Oil and gas activity in Knox County — what landowners should know

Oil was first discovered in Knox County in 1945. Production grew quickly through the 1950s and reached about 2.4 million barrels in 1960. Wells have been drilled across the county since then. This means mineral rights — the right to oil, gas, and other resources underground — may have been severed from the surface land long ago.

When buying rural land here, ask your title company or attorney whether minerals are included. If they were sold separately in the past, a future operator could drill on your land without your permission. The Railroad Commission of Texas tracks all permitted wells and production data in the county.