Education Center

Learn About Oil & Gas Production

Data from state Railroad Commissions, explained simply. No jargon. No fluff. Just the facts about how oil and gas is found, drilled, and measured.

State: All States Texas Oklahoma New Mexico North Dakota Colorado Louisiana Wyoming Alaska California Pennsylvania West Virginia Utah Kansas Montana Ohio Michigan Mississippi Arkansas Illinois
Topic: All Topics Production Basins Regulation Glossary
New Mexico production

New Mexico's Oil Boom: The Delaware Basin

New Mexico is in the middle of an oil boom. The state produces about 1.8 million barrels of oil every day. That makes New Mexico the second-largest oil-producing state in the country, behind only Texa…

Feb 24, 2026 Read More
Oklahoma production

Oklahoma Oil Production: What the OCC Tracks

Oklahoma was one of the first states to strike it rich in oil. The first commercial oil discovery in what would become Oklahoma happened in 1859 — the same year as the famous Pennsylvania oil discover…

Feb 17, 2026 Read More
Texas production

How Is an Oil Well Drilled?

Drilling an oil well is a complex process. But the basic idea is straightforward: you want to punch a hole through thousands of feet of rock to reach oil trapped underground. Here is how it works, ste…

Feb 10, 2026 Read More
Texas glossary

What Is a Scout Ticket in Oil and Gas?

A scout ticket is one of the most valuable — and most overlooked — pieces of information in the oil and gas business. To understand what a scout ticket is, you first need to understand who made them a…

Feb 3, 2026 Read More
Texas basin

Eagle Ford Shale: Texas's Southern Oil Belt

The Eagle Ford Shale is Texas's second major shale play. It stretches across South Texas in a long crescent shape. The formation runs from the Mexican border in the southwest to East Texas in the nort…

Jan 27, 2026 Read More
Texas basin

What Is the Permian Basin?

The Permian Basin is America's most important oil-producing region. It sits in West Texas and the southeastern corner of New Mexico. The basin is enormous. It stretches about 250 miles from east to we…

Jan 20, 2026 Read More
Texas production

How Much Oil Does Texas Produce?

Texas produces a staggering amount of oil. In 2023, the state pumped roughly 5.7 million barrels of oil every single day. That number is so large it can be hard to picture. To put it in perspective, t…

Jan 13, 2026 Read More
Texas regulation

What Is the Texas Railroad Commission?

The Texas Railroad Commission sounds like it runs trains. It doesn't. Today, it is the state agency that regulates oil and gas in Texas. The name is left over from history. In 1891, it started out ove…

Jan 6, 2026 Read More

Ready to Explore Your Prospect?

Use the data you've learned here. Request a full prospect assessment from our team.

Request a Free Assessment