Mineral rights in Grimes County, Texas
Grimes County is a quieter corner of Texas's mineral market, with 6 permits in the last 24 months — which can mean motivated owners and less buyer competition.
- 6
- Permits · 24 mo
- 1,031
- Wells on record
- 4,099
- Mineral owners
- 18.8%
- Avg lease royalty
up 500% vs prior 24 months
appraisal-linked records
recorded leases, 5 yrs
Who's drilling Grimes County
Operators ranked by drilling permits approved in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23.
| Operator | Permits · 24 mo |
|---|---|
| Galloway Energy | 2 |
| Magnetar Operating LLC | 1 |
| Cml Exploration | 1 |
| National Oilwell Varco, L.P. | 1 |
| Paleo Oil Company | 1 |
What the record says
Grimes County recorded 6 drilling permits in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23, against 1 in the prior 24 months. 17% of recent permits are horizontal wells averaging 8,543-foot laterals. Activity centers on the Western Gulf basin.
On the production side, Texas Railroad Commission county cycle data shows Grimes County produced roughly 190.7K barrels of oil and 4M Mcf of gas in 2025 — the royalty base that mineral values here are priced against.
Ownership is spread across 4,099 mineral owners holding 4,099 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: 13 leases were recorded in the county over the last 24 months, with recent recorded leases averaging about 18.8% 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.
Grimes County mineral rights FAQ
Who is drilling in Grimes County, Texas?
The most active operators by permits approved in the last 24 months are Galloway Energy, Magnetar Operating LLC, Cml Exploration. The full table above lists the top five with permit counts.
What royalty are leases paying in Grimes County?
Recorded leases over the past five years in Grimes County average about 18.8% 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 Grimes County?
County appraisal and ownership records show 4,099 distinct mineral owners holding 4,099 interest records in Grimes County as of the 2026-05-23 snapshot.
How do I research mineral rights ownership in Grimes County?
Start with the Grimes 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 Grimes County?
Mineral Eagle links every permit above to the owners it affects — 4,099 of them, with the records to back it up.