The number of oil and natural gas drilling permits issued by Texas regulators in April was lower year-on-year by 20 percent, state data show. The Railroad Commission of Texas said it issued 683 original drilling permits in April, compared with 848 from the same month one year ago. Most of the permits were for oil-related activities. Weekly data published Friday by oil field services company Baker Hughes show 188 rigs actively exploring for or producing oil and natural gas in Texas, a gain of 1.6 percent from the previous week, but 50 percent lower than the same week in 2015. In February, the last full month for which state data are available, […]