The Wolfcamp play has been a key driver of growing oil and gas production in West Texas' booming Permian Basin oil field. The Wolfcamp shale play has been a key driver of growing oil and gas production in West Texas' booming Permian Basin oil field, according to the Energy Department. The increased output from the Wolfcamp has helped make the Permian the top producing oil field in the United States and a focus for billions of dollars of investments.