Sell Your Mineral Rights in Midland County, TX
If you own mineral rights in Midland County, you're sitting on some of the most actively drilled acreage in the entire country — the core of the Permian Basin, where the Spraberry and Wolfcamp formations have made this one of the most valuable pieces of ground in American oil history. With over 6,300 producing wells and major operators like Diamondback and Occidental actively developing here, what you own is real and it has real value. We can tell you exactly what that looks like in today's market.
Est. per Acre
$5,000–$30,000
per net royalty acre
Active Wells
6,356+
Drilling Activity
Core Basin
Permian Basin
Primary Formation
Primary Resource
Oil
Commodity Type
What You Actually Own in Midland County
Midland County sits at the heart of the Midland Basin, the eastern sub-basin of the Permian, and it is one of the most drilled and produced counties in the United States. The Spraberry and Wolfcamp formations running beneath this land have attracted some of the largest oil companies in the world, and that drilling activity translates directly into royalty checks — and into market value when you decide to sell. With over 234 million barrels of cumulative oil production on record, this is not speculative acreage. If you've received an offer or a division order recently, that's not a coincidence — operators and mineral buyers know exactly what's here and they're actively pursuing it. Before you sign anything or ignore anything, you owe it to yourself to understand what you have.
Midland County by the Numbers
6,356
wells
Producing Wells (state regulator data)
234,577,330
BBL
Cumulative Oil Production
829,080,596
MCF
Cumulative Gas Production
$5,000 – $30,000+
per net mineral acre (estimate)
Estimated Mineral Value Range (per NMA, producing acreage)
Oil
Primary Commodity
Who's Operating in Midland County
Diamondback E&P LLC
FANGOccidental Permian LTD.
OXYApache Corporation
APAChevron U.S.A. Inc.
CVXCOG Operating LLC
Fasken Oil And Ranch, LTD.
What's in the Ground Beneath Midland County
Wolfcamp
The Wolfcamp is the primary driver of horizontal drilling activity across the Midland Basin and arguably the most produced shale formation in the country. It sits at depths generally ranging from 7,000 to 11,000 feet depending on location within the county, and it has delivered enormous oil and gas volumes. When you hear operators talking about 'stacked pay' in the Permian, the Wolfcamp is usually what they mean — multiple benches that can be drilled from a single surface location. This is what makes Midland County so valuable to operators and to mineral owners.
Spraberry
The Spraberry sits above the Wolfcamp and has been producing in Midland County since the 1940s and 1950s — first through vertical wells, and now through modern horizontal completions that dramatically increased recoveries. It is one of the largest oil fields in the United States by area. Operators regularly develop the Spraberry and Wolfcamp together, meaning your mineral rights may be exposed to development from multiple formations simultaneously, which increases both the royalty potential and the sale value.
Dean
The Dean Sand is a thinner but productive interval that sits between the Spraberry and Wolfcamp. It is not the primary target in most modern development programs, but it contributes to the stacked pay opportunity in Midland County and is targeted by some operators as part of multi-zone development plans. Its presence adds additional value to mineral positions that span the full column of producing intervals.
How a Mineral Rights Sale Works in Plain English
You Sell the Mineral Estate, Keep the Surface
When you sell mineral rights, you are conveying ownership of the oil, gas, and other minerals beneath the surface of a specific tract. You do not sell your home, your land, or anything above the ground. The buyer acquires the right to receive royalties on future production from those minerals.
The Offer Is Based on Net Mineral Acres and Royalty Interest
Buyers evaluate your mineral rights based on how many net mineral acres you own, what royalty fraction is carved into your deed or lease, where your acreage sits relative to active or planned wells, and what formation(s) are prospective beneath your tract. A higher royalty percentage and proximity to active Wolfcamp or Spraberry drilling will push your value up significantly.
Closing Typically Takes 30 to 60 Days
Once you accept an offer, the buyer will conduct a title review — this is standard and protects both parties. In Texas, mineral title can be complex, especially for inherited interests. The buyer handles this process. Once title is confirmed, you sign a mineral deed, it gets recorded at the Midland County Clerk's office, and you receive payment, typically by wire transfer or check.
You Can Sell All or a Portion
You don't have to sell everything. Some owners sell a portion of their interest to generate liquidity while retaining ongoing royalty exposure. This is a real option worth discussing if you want some certainty now but believe the upside is still ahead.
