Mineral rights in Rusk County, Texas
Rusk County sees steady, selective drilling — 37 permits over the last 24 months, accelerating versus the prior period.
- 37
- Permits · 24 mo
- 1
- Rigs running
- 19,386
- Wells on record
- 17,775
- Mineral owners
up 61% vs prior 24 months
as of 2026-05-23
appraisal-linked records
Who's drilling Rusk County
Operators ranked by drilling permits approved in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23.
| Operator | Permits · 24 mo |
|---|---|
| Buffco Production | 13 |
| Rfe Operating | 9 |
| Sabine Oil & Gas | 7 |
| Buckhorn Operating LLC | 4 |
| Diversified Energy | 2 |
What the record says
Rusk County recorded 37 drilling permits in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23, against 23 in the prior 24 months. 49% of recent permits are horizontal wells averaging 9,575-foot laterals. Most activity targets the Cotton Valley play of the Ark-La-Tx basin.
On the production side, Texas Railroad Commission county cycle data shows Rusk County produced roughly 1.2M barrels of oil and 64.5M Mcf of gas in 2025 — the royalty base that mineral values here are priced against.
Ownership is spread across 17,775 mineral owners holding 17,775 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: 1,328 leases were recorded in the county over the last 24 months, with recent recorded leases averaging about 19.8% 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.
Rusk County mineral rights FAQ
Who is drilling in Rusk County, Texas?
The most active operators by permits approved in the last 24 months are Buffco Production, Rfe Operating, Sabine Oil & Gas. The full table above lists the top five with permit counts.
What royalty are leases paying in Rusk County?
Recorded leases over the past five years in Rusk County average about 19.8% 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 Rusk County?
County appraisal and ownership records show 17,775 distinct mineral owners holding 17,775 interest records in Rusk County as of the 2026-05-23 snapshot.
How do I research mineral rights ownership in Rusk County?
Start with the Rusk 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 Rusk County?
Mineral Eagle links every permit above to the owners it affects — 17,775 of them, with the records to back it up.