Mineral rights in Gaines County, Texas
Gaines County is one of Texas's most drilled counties right now — 238 permits approved in the last 24 months and activity accelerating.
- 238
- Permits · 24 mo
- 1
- Rigs running
- 13,787
- Wells on record
- 11,186
- Mineral owners
up 16% vs prior 24 months
as of 2026-05-23
appraisal-linked records
Who's drilling Gaines County
Operators ranked by drilling permits approved in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23.
| Operator | Permits · 24 mo |
|---|---|
| Occidental | 194 |
| Mcclure Oil Company | 15 |
| White Rock Oil & Gas | 7 |
| Sabinal Energy | 4 |
| Texland Petroleum | 3 |
What the record says
Gaines County recorded 238 drilling permits in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23, against 206 in the prior 24 months. 8% of recent permits are horizontal wells averaging 2,136-foot laterals. Most activity targets the Central Basin Platform play of the Permian Other basin.
On the production side, Texas Railroad Commission county cycle data shows Gaines County produced roughly 17M barrels of oil and 20.9M Mcf of gas in 2025 — the royalty base that mineral values here are priced against.
Ownership is spread across 11,186 mineral owners holding 11,186 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: 307 leases were recorded in the county over the last 24 months, with recent recorded leases averaging about 22.6% 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.
Gaines County mineral rights FAQ
Who is drilling in Gaines County, Texas?
The most active operators by permits approved in the last 24 months are Occidental, Mcclure Oil Company, White Rock Oil & Gas. The full table above lists the top five with permit counts.
What royalty are leases paying in Gaines County?
Recorded leases over the past five years in Gaines County average about 22.6% 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 Gaines County?
County appraisal and ownership records show 11,186 distinct mineral owners holding 11,186 interest records in Gaines County as of the 2026-05-23 snapshot.
How do I research mineral rights ownership in Gaines County?
Start with the Gaines 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 Gaines County?
Mineral Eagle links every permit above to the owners it affects — 11,186 of them, with the records to back it up.