Mineral Rights
Surface and Mineral Rights Can Be Owned Separately
Buying land here does not always mean you own what is underground — mineral rights are often held by someone else.
Maverick County sits within the Eagle Ford Shale. That is a major oil and gas formation that runs from the Mexico border northeast through South Texas. Oil and gas production here goes back to the mid-1900s.
Because of that history, it is common for one person to own the land surface and a different person to own the oil, gas, or other minerals below. This is called a split estate.
If you buy land without the mineral rights, a leaseholder can legally come onto your property to drill or run pipelines. Texas law sets rules for how they must do it, but they can still enter your land.
Before you buy, ask a title company or real estate attorney whether mineral rights are included. You can look up oil and gas activity on any parcel using the Railroad Commission of Texas GIS viewer.
Source to confirm: Railroad Commission of Texas — Land and Mineral Owners