Mineral rights in Washington County, Texas
Washington County is an active Texas drilling market: 50 permits in the last 24 months, with the pace cooling.
- 50
- Permits · 24 mo
- 1
- Rigs running
- 1,773
- Wells on record
- 5,975
- Mineral owners
down 18% vs prior 24 months
as of 2026-05-23
appraisal-linked records
Who's drilling Washington County
Operators ranked by drilling permits approved in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23.
| Operator | Permits · 24 mo |
|---|---|
| Magnolia Oil & Gas | 48 |
| Geosouthern Energy | 1 |
| Salty Dog Service Company, LLC | 1 |
What the record says
Washington County recorded 50 drilling permits in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23, against 61 in the prior 24 months. Development here is overwhelmingly horizontal (98% of recent permits, averaging 8,555-foot laterals) — modern pad development that drains whole sections at a time. Most activity targets the Eagle Ford play of the Western Gulf basin.
On the production side, Texas Railroad Commission county cycle data shows Washington County produced roughly 1.4M barrels of oil and 92.7M Mcf of gas in 2025 — the royalty base that mineral values here are priced against.
Ownership is spread across 5,975 mineral owners holding 5,975 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: 307 leases were recorded in the county over the last 24 months, with recent recorded leases averaging about 20.6% 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.
Washington County mineral rights FAQ
Who is drilling in Washington County, Texas?
The most active operators by permits approved in the last 24 months are Magnolia Oil & Gas, Geosouthern Energy, Salty Dog Service Company, LLC. The full table above lists the top five with permit counts.
What royalty are leases paying in Washington County?
Recorded leases over the past five years in Washington County average about 20.6% 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 Washington County?
County appraisal and ownership records show 5,975 distinct mineral owners holding 5,975 interest records in Washington County as of the 2026-05-23 snapshot.
How do I research mineral rights ownership in Washington County?
Start with the Washington 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 Washington County?
Mineral Eagle links every permit above to the owners it affects — 5,975 of them, with the records to back it up.