Permit approval rates in Bowie County have only reached a high of just over 9 permits approved. This happened in 1990 when permits were first handed out. The second highest record of permit approvals in the county happened in 1997 when 9 permits were approved.  The last year that permits were given out was in 2012 when two permits submitted by the SDG Operating Company, Inc were approved. In the previous years, Carr Resources, Inc.; Sunray Operating Company LLC; Hamman Oil & Refining Company; and Smith Operating & Management Co were among the companies that filed permits in the county.

Oil production peaked at two points in the county’s history. First was in 1993 and the second was in 1997 with a production of over 250,875 barrels of oil for each year. Since then the production has trickled down to below 50,175 barrels of oil a year.

In the county’s history, some 108 operations have entered into its territory. The top leases include Adams Oil Lease #012070, Ashford Oil Lease #012102, Bentley Oil Lease #012687, and Langley Unit Oil Lease #012341.

Top Leases in Bowie County, TX
• Adams Oil Lease #012070
• Ashford Oil Lease #012102
• Ashford, H. Gas Unit Gas Lease #072957
• Bentley Oil Lease #012687
• Bentley Unit Oil Lease #012226
• Langley Unit Oil Lease #012341
• Liberty-Eylau Isd Oil Lease #013260
• Owen, J.D. Gas Unit Gas Lease #086181
• Redwater Smackover Unit Oil Lease #013801
• Sorsby Oil Lease #011793
• Southern Mineral Corp. Oil Lease #012376
• Stuart Unit Oil Lease #012042
• Wilson, Loyd Gas Unit Gas Lease #059057