Mineral rights in Smith County, Texas
Smith County sees steady, selective drilling — 31 permits over the last 24 months, holding steady versus the prior period.
- 31
- Permits · 24 mo
- 1
- Rigs running
- 5,776
- Wells on record
- 1M
- Oil 2025 (bbl)
steady vs prior 24 months
as of 2026-05-23
RRC county cycle data
Who's drilling Smith County
Operators ranked by drilling permits approved in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23.
| Operator | Permits · 24 mo |
|---|---|
| Faulconer Energy, LLC | 13 |
| Valence Operating Company | 5 |
| Sabine Energy INC. | 4 |
| Sabine Oil & Gas | 2 |
| Southwest Operating-Tyler | 1 |
What the record says
Smith County recorded 31 drilling permits in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23, against 30 in the prior 24 months. 39% of recent permits are horizontal wells averaging 9,669-foot laterals. Activity centers on the Ark-La-Tx basin.
On the production side, Texas Railroad Commission county cycle data shows Smith County produced roughly 1M barrels of oil and 11.5M Mcf of gas in 2025 — the royalty base that mineral values here are priced against.
Thinking about value? Start with what drives mineral prices or run the numbers in the value calculator.
Smith County mineral rights FAQ
Who is drilling in Smith County, Texas?
The most active operators by permits approved in the last 24 months are Faulconer Energy, LLC, Valence Operating Company, Sabine Energy INC.. The full table above lists the top five with permit counts.
How do I research mineral rights ownership in Smith County?
Start with the Smith 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.
More Texas counties
Buying in Smith County?
Mineral Eagle links every permit above to the owners it affects — name by name, with the records to back it up.