To determine who owns oil rights to a property, search the real estate records in the county clerk's office.
Prior to the 20th century, land ownership was simple. If you purchased the land, you owned the surface and everything above and below that property. However, since the expansion of the mining, oil drilling and excavation industries, many property owners find themselves in confusion over who owns the mineral rights underneath and surrounding their land. This is especially the case in energy producing states such as Alaska, Oklahoma and Texas where "split estates," in which the surface land and the minerals beneath are owned by different entities, are fairly common. To find out who owns oil or other mineral rights to a certain property, you can review real estate records at the county clerk's office or consult an attorney or professional title searcher.
Instructions
1. Gather all information about the property of interest. Information includes the address, type of location, land type and evidence of oil or mineral presence. If the property is yours, review the deed and subsequent ownership documents carefully for any provisions regarding oil or other mineral rights.
2. Contact your county clerk's office and request to review real estate records regarding the land in question. Visit the office and review the records to determine who owns the oil rights beneath your property or another property. Consider using a professional title searcher for more in-depth information. A nominal fee may accrue with either the county clerk or the title searcher.
3. Retrieve and photocopy real estate records for your personal files. Contact the owner of the oil rights if there is a property dispute or if you are interested in purchasing a share in the rights. Consult a real estate attorney if you encounter difficulty in determining the owner or settling a land dispute.
Tags: real estate, county clerk, estate records, real estate records, clerk office, county clerk office