2025 Year-to-Date Snapshot
Through 2025 (YTD), drilling activity in the Eagle Ford continues to highlight familiar names, but with some notable shifts.
- Top Accounts: ConocoPhillips (161 wells), EOG Resources (85), Crescent Energy (65), BPX (49), and Magnolia Oil & Gas (42) anchor the leaderboard. Verdun Oil Company emerges into the top 10, replacing SM Energy.
- Top Counties: Webb (143 wells), DeWitt (109), and Karnes (104) lead activity, with Dimmit and La Salle rounding out the top five. Lavaca County joined the top 10 in 2025, while Zavala fell out.
- Top Contractors & Rigs: Patterson 247 (24 wells), Ensign T103 (23), Precision 549 (23), and several H&P rigs each drilled ~23 wells. Unlike 2024, no single contractor dominates—activity is spread more evenly across Patterson, Ensign, Precision, Nabors, and H&P.
Eagle Ford Operator Account Directory – $10
Includes: Account Name, Wells Drilled, Rig Count, Website, Location…
Comparing 2025 (YTD) to 2024
While 2025 numbers reflect year-to-date activity and don’t capture the full year, the comparison with 2024 offers clear directional insights.
Accounts
The same leaders continue to set the pace, but with reduced activity. ConocoPhillips dropped from 251 wells in 2024 to 161 YTD 2025, and EOG fell from 183 to 85. Crescent Energy and BPX also show declines. The most interesting change is Verdun Oil Company’s entrance into the top 10, pushing SM Energy off the list.
Counties
The county breakdown shows Webb County holding steady, with activity nearly unchanged from 2024 to 2025. In contrast, Karnes, La Salle, and DeWitt all saw significant declines. This points to Webb’s resilience as operators diversify outside of traditional hotspots.
Contractor & Rig
2024 was dominated by Helmerich & Payne (H&P) rigs, with several leading rigs drilling 30–40 wells each. In 2025, H&P is still a strong presence, but their dominance has faded. Patterson, Ensign, and Precision rigs now share the top tier, with each rig completing around 20–24 wells. This diversification suggests more balanced contracting strategies by operators.
Operator Commentary from Q2 2025 Earnings Calls
Recent Q2 earnings calls reinforced why Eagle Ford remains a strategic priority for leading operators.
- ConocoPhillips: Following the Marathon Oil acquisition, ConocoPhillips emphasized Eagle Ford as a major growth driver. Production in Q2 was strong, with Marathon acreage wells performing at or above type curves. The company also pointed to record drilling efficiency—a 13% improvement in feet drilled per day—and synergies from integrating Marathon facilities. Long-term, ConocoPhillips expects Eagle Ford to sustain ~300,000 bbl/d of production.
- EOG Resources: EOG positioned Eagle Ford as a foundational asset alongside the Delaware Basin. In Q2, EOG drilled the longest lateral in Texas history (24,128 ft / 4.6 miles). Extended laterals are driving down well costs and improving efficiency. Eagle Ford remains central to their capital efficiency and returns strategy.
👉 Overall: Both ConocoPhillips and EOG are doubling down on Eagle Ford—ConocoPhillips through acquisition synergies and steady long-term output, and EOG through record-setting drilling and operational efficiency.
Bottom Line
The Eagle Ford remains a core U.S. shale play, but activity in 2025 shows:
- Operators pulling back compared to 2024, though the same major players still dominate.
- Counties like Webb holding ground while others retrench.
- Contractor mix broadening, with H&P no longer the sole dominant force.
📊 With Q2 earnings reinforcing its strategic role, Eagle Ford’s near-term drilling activity may be cautious, but the long-term story is one of resilience and operator commitment.
