The number of permits for development and exploratory wells includes both crude oil wells and natural gas wells. In 2022, the number of development permits issued (46) jumped 77 percent from the 26 development permits issued in 2021. In 2022, the number of exploratory (or wildcat) permits issued (11) dropped 59 percent from the 27 exploratory permits issued in 2021. The number of both types of permits peaked in 1981 with development well permits reaching 374 and exploratory well permits reaching 354.
Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
Air Water Land Energy
Nebraska Energy Statistics
Drilling Permits Issued for
Development and Exploratory Wells in
Nebraska
| Development | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual Total 1 |
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual Total 1 |
| Development | |||||||||||||
| 2022 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 46 |
| 2021 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 26 |
| 2020 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 8 |
| 2019 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 31 |
| 2018 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 42 |
| 2017 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 54 |
| 2016 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 40 |
| 2015 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 60 |
| 2014 | 12 | 8 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 129 |
| 2013 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 13 | 102 |
| 2012 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 50 |
| 2011 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 17 | 7 | 16 | 6 | 14 | 8 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 107 |
| 2010 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 73 |
| 2009 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 42 |
| 2008 | 2 | 5 | 24 | 24 | 15 | 32 | 15 | 4 | 26 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 165 |
| 2007 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 22 | 43 | 7 | 15 | 21 | 7 | 146 |
| 2006 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 48 |
| 2005 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 54 |
| 2004 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 13 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 42 |
| 2003 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 25 |
| 2002 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| 2001 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 19 |
| 2000 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 27 |
| 1999 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 11 |
| 1998 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 15 |
| 1997 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 67 |
| 1996 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 39 |
| 1995 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 28 |
| 1994 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 30 |
| 1993 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 6 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 69 |
| 1992 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 52 |
| 1991 | 16 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 84 |
| 1990 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 67 |
| 1989 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 47 |
| 1988 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 67 |
| 1987 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 92 |
| 1986 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 50 |
| 1985 | 23 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 15 | 19 | 12 | 11 | 142 |
| 1984 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 22 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 24 | 12 | 170 |
| 1983 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 22 | 18 | 24 | 9 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 7 | 185 |
| 1982 | 23 | 15 | 17 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 22 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 22 | 191 |
| 1981 | 27 | 29 | 22 | 56 | 40 | 30 | 44 | 20 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 32 | 374 |
| 1980 | 21 | 27 | 25 | 30 | 28 | 32 | 23 | 16 | 22 | 32 | 30 | 27 | 311 |
| 1979 | 0 | 22 | 22 | 27 | 14 | 20 | 17 | 20 | 16 | 18 | 26 | 33 | 255 |
| 1978 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 23 | 17 | 24 | 11 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 21 | 168 |
| 1977 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 13 | 19 | 14 | 18 | 237 |
| 1976 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 144 |
| 1975 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 160 |
| Exploratory | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual Total 1 |
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual Total 1 |
| Exploratory | |||||||||||||
| 2022 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 11 |
| 2021 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 27 |
| 2020 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 21 |
| 2019 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 12 |
| 2018 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 23 |
| 2017 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 29 |
| 2016 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 28 |
| 2015 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 42 |
| 2014 | 12 | 9 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 92 |
| 2013 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 83 |
| 2012 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 90 |
| 2011 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 18 | 75 |
| 2010 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 77 |
| 2009 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 35 |
| 2008 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 22 | 15 | 7 | 19 | 27 | 19 | 28 | 5 | 2 | 162 |
| 2007 | 1 | 6 | 17 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 12 | 2 | 88 |
| 2006 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 76 |
| 2005 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 43 |
| 2004 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 35 |
| 2003 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 18 |
| 2002 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 2001 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 15 |
| 2000 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 21 |
| 1999 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 18 |
| 1998 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 15 |
| 1997 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 34 |
| 1996 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
| 1995 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 24 |
| 1994 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 36 |
| 1993 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 54 |
| 1992 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 58 |
| 1991 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 56 |
| 1990 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 73 |
| 1989 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 61 |
| 1988 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 81 |
| 1987 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 123 |
| 1986 | 22 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 92 |
| 1985 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 16 | 22 | 14 | 18 | 9 | 19 | 18 | 176 |
| 1984 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 10 | 14 | 17 | 13 | 25 | 26 | 31 | 31 | 26 | 235 |
| 1983 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 20 | 13 | 9 | 19 | 16 | 35 | 19 | 18 | 26 | 216 |
| 1982 | 26 | 22 | 27 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 27 | 47 | 261 |
| 1981 | 27 | 22 | 16 | 23 | 15 | 50 | 27 | 39 | 23 | 34 | 41 | 37 | 354 |
| 1980 | 45 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 27 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 34 | 41 | 34 | 24 | 309 |
| 1979 | 35 | 0 | 20 | 25 | 20 | 18 | 36 | 20 | 24 | 38 | 37 | 30 | 320 |
| 1978 | 26 | 20 | 21 | 29 | 21 | 20 | 24 | 30 | 31 | 22 | 20 | 23 | 275 |
| 1977 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 27 | 32 | 17 | 40 | 267 |
| 1976 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 202 |
| 1975 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 212 |
Sources: "Nebraska Oil Activity Summary." Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Sidney, NE. Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, Lincoln, NE.
Notes: NA = Not Available. Monthly numbers are not available before September, 1977, and after February, 2014. Numbers in red have been revised.
1 The annual total is compiled after corrections and updates have been made which are not reflected in the monthly reports, so the annual total will not always equal the total of the monthly numbers.
2 Kinder Morgan received approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for ten (10) permits which will allow drilling ten development wells into their gas storage units to improve deliverability.
The graph and tables were updated on February 13, 2024.
Typically, there is one year between updates.