Record Texas Gas Production is Here. Why Might Your Royalty Checks Shrink?
U.S. natural gas output is hitting all-time highs in 2026, but shifting Permian pipeline constraints might be secretly shrinking your royalty checks.
Market Trends
Owner research · title · valuation
The Mineral Rights Journal
Plain-language research for mineral and royalty owners making consequential decisions.
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Operators Consolidate Midstream Pipe and Minerals Ahead of the Drill Bit
Drillers are partnering to buy minerals early and consolidating gathering lines to protect their balance sheets from natural gas volatility.
Market TrendsEducationSelling Guide
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11 on this pageThe Lease Is Not Title: Why You Have a Contract But No Royalty Check
A signed lease and a bonus check do not prove you own the minerals. We explain the title pipeline and why operators can legally suspend your pay.
Legal
The Magic and the Myth of Louisiana’s Judgment of Possession in Mineral Title
A Judgment of Possession collapses decades of Louisiana probate research into a single document. But relying on it without checking the conveyance records is a massive trap.
Legal
The New West Virginia Late Royalty Law: Vertical vs. Horizontal Well Penalties
West Virginia now imposes different penalties for late royalties depending on whether the well is vertical or horizontal. Here is how the two clocks work.
Legal
The Reality of North Dakota Mineral Taxes and Deductions
A plain-English guide to North Dakota royalty withholding, post-production deductions, and the hidden costs of owning Bakken minerals out of state.
Taxes
Why Am I Getting a JIB? The Unleased Mineral Owner's Guide to North Dakota Forced Pooling
Expecting a royalty check but got a massive bill instead? Here is the math behind North Dakota's forced pooling laws, JIBs, and the 50% risk penalty.
Legal
How to Calculate Your Horizontal Royalty Decimal Using State Plat Maps
That long decimal on your division order determines your paycheck for years. Here is exactly how to verify the math yourself using state records.
Valuation
The Memorandum of Lease Blind Spot: Why Hiding Your Custom Addendum Hurts Your Estate
Operators file a Memorandum of Lease to hide your negotiated terms from neighbors. But decades later, that same secrecy can severely penalize your heirs.
Legal
The ORRI Washout Danger: Why Texas Overriding Royalties Can Disappear Overnight
An overriding royalty interest can vanish if an operator intentionally drops a lease. We explain Texas washouts, anti-washout clauses, and Chapter 31.
Legal
1031 Exchanges for Mineral Rights and Real Estate
How to use a 1031 exchange to sell your volatile oil and gas mineral rights and roll the proceeds tax-free into stable surface real estate.
Selling Guide
The “Frack Hit” Phenomenon: Why New Wells Can Destroy Your Old Royalties
Expecting a massive royalty bump from new offset wells? The engineering reality of “frack hits” explains why child wells often crash existing production.
Market Trends