Location: Central Basin Platform (CBP), West Texas
Permit Authority (PA): Texas Railroad Commission
Operator: Blackbeard Operating, LLC
Activity: Horizontal Development & Pad Drilling
Rig Count (Summer 2025): 4 active rigs
Net Production (Q1 2025): >40,000 boe/d
Wells Drilled YTD (2025): 61 wells

Permian Basin Account Directory – Only $10

Includes: Account Name, Address, Phone, Website, Wells Drilled…..

📊 2025 Year-to-Date Drilling Activity Snapshot

Blackbeard Operating continues to scale its horizontal drilling program across the CBP. Based on public records:

Total Wells Drilled (YTD): 61
Top Drilling Contractors:
- AKITA 518: 18 wells
- AKITA 523: 18 wells
- AKITA 521: 16 wells
- LASSO 101: 4 wells
- Precision 553: 2 wells
Top Drilling Counties:
- Crane County, TX: 54 wells
- Winkler County, TX: 4 wells
- Atoka County, OK: 1 well
Monthly Drilling Trend: [See chart in attached table]

The dataset confirms Blackbeard’s continued emphasis on pad development and CBP-specific benches like Tubb and McKnight.

🛢️ Horizontal Drilling in Legacy Rock

Blackbeard is proving that the Central Basin Platform still holds significant potential. While deeper Permian zones grab headlines, Blackbeard is unlocking value from shallower benches using horizontal laterals and simul-fracs:

Drilling depths: ~2,400–5,000 ft
Laterals: 1–2 miles
13 targeted benches, including McKnight, Tubb, Wichita-Albany, and Wolfcamp

🏗️ Infrastructure-Driven Efficiency

Blackbeard has built a fortress-like footprint in the CBP:

77,000 net acres with 36,000 mineral acres
50,000 surface acres, including an operational sand mine
400+ miles of owned pipelines
$170M+ invested in midstream infrastructure

This vertical integration keeps costs low and operations fast—even outside the Permian’s core.

📈 Strategic Takeaways

Reinventing Legacy Plays
Blackbeard’s YTD well count shows confidence in a basin most considered depleted.
Pad Development Unlocks Scale
The pivot to 6–8 well pads has dramatically cut costs and improved completions.
Service Synergy from Midland/Delaware
Despite not operating in those basins, Blackbeard benefits from proximity to their oilfield supply hubs.