Mineral rights in Zavala County, Texas
Zavala County sees steady, selective drilling — 34 permits over the last 24 months, cooling versus the prior period.
- 34
- Permits · 24 mo
- 1
- Rigs running
- 5,090
- Wells on record
- 792
- Mineral owners
down 61% vs prior 24 months
as of 2026-05-23
appraisal-linked records
Who's drilling Zavala County
Operators ranked by drilling permits approved in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23.
| Operator | Permits · 24 mo |
|---|---|
| The Rosewood CORP | 12 |
| Cml Exploration | 6 |
| Exco Resources | 5 |
| Magnolia Oil & Gas | 5 |
| Bollinger Drilling CO. | 2 |
What the record says
Zavala County recorded 34 drilling permits in the 24 months ending 2026-05-23, against 87 in the prior 24 months. Development here is overwhelmingly horizontal (94% of recent permits, averaging 6,500-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 Zavala County produced roughly 6.8M barrels of oil and 12.7M Mcf of gas in 2025 — the royalty base that mineral values here are priced against.
Ownership is spread across 792 mineral owners holding 792 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: 98 leases were recorded in the county over the last 24 months, with recent recorded leases averaging about 20.7% 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.
Zavala County mineral rights FAQ
Who is drilling in Zavala County, Texas?
The most active operators by permits approved in the last 24 months are The Rosewood CORP, Cml Exploration, Exco Resources. The full table above lists the top five with permit counts.
What royalty are leases paying in Zavala County?
Recorded leases over the past five years in Zavala County average about 20.7% 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 Zavala County?
County appraisal and ownership records show 792 distinct mineral owners holding 792 interest records in Zavala County as of the 2026-05-23 snapshot.
How do I research mineral rights ownership in Zavala County?
Start with the Zavala 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 Zavala County?
Mineral Eagle links every permit above to the owners it affects — 792 of them, with the records to back it up.