In Clay County, the person who owns the oil may not own your land

Oil was discovered near the town of Petrolia in Clay County in 1901. The county produced over 204 million barrels of oil between 1917 and 2004. That long history of leasing and inheritance means many parcels have a split estate. The person who owns the surface land may not own the oil, gas, or other minerals below it.

Texas law treats the mineral estate as dominant. That means a mineral owner has the right to use the surface to reach and produce those minerals. It can mean lease roads, wellsites, or pipelines on land you thought was entirely yours. The mineral owner does not need your permission. They also do not have to pay for non-negligent surface damage unless a deed or lease says otherwise.

Before buying rural land in Clay County, ask a title company or attorney to confirm which mineral interests are included in the sale. You can look up active permits and production records using the Railroad Commission of Texas public GIS viewer. This matters most near Petrolia and in areas with older oil leases.