Mineral rights in Dawson County, Texas
Dawson County is an active Texas drilling market: 157 permits in the last 24 months, with the pace accelerating.
- 157
- Permits · 24 mo
- 4
- Rigs running
- 5,815
- Wells on record
- 18,237
- Mineral owners
up 30% vs prior 24 months
as of 2026-05-23
appraisal-linked records
Who's drilling Dawson County
Operators ranked by drilling permits approved in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23.
| Operator | Permits · 24 mo |
|---|---|
| Ike Operating LLC | 31 |
| Hibernia Resources IV, LLC | 30 |
| Petrolegacy Energy III, LLC | 12 |
| Deep Blue Central LLC | 12 |
| Pbex-Mcm Operating, LLC | 11 |
What the record says
Dawson County recorded 157 drilling permits in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23, against 121 in the prior 24 months. Development here is overwhelmingly horizontal (75% of recent permits, averaging 6,862-foot laterals) — modern pad development that drains whole sections at a time. Activity centers on the Midland basin.
On the production side, Texas Railroad Commission county cycle data shows Dawson County produced roughly 21.7M barrels of oil and 14.6M Mcf of gas in 2025 — the royalty base that mineral values here are priced against.
Ownership is spread across 18,237 mineral owners holding 39,905 appraisal-linked interest records with a combined appraised value around $728.4M. Fragmented ownership like this is where buyers find deals — and where heirs discover interests they didn't know they had. See our guide to researching mineral ownership.
Leasing has kept pace: 1,674 leases were recorded in the county over the last 24 months, with recent recorded leases averaging about 23.8% royalty. For how royalty terms work, see our royalty guide.
Thinking about value? Start with what drives mineral prices or run the numbers in the value calculator.
Dawson County mineral rights FAQ
Who is drilling in Dawson County, Texas?
The most active operators by permits approved in the last 24 months are Ike Operating LLC, Hibernia Resources IV, LLC, Petrolegacy Energy III, LLC. The full table above lists the top five with permit counts.
What royalty are leases paying in Dawson County?
Recorded leases over the past five years in Dawson County average about 23.8% royalty. Individual terms vary with acreage position, competition, and the operator — treat this as a market reference point, not a quote.
How many mineral owners are there in Dawson County?
County appraisal and ownership records show 18,237 distinct mineral owners holding 39,905 interest records in Dawson County as of the 2026-05-23 snapshot.
How do I research mineral rights ownership in Dawson County?
Start with the Dawson County clerk's deed records and the county appraisal roll, then verify against state regulator filings. Our title search guide walks through the process, and the Mineral Eagle platform links these records for the whole county.
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Buying in Dawson County?
Mineral Eagle links every permit above to the owners it affects — 18,237 of them, with the records to back it up.