Drilling Permits Issued for Development and Exploratory Wells in Nebraska
The number of permits for development and exploratory wells includes both crude oil wells and natural gas wells. In 2025, the number of development permits issued (8) fell nearly 50 percent from the 15 development permits issued in 2024. In 2025, the number of exploratory (or wildcat) permits issued (9) dropped 31 percent from the 13 exploratory permits issued in 2024. The number of both types of permits peaked in 1981 with development well permits reaching 374 and exploratory well permits reaching 354.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| 1975 - 2025 Development Well Permits | 73.53 KB |
| 1975 - 2025 Exploratory (Wildcat) Well Permits | 63.04 KB |
Sources: Nebraska Oil Activity Summary. Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Sidney, NE. Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment, Lincoln, NE.
This report was updated on May 7, 2026.
Typically, there is one year between updates.