# Types of Mineral & Royalty Interests: Mineral, Royalty, NPRI, ORRI, Working
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> The main types of oil and gas interests — mineral interest, royalty interest, non-participating royalty interest (NPRI), overriding royalty interest (ORRI), working interest, and net profits interest — and how they differ in costs, executive rights, and duration.

**URL:** https://www.buckheadenergy.com/mineral-interests-types
**Source:** Buckhead Energy (https://www.buckheadenergy.com/)
**Generated:** 2026-08-16 (heuristic; server-side extraction)

## Answer
Oil and gas interests come in several distinct types — the mineral interest, the landowner royalty interest, the non-participating royalty interest (NPRI), the overriding royalty interest (ORRI), the working interest, and the net profits interest — which differ in whether they bear costs, whether they carry the right to lease, and how long they last. Frequently asked questions What are the main types of oil and gas interests? The mineral interest (the base estate), the working interest (cost-bearing operating interest), the royalty interest (cost-free landowner royalty), the non-participating royalty interest or NPRI (royalty without the leasing right), the overriding royalty interest or ORRI (royalty carved from the working interest, lasting only as long as the lease), and the net profits interest. What is the difference between a royalty interest and a working interest? A royalty interest is cost-free — it receives a share of production off the top and bears none of the drilling or operating costs. A working interest bears the costs and risk of drilling and operating in exchange for the revenue after royalties. Cost-free versus cost-bearing is the fundamental divide. What is the difference between an NPRI and an ORRI? An NPRI is carved out of the mineral estate and is generally perpetual, but it lacks the executive (leasing) right. An ORRI is carved out of the working interest and lasts only as long as the lease it came from — when that lease terminates, the ORRI ends. Both are cost-free royalties, but they come from different places and differ in duration. Which interests are cost-free? Royalty interests, NPRIs, and ORRIs are cost-free — they share in production or its value without bearing drilling and operating costs. The working interest bears costs. A net profits interest is cost-free in that it never goes negative, but it pays only after defined costs are recovered.

## Page Outline
- Types of Mineral and Royalty Interests
  - Why there are different types of interests
  - Mineral interest
  - Working interest
  - Royalty interest (landowner royalty)
  - Non-participating royalty interest (NPRI)
  - Overriding royalty interest (ORRI)
  - Net revenue interest and net profits interest
  - How the interests compare
  - What this means for owners
  - Related reading
  - Frequently asked questions
  - Ready to Sell Your Mineral Rights?

## Related Pages
- [Oil and Gas Royalties](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/oil-and-gas-royalties)
- [Non-Participating Royalty Interest (NPRI)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/npri-explained)
- [Overriding Royalty Interest (ORRI)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/orri-guide)
- [Oil and Gas Law: An Overview](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/oil-and-gas-law)
- [Oil & Gas Encyclopedia — all terms](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/learn)

## About Buckhead Energy
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