also contains reservoir rocks within the formation itself or in adjacent units.
Enno Peters
