Spud Date
The date a rig first breaks ground and begins drilling a well — the official start of drilling on the record.
The spud date is the day the rig first penetrates the ground and drilling begins. "Spud" is the operator's term for that initial bite into the earth. It is reported to the state regulator and becomes a public milestone — in Texas the Railroad Commission (RRC) tracks it, in Oklahoma the Corporation Commission (OCC), in New Mexico the Oil Conservation Division (OCD).
For a mineral owner, the spud date matters because it often starts or stops a clock. Drilling before a lease's primary term expires can hold the lease, and the spud date is the evidence. It also signals that activity is real, not just a permit on file.
Spud is the beginning of the story; completion is when the well is finished and ready to produce. The gap between them can run weeks to months, especially on a long horizontal.