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Texas RRC GIS Viewer vs. WellheadMap
The Railroad Commission of Texas GIS Viewer is the state's own map and the official source. WellheadMap uses the same public records (1,397,551 Texas wells, updated 2026-10-17) and is built for quick lookups, especially on a phone.
| RRC GIS Viewer | WellheadMap | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Official RRC records | Copy of RRC public records, date shown on each page |
| Updates | Nightly, per the RRC | Refreshed from RRC files; Texas figures as of 2026-10-17 |
| Search | API number, lease ID, survey, pipeline, address | API number (8, 10 or 14 digits), operator, lease, county |
| Map layers | Many RRC layers, measuring and print tools | Street, topo, satellite, county lines, RRC surveys and pipelines |
| Wells near a point | Radius tool | List of every well within 0.5 to 10 miles, nearest first |
| County and operator pages | No | Yes: 269 Texas counties and every operator |
| Other states | Texas only | 27 states and federal offshore |
| Cost | Free | Map free; full lists with a free or paid account (plans) |
The biggest Texas operator by active wells is HILCORP ENERGY COMPANY, with 14,567. Browse all Texas wells by county or open the map.
Questions
Is the RRC GIS Viewer free?
Yes. The Railroad Commission of Texas runs it at no charge. Copies of some records it links to can carry a fee.
Which one is official?
The RRC. WellheadMap copies the RRC's public well records and says on every page when they were last updated. For a permit, a legal question or a filing, use the RRC's own records.
Does WellheadMap show Texas surveys and pipelines?
Yes. The Map layers button adds the RRC's own survey and abstract lines and pipeline layer to the WellheadMap map.
Why use WellheadMap for Texas?
It loads on a phone, finds every well within a set distance of a point, and has a page for each of 269 Texas counties and every operator, with active, plugged and disposal counts. The same search also covers 26 other states.