Mineral rights in Hemphill County, Texas
Hemphill County sees steady, selective drilling — 21 permits over the last 24 months, accelerating versus the prior period.
- 21
- Permits · 24 mo
- 2
- Rigs running
- 5,958
- Wells on record
- 1,870
- Mineral owners
up 133% vs prior 24 months
as of 2026-05-23
appraisal-linked records
Who's drilling Hemphill County
Operators ranked by drilling permits approved in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23.
| Operator | Permits · 24 mo |
|---|---|
| Mewbourne Oil | 13 |
| Merit Energy | 4 |
| Unit | 3 |
| Sanguine Gas Exploration | 1 |
What the record says
Hemphill County recorded 21 drilling permits in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23, against 9 in the prior 24 months. Development here is overwhelmingly horizontal (67% of recent permits, averaging 8,228-foot laterals) — modern pad development that drains whole sections at a time. Most activity targets the Cleveland play of the Anadarko basin.
On the production side, Texas Railroad Commission county cycle data shows Hemphill County produced roughly 566.8K barrels of oil and 47.6M Mcf of gas in 2025 — the royalty base that mineral values here are priced against.
Ownership is spread across 1,870 mineral owners holding 1,870 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: 43 leases were recorded in the county over the last 24 months, with recent recorded leases averaging about 19.5% 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.
Hemphill County mineral rights FAQ
Who is drilling in Hemphill County, Texas?
The most active operators by permits approved in the last 24 months are Mewbourne Oil, Merit Energy, Unit. The full table above lists the top five with permit counts.
What royalty are leases paying in Hemphill County?
Recorded leases over the past five years in Hemphill County average about 19.5% 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 Hemphill County?
County appraisal and ownership records show 1,870 distinct mineral owners holding 1,870 interest records in Hemphill County as of the 2026-05-23 snapshot.
How do I research mineral rights ownership in Hemphill County?
Start with the Hemphill 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 Hemphill County?
Mineral Eagle links every permit above to the owners it affects — 1,870 of them, with the records to back it up.