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SpaceX has explored drilling for natural gas in Texas, but available reporting does not establish that it has started drilling or received a new drilling permit. The clearest near-term project is separate: an affiliate filed plans for a pipeline to supply the company’s Starbase site.
Has SpaceX started drilling for natural gas in Texas?
That has not been established by the available reporting. Reuters reported in June 2026 that SpaceX had signed more than 100 paid-up oil-and-gas leases with Texas property owners since 2023 and was exploring drilling as a longer-term plan. Reuters based the lease figure on its review of Cameron County land records; it is not an official state-agency tally. The reporting does not confirm that a well has been drilled or that a new SpaceX drilling permit has been approved. Reuters
Texas oil-and-gas consultant Stan Lindsey told Reuters, “I’m not saying it’s beyond the realm of possibility … it’s possible they got a really nice prospect.” That is Lindsey’s assessment of a possible opportunity, not confirmation of a drilling decision.
What is the Starpipe project?
Reuters reported on June 25, 2026, that SpaceX affiliate Lone Star Mineral Development filed plans for Starpipe, an approximately eight-mile (13-kilometer) natural-gas pipeline to Starbase. The filing gave January 26, 2027, as an expected service date. That is a projected date reported from a filing, not proof that the pipeline is complete or in service. Reuters
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A pipeline and a drilling project serve different purposes. Starpipe would transport gas to Starbase; it does not, by itself, show that SpaceX is extracting gas or identify where its supply would come from. The reported filing is for pipeline infrastructure, not a drilling permit.
Why are gas generators part of the story?
A separate filing with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) proposed five natural-gas electric generating units at Starbase to support the site’s liquid-oxygen facility. The filing cited the remote location and limited or uneconomic access to the electric grid. It concerns burning natural gas to generate electricity, not extracting gas from a well, and therefore is not evidence of drilling authorization. TCEQ air-permit records
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How to check for a Texas drilling permit or well record
The Railroad Commission of Texas regulates oil-and-gas exploration, production and transportation, and provides tools for looking up drilling permits and well records. To check whether a specific permit or well appears in the state’s records:
- Open the Railroad Commission’s online research queries.
- Use its drilling-permit or well-record research tools to search for Lone Star Mineral Development and relevant Cameron County records.
- Check the record details and status. A reported lease or pipeline filing is not a substitute for a drilling-permit approval or a well record.
The sources cited here do not identify a currently approved new SpaceX drilling permit, and they do not establish active drilling. A current regulator-record search is needed to verify any later change in status.
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