Mineral rights in Upton County, Texas
Upton County is one of Texas's most drilled counties right now — 826 permits approved in the last 24 months and activity accelerating.
- 826
- Permits · 24 mo
- 29
- Rigs running
- 18,903
- Wells on record
- 21,226
- Mineral owners
up 17% vs prior 24 months
as of 2026-05-23
appraisal-linked records
Who's drilling Upton County
Operators ranked by drilling permits approved in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23.
| Operator | Permits · 24 mo |
|---|---|
| Exxon | 213 |
| Conocophillips | 115 |
| Sm Energy | 92 |
| Firebird Energy II LLC | 90 |
| Summit Petroleum | 78 |
What the record says
Upton County recorded 826 drilling permits in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23, against 709 in the prior 24 months. Development here is overwhelmingly horizontal (96% of recent permits, averaging 8,020-foot laterals) — modern pad development that drains whole sections at a time. Activity centers on the Midland basin.
On the production side, Texas Railroad Commission county cycle data shows Upton County produced roughly 107.8M barrels of oil and 462.6M Mcf of gas in 2025 — the royalty base that mineral values here are priced against.
Ownership is spread across 21,226 mineral owners holding 291,195 appraisal-linked interest records with a combined appraised value around $13.7B. 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: 1,288 leases were recorded in the county over the last 24 months, with recent recorded leases averaging about 24.7% 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.
Upton County mineral rights FAQ
Who is drilling in Upton County, Texas?
The most active operators by permits approved in the last 24 months are Exxon, Conocophillips, Sm Energy. The full table above lists the top five with permit counts.
What royalty are leases paying in Upton County?
Recorded leases over the past five years in Upton County average about 24.7% 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 Upton County?
County appraisal and ownership records show 21,226 distinct mineral owners holding 291,195 interest records in Upton County as of the 2026-05-23 snapshot.
How do I research mineral rights ownership in Upton County?
Start with the Upton 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 Upton County?
Mineral Eagle links every permit above to the owners it affects — 21,226 of them, with the records to back it up.