You can track drilling near your minerals using free state-agency records (the Texas RRC, Oklahoma OCC, and equivalents) plus Buckhead's live, monthly-refreshed data pages — recent permits, recently spudded wells, DUC inventory, new producers, top operators, and per-county activity. A well moves through stages — permit, spud, drilled-but-uncompleted (DUC), completion/first production — and each one tells you something about royalty timing. New activity nearby usually points to future income and can raise value, but it's also a common moment owners choose to sell and lock in today's value rather than wait out the decline curve. Keeping your mailing address current with operators and the state is essential so you never miss a pooling, spacing, or division-order notice.
If you own minerals, the most valuable early-warning signs in the business are the ones happening on and around your tract right now: a new <strong>permit</strong> filed, a rig <strong>spudding</strong> a well, a <strong>frac</strong> crew working a nearby section. Each one can mean future royalty checks — and a change in what your minerals are worth. The good news is you don't need insider access to watch it. Here's how to track who's drilling near you, and how to read what you find.
Why tracking drilling activity matters
Drilling activity is the leading indicator of two things mineral owners care about most: <strong>when royalties might start (or grow)</strong>, and <strong>what the minerals are worth today</strong>. A new well headed for your acreage can turn a quiet, non-producing interest into a paying one — and even before the first check arrives, the prospect of development can change value. Watching activity lets you make decisions (lease, hold, or sell) with information instead of guesswork.
How to track who is drilling near you
There are two layers: the free state-agency records, and Buckhead's live data pages that pull those records into plain-English, owner-friendly views.
Free state-agency tools
- <strong>Texas (Railroad Commission / RRC):</strong> permits, completions, and well records by operator, county, and lease.
- <strong>Oklahoma (Corporation Commission / OCC):</strong> permits plus spacing and pooling case filings — the notices that directly affect your interest.
- <strong>Other states</strong> (Kansas KCC, New Mexico NMOCD, North Dakota NDIC, Colorado ECMC, Wyoming WOGCC, and more) maintain their own public well databases.
- <strong>Watch the notices, not just the wells.</strong> Pooling and spacing notices carry deadlines and elections — and they're mailed to the address on file, which is why keeping your address current matters so much.
Buckhead's live, owner-friendly data
Raw agency databases are clunky, so we publish the same public records as clean, monthly-refreshed pages you can scan in minutes:
- <strong>Recent drilling permits</strong> — what's been permitted (the earliest signal): <a href="/recent-drilling-permits-texas">Texas</a> · <a href="/recent-drilling-permits-oklahoma">Oklahoma</a>.
- <strong>Recently spudded wells</strong> — where rigs are running right now: <a href="/recently-spudded-wells-texas">Texas</a> · <a href="/recently-spudded-wells-oklahoma">Oklahoma</a>.
- <strong>DUC inventory</strong> — drilled-but-uncompleted wells (production is coming): <a href="/duc-inventory-texas">Texas</a> · <a href="/duc-inventory-oklahoma">Oklahoma</a>.
- <strong>Top operators by state</strong> — who is most active, with their permits, DUCs, and producing wells: <a href="/top-operators-texas">Texas</a> · <a href="/top-operators-oklahoma">Oklahoma</a> (and Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, North Dakota, Wyoming, and more).
- <strong>Per-county activity</strong> — the top operator, recent permits, DUCs, producing wells, and lead formation for every county page at <a href="/states-counties">mineral rights by state & county</a>.
- <strong>Statewide snapshots</strong> tying it all together: <a href="/texas-oil-gas-industry-snapshot">Texas</a> · <a href="/oklahoma-oil-gas-industry-snapshot">Oklahoma</a>, indexed in the <a href="/oil-gas-market-data">Oil & Gas Market Data Hub</a>.
Track a specific operator
Owners often watch one operator in particular — the company drilling their play. For example, mineral owners across East Texas track <strong>Comstock Resources (CRK)</strong> activity in counties like Leon, Harrison, and Robertson, while owners in Houston County, Texas watch <strong>EOG Resources</strong>. You can follow any operator's footprint, recent permits, and activity from its profile in our <a href="/operators">operator directory</a>, and compare two operators head-to-head on the <a href="/compare">operator comparison</a> pages.
What each stage of a well means for your royalties
A well moves through predictable stages, and each tells you something about timing:
- <strong>Permit</strong> — the operator has approval to drill. Earliest signal; drilling may be weeks or many months out, and not every permit is drilled.
- <strong>Spud</strong> — drilling has actually started. A strong sign your area is being developed now.
