Enverus has released its annual list of the most prolific 100 private oil and gas producers in the U.S. based on gross operated production, well count and rig movements across last year. Continental Resources remains in the top position, but this year Mewbourne Oil leapfrogged from fourth to second and Aethon Energy remains in the third position, according to Enverus.
“This year’s Top 100 list reflects a private operator landscape that’s been shaped by the drastic consolidation of operators over the last two years,” said Shawn Stuart, principal analyst at Enverus. “The remaining privates are more geographically diverse than ever before, and new entrants are having to be opportunistic on acquisitions as core plays consolidate. Private capital is shifting to legacy basins, testing new zones, and leaning into gas plays that were once overlooked.”
“We’re seeing a return to the Permian’s edges, a push into under-the-radar plays like the SCOOP | STACK, and a renewed focus on innovation—from longer laterals to refracs.”
“A macro environment has created near-term headwinds for private companies to grow, but once things stabilize there is significant private capital that has been raised and is ready to hunt for new opportunities. That could come from buying longer-dated, production-heavy assets from other private companies, pivoting to gas, or focusing outside of the Permian, in areas such as the Mid-Continent that are ripe for non-core sales by public operators. The Top 100 list shows how private operators continue to evolve with the industry maturing,” Stuart said.
The list, compiled utilizing data from Enverus Foundations® and Activity Analytics, also includes a breakdown of liquids and gas production, total company well counts, recent rig programs and comparison to their rankings the previous year. The list was featured in Upstream Pulse, a bi-monthly report that covers exploration and production, deals and capital markets for the North American and global oil and gas sector.
