'Landman' Season 3: Tommy's CTT Oil & Cattle Company Sets Up a Permit War
"Breaking down Season 3's central conflict: Tommy's new venture funded by Gallino vs. M-Tex Oil in a high-stakes corporate showdown."
TechRadar's March 2026 analysis framed Landman Season 3 around a single conflict: the "permit war" between Tommy Norris's new CTT Oil & Cattle Company and the remnants of M-Tex Oil. According to the report, the Season 2 finale did not just reset Tommy's career; it set up a territorial fight over drilling rights, regulatory approvals, and political influence.
What is a permit war?
In the real oil patch, a permit war occurs when competing operators file for the right to drill in overlapping or adjacent acreage. The winner is often whoever secures regulatory approval first, builds local relationships, or simply outspends the other side. For the show, this conflict lets Landman return to its core themes: land ownership, legal maneuvering, and the gap between what is technically allowed and what is ethically defensible.
Tommy's funding problem
The article notes that Tommy's new company is funded partly by Gallino, which introduces a tension between independence and obligation. Tommy wants to operate on his own terms, but his startup capital comes from a source that does not make patient investments. That dynamic is likely to drive much of the Season 3 plot.
The real-world parallel
Permit disputes are a recurring feature of Texas oil history, from the early twentieth-century Spindletop rush to modern Permian Basin lease fights. By grounding Season 3 in this mechanism, the show can stay close to the industry realism that distinguishes it from more generic business dramas.
Source: TechRadar Season 3 preview, March 5, 2026.