Los Angeles – October 16, 2026 -- California approved 433 oil well drilling permits in the first nine months of 2026, a 277% jump over the 115 approved across all of 2023 through 2025, according to analysis by Consumer Watchdog and FracTracker Alliance of state data.

Approvals rose another 22.7% between the first half of the year and the first nine months. The figures come from the California Department of Geological Energy Management (CalGEM).