The Sale Is a Taxable Event
Proceeds from selling mineral rights are generally treated as capital gains. If you inherited the minerals, your cost basis is typically the fair market value at the time of inheritance, which can reduce your taxable gain significantly. Talk to a tax professional before closing — this matters and the numbers can be meaningful.
What to Know Before You Do Anything in Midland County
Recording at the Midland County Clerk's Office
Any mineral deed in Texas must be recorded with the County Clerk in the county where the land is located. For Midland County minerals, that means the Midland County Clerk's office in the city of Midland. Recording establishes priority and provides constructive notice to any future buyers or operators. If you inherited minerals and the deed into you has never been properly recorded, you may have a cloud on title that needs to be cleared before a sale or lease can be finalized.
Texas Does Not Have Forced Pooling
This is one of the most important things to understand as a Texas mineral owner. Unlike many other oil-producing states, Texas does not have a forced pooling statute that compels mineral owners to participate in a drilling unit. In practice, operators secure voluntary leases before drilling. If you are unleased, you are not automatically included in a unit, and you will not receive royalties on wells drilled nearby unless you negotiate a lease. This makes it more important to stay engaged with what operators are doing near your acreage.
Non-Participating Royalty Interests (NPRI)
Texas deeds sometimes contain non-participating royalty interests — a fraction of future royalties carved out and conveyed to another party, who has no right to sign leases or make drilling decisions. If your mineral rights have an NPRI carved out, your effective royalty income will be reduced by that fraction. Always review your chain of title carefully, or have an attorney do so, to confirm what you actually own free and clear.
Texas Severance Tax
Texas imposes a severance tax on oil and gas production. For oil, the rate is generally 4.6% of market value at the wellhead. This is typically deducted from your royalty check by the operator before you receive payment, so your net royalty is lower than the gross royalty fraction stated in your lease. Some leases include provisions that shift or limit these deductions — it's worth knowing what yours says.
Heirship and Probate Matters
A significant number of mineral rights in Midland County — and across Texas — are held by heirs who received them through an estate that was never formally probated. Texas allows affidavits of heirship as an alternative to formal probate in some situations, but they can create title uncertainty. If you inherited minerals without going through probate, a buyer will likely require title curative work before closing. This is solvable, but it takes time and sometimes a real estate attorney familiar with Texas oil and gas title.
Why Some Midland County Owners Are Selling Right Now
The reasons people sell mineral rights are as varied as the people who own them, and none of them are wrong. Some owners have held these rights for decades through lean years and boom years and want to convert an unpredictable royalty stream into a lump sum they can use, invest, or pass on cleanly. Some received an unsolicited offer from an operator or mineral buyer and realized for the first time that what they inherited actually has significant market value. Some are dealing with an estate and need to divide assets among multiple heirs without the ongoing complexity of split royalty interests. And some are simply looking at the current Permian market — where operators like Diamondback and Occidental are running aggressive development programs — and deciding that now is a reasonable time to take value off the table. The Permian Basin is not going away, but oil prices fluctuate, drilling programs shift, and the window of strong buyer demand is not permanent. None of that means you should rush. It means you should make an informed decision with a clear picture of what your minerals are worth today — not just what they might be worth someday.
Questions We Hear From Midland County Mineral Owners
I just got an offer out of nowhere. Is it real, and is it a good number?
I inherited these minerals but I'm not sure exactly what I have. Where do I even start?
What's the difference between a royalty interest and a mineral interest? I see both terms on my paperwork.
My minerals are currently under lease. Can I still sell them?
With over 6,000 producing wells in Midland County, why hasn't someone already drilled under my land?
Find Out What Your Midland County Minerals Are Actually Worth
Fill out the form and a real person — someone who knows Midland County and the Permian Basin — will review what you have and get back to you with a straight answer. No pressure, no obligation. Just an honest look at your mineral rights and what they're worth in today's market.
Get My Free ValuationData Sources
Production and operator figures for Midland County are drawn from U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-Year), Wikipedia, and DrillingEdge (state regulator production data). Per-acre values are estimates and not an offer.
Other Permian Basin Counties
Midland County is part of the Permian Basin. See the full basin overview, operators, and counties we serve.
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