Mineral rights in Ward County, Texas
Ward County is one of Texas's most drilled counties right now — 304 permits approved in the last 24 months and activity cooling.
- 304
- Permits · 24 mo
- 7
- Rigs running
- 18,399
- Wells on record
- 6,558
- Mineral owners
down 25% vs prior 24 months
as of 2026-05-23
appraisal-linked records
Who's drilling Ward County
Operators ranked by drilling permits approved in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23.
| Operator | Permits · 24 mo |
|---|---|
| Jetta Operating | 42 |
| Continental Resources | 41 |
| APA CORP | 39 |
| Vital Energy INC. | 30 |
| Iron Orchard Operating LLC | 20 |
What the record says
Ward County recorded 304 drilling permits in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23, against 405 in the prior 24 months. Development here is overwhelmingly horizontal (74% of recent permits, averaging 10,113-foot laterals) — modern pad development that drains whole sections at a time. Activity centers on the Delaware basin.
On the production side, Texas Railroad Commission county cycle data shows Ward County produced roughly 52.4M barrels of oil and 209M Mcf of gas in 2025 — the royalty base that mineral values here are priced against.
Ownership is spread across 6,558 mineral owners holding 6,558 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: 802 leases were recorded in the county over the last 24 months, with recent recorded leases averaging about 24.5% 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.
Ward County mineral rights FAQ
Who is drilling in Ward County, Texas?
The most active operators by permits approved in the last 24 months are Jetta Operating, Continental Resources, APA CORP. The full table above lists the top five with permit counts.
What royalty are leases paying in Ward County?
Recorded leases over the past five years in Ward County average about 24.5% 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 Ward County?
County appraisal and ownership records show 6,558 distinct mineral owners holding 6,558 interest records in Ward County as of the 2026-05-23 snapshot.
How do I research mineral rights ownership in Ward County?
Start with the Ward 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 Ward County?
Mineral Eagle links every permit above to the owners it affects — 6,558 of them, with the records to back it up.