The Permian Basin beneath Midland County holds some of the deepest oil deposits in Texas

The Permian Basin stretches roughly 250 by 300 miles across West Texas and southeastern New Mexico. It has some of the thickest layers of Permian-age rock found anywhere on Earth. The basin formed over millions of years as an ancient sea called the Permian Sea slowly pulled back. As it retreated, it left behind thick salt and mineral deposits. Over time those layers trapped the oil and gas we drill for today.

Midland County sits on the Midland Basin, one part of that larger region. The rock formations here, including the Wolfcamp and Spraberry formations, became a major target in recent decades, when advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing made it possible to pull oil from deep, tight rock.

This geology shapes daily life in Midland County. Pump jacks, flare stacks, and oilfield service trucks are a common sight.