- <strong>DUC (drilled but uncompleted)</strong> — the well is drilled and awaiting fracturing/completion. Production — and royalties — are typically not far behind.
- <strong>Completion & first production</strong> — the well is fraced and turned to sales. This is when royalties generally begin, <em>once your title is clear and you've signed a division order</em>.
- <strong>Decline</strong> — production (and royalty checks) fall off fastest in the first year or two, then taper. Understanding the curve matters for value — see <a href="/2026/why-oil-gas-wells-decline">why oil & gas wells decline</a>.
First production doesn't pay you automatically. After a well comes online, operators set up division orders and often hold royalties in suspense until ownership and address details are confirmed. Clean title and a current address are what turn a producing well into a check in your mailbox.
Map your tract to the survey or abstract
To know whether nearby activity is actually <em>yours</em>, you have to tie your tract to the right survey/abstract (Texas) or section-township-range (most other states) and confirm your decimal interest. That mapping step is the single biggest DIY hurdle owners run into. Our guide to <a href="/resources/how-to-map-and-look-up-mineral-rights-ownership">mapping and looking up mineral ownership</a> walks through it, and <a href="/2026/net-mineral-acre-explained">net mineral acres explained</a> covers turning your tract into an interest figure.
What new activity means for value — and for selling
New drilling usually points to higher value: more (and sooner) cash flow. But it cuts both ways for your decision. Some owners hold to collect the royalties; others use the moment of peak interest — a fresh permit, a DUC about to be completed — to <strong>sell and lock in today's value</strong> rather than wait through years of steep early decline and price swings. There's no single right answer; it depends on your goals, your other income, and how much variability you want to carry.
Buckhead Energy is a direct buyer — not a broker — and we factor live activity near your tract into our valuations. If you'd like to understand what the drilling around you means for your specific minerals, we'll review it and explain the math behind a free, no-obligation written offer. <a href="/sell">Request a free activity-and-value review</a>.
This article is educational and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Permitting, spacing, and pooling rules vary by state; confirm specifics with the relevant agency or a qualified professional.
Key Takeaways
- New permits, spuds, DUCs, and fracs near your tract are leading indicators of future royalties — and of changes in your minerals' value.
- Free state records (Texas RRC, Oklahoma OCC, and counterparts) let you look up permits, completions, and spacing/pooling cases by operator and location.
- Buckhead publishes live, monthly-refreshed data — recent permits, recently spudded wells, DUC inventory, new producers, top operators, and per-county activity — so you can watch your area without digging through raw agency databases.
- A well's stages (permit → spud → DUC → completion → first production) each signal different royalty timing; first production is when royalties typically begin after title and division orders are set.
- Keep your address current with every operator and state agency so pooling, spacing, and division-order notices actually reach you.
- New activity often raises value, but it's also a common point to sell and capture today's value instead of waiting through years of decline — a free review can show you the trade-off.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find out who is drilling near my minerals?
Use the free state-agency records (the Texas Railroad Commission, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, and equivalents) to search permits and completions by operator and location, or use Buckhead's live, monthly-refreshed pages for recent permits, recently spudded wells, DUC inventory, top operators, and per-county activity. Watch spacing and pooling notices too, since they carry deadlines.
What does a new well permit near me mean for my royalties?
A permit is the earliest signal that an operator may drill — it can mean future royalties, but drilling may be months away and not every permit is drilled. Royalties typically begin only after the well is completed and producing and your title and division order are in place.
What is a DUC well and why does it matter to mineral owners?
A DUC is a well that has been drilled but not yet completed (fraced and turned to sales). A rising DUC count near your minerals is a strong leading indicator that production — and royalties — may be coming soon, because the hardest step (drilling) is already done.
Does a new well automatically increase what my minerals are worth?
New activity often raises value because it points to more and sooner cash flow, but value also depends on your interest, the lease royalty, decline, and prices. A new well can be a good time to sell and lock in value or a reason to hold for royalties — it depends on your goals.
Why am I not getting paid even though a well is producing near me?
Production doesn't pay you automatically. Operators set up division orders and frequently hold royalties in suspense until ownership and address details are confirmed. Clean title and a current mailing address are what convert a producing well into royalty checks.
Disclaimer: Buckhead Energy is not a tax, legal, or investment advisor, and nothing in this article should be construed as tax, legal, or investment advice. This information is general in nature and provided solely for your convenience and education. Every owner's situation is different — always consult a qualified CPA, tax professional, attorney, or financial advisor before making any decision regarding your mineral rights, taxes, or finances.