Mineral rights in Sterling County, Texas
Sterling County is a quieter corner of Texas's mineral market, with 7 permits in the last 24 months — which can mean motivated owners and less buyer competition.
- 7
- Permits · 24 mo
- 4,949
- Wells on record
- 530
- Mineral owners
- 20.8%
- Avg lease royalty
approved through 2026-05-23
appraisal-linked records
recorded leases, 5 yrs
Who's drilling Sterling County
Operators ranked by drilling permits approved in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23.
| Operator | Permits · 24 mo |
|---|---|
| Kek Exploration LLC | 3 |
| Ampak Oil Company | 2 |
| Black River Operating, INC. | 1 |
| Winn Operating, LLC | 1 |
What the record says
Sterling County recorded 7 drilling permits in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23. Most activity targets the Eastern Shelf play of the Permian Other basin.
On the production side, Texas Railroad Commission county cycle data shows Sterling County produced roughly 330K barrels of oil and 4.7M Mcf of gas in 2025 — the royalty base that mineral values here are priced against.
Ownership is spread across 530 mineral owners holding 530 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: 4 leases were recorded in the county over the last 24 months, with recent recorded leases averaging about 20.8% 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.
Sterling County mineral rights FAQ
Who is drilling in Sterling County, Texas?
The most active operators by permits approved in the last 24 months are Kek Exploration LLC, Ampak Oil Company, Black River Operating, INC.. The full table above lists the top five with permit counts.
What royalty are leases paying in Sterling County?
Recorded leases over the past five years in Sterling County average about 20.8% 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 Sterling County?
County appraisal and ownership records show 530 distinct mineral owners holding 530 interest records in Sterling County as of the 2026-05-23 snapshot.
How do I research mineral rights ownership in Sterling County?
Start with the Sterling 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 Sterling County?
Mineral Eagle links every permit above to the owners it affects — 530 of them, with the records to back it up.