The monthly U.S. oil and gas permit count was nearly flat in September from August, with activity in the Eagle Ford Shale and some smaller Lower 48 plays offsetting declines in the Powder River and Permian basins, according to Evercore ISI.

permits

Each month the Evercore team compiles federal and state permitting data to note the trends in oil and natural gas activity. Permits usually are pulled a few months before development is underway in the onshore.

Wyoming’s permit requests appear to be stumbling, while Texas plays overall are in recovery mode. And in California, the number of oil and gas permit requests “continues rising,” West said.

Following a 31% decrease in requests during August, “signs of recovery were evident in Texas, with a 13% increase in permits,” a gain...