Who owns the minerals under a tract is rarely who owns the surface. Here's how mineral rights maps work, how to find yours by county and state, and how to turn ownership into a clear next step.
A mineral rights map layers mineral ownership on top of the land grid — tract boundaries, recorded mineral conveyances, oil & gas leases, well locations, and pooled-unit outlines. It is assembled from three public sources: the county clerk's recorded deeds (who was granted or reserved the minerals), the county appraisal/GIS parcels (the surface footprint), and the state oil & gas regulator (wells, permits, and units).
Ownership tracts: the mineral estate, which may be severed from the surface in a split estate.
Lease boundaries: where an operator holds the right to drill, and on what terms.
Wells & units: producing wells, permits, and the pooled units that determine your decimal interest.
1. County clerk / recorder: mineral deeds and reservations are recorded at the county courthouse where the land sits — the authoritative ownership record.
2. County appraisal district / GIS viewer: locate the surface parcel and legal description (abstract/survey or section-township-range).
3. State regulator GIS: overlay wells, permits, and units from your state's oil & gas commission public mapping tool.
4. A landman or title company: reconstructs the chain of title for a definitive mineral-ownership picture when records are tangled across heirs.
Already own minerals and just want to understand the activity around them? See how to find out if you own mineral rights and our title search guide.
Every producing state runs a public GIS where wells, units, and permits are mapped — these are the tools a landman would open first:
North Dakota: the NDIC Oil & Gas Division GIS map server (wells, spacing units, fields) + the county recorder for ownership. See our North Dakota page for live county drilling data.
Texas: the Railroad Commission (RRC) public GIS viewer (wells, permits, survey/abstract grid) + county clerk deed records.
Oklahoma: the OCC well data finder and OTC/county records; pooling and spacing orders map unit boundaries.
West Virginia: the DEP Office of Oil & Gas TAGIS viewer + county clerk records.
Ohio: the ODNR Oil & Gas well locator + county recorder.
New Mexico: the OCD GIS/well search + county clerk records (federal/state tracts add BLM plats).
State tool names change occasionally — search the regulator name plus "GIS" for the current portal. The pattern never changes: regulator GIS for wells and units, county records for who owns the minerals.
Each state's page covers ownership, recording, drilling activity, and selling — with live drilling data where we publish it. Pick your state:
Browse the full state & county directory, or see where we buy.
A map shows ownership and activity — not value or legal title. For specific legal, tax, or title questions, consult a qualified attorney or landman. This page is educational and does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice.
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