Mineral rights in Frio County, Texas
Frio County is an active Texas drilling market: 80 permits in the last 24 months, with the pace accelerating.
- 80
- Permits · 24 mo
- 2
- Rigs running
- 7,236
- Wells on record
- 1,710
- Mineral owners
up 95% vs prior 24 months
as of 2026-05-23
appraisal-linked records
Who's drilling Frio County
Operators ranked by drilling permits approved in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23.
| Operator | Permits · 24 mo |
|---|---|
| Formentera Partners | 33 |
| Crescent Energy Company | 12 |
| Trailblazer Energy Resources LLC | 9 |
| The Rosewood CORP | 6 |
| Texas American Resources | 5 |
What the record says
Frio County recorded 80 drilling permits in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23, against 41 in the prior 24 months. Development here is overwhelmingly horizontal (88% of recent permits, averaging 7,406-foot laterals) — modern pad development that drains whole sections at a time. Most activity targets the Eagle Ford play of the Western Gulf basin.
On the production side, Texas Railroad Commission county cycle data shows Frio County produced roughly 5.1M barrels of oil and 12.9M Mcf of gas in 2025 — the royalty base that mineral values here are priced against.
Ownership is spread across 1,710 mineral owners holding 1,710 appraisal-linked interest records . 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: 298 leases were recorded in the county over the last 24 months, with recent recorded leases averaging about 20.3% 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.
Frio County mineral rights FAQ
Who is drilling in Frio County, Texas?
The most active operators by permits approved in the last 24 months are Formentera Partners, Crescent Energy Company, Trailblazer Energy Resources LLC. The full table above lists the top five with permit counts.
What royalty are leases paying in Frio County?
Recorded leases over the past five years in Frio County average about 20.3% 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 Frio County?
County appraisal and ownership records show 1,710 distinct mineral owners holding 1,710 interest records in Frio County as of the 2026-05-23 snapshot.
How do I research mineral rights ownership in Frio County?
Start with the Frio 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 Frio County?
Mineral Eagle links every permit above to the owners it affects — 1,710 of them, with the records to back it up.