Skip to content
Royalty Clerk

A sample. The person, the heirs and the decimals are made up; the leases, their production and the prices are real, from the state's records.

Estate mineral report, a full sample

The whole report, on a sample estate

This is what you get for $199: every Texas mineral and royalty interest we find under the name, a map of where each lease is and the wells on it, what each one has earned since the death, its value on the date of death, a court inventory in Word and Excel, each heir’s share and decimals, and a letter to every company that pays. Below is all of it, for a made-up estate on four real leases.

Search a name, freeStart a report · $199
Made up
Robert E. Sample and his date of death, the decimals, the three heirs, the county appraisal accounts and their values, and the attorney the report is prepared for.
Real
The four leases and their operators, what the Railroad Commission recorded on each one month by month, the EIA’s oil and gas prices, and the well locations in the inventory, through August 2026. The sample updates as the state reports each month.

Estate mineral report

Estate of Robert E. Sample

Died February 14, 2024. Texas mineral and royalty interests.
Prepared for
Jane ExampleAttorney for the estateExample Law PLLC
Prepared on
November 15, 2026from public records
Prepared by
Royalty Clerkroyaltyclerk.com

Earned since the death

$301,981

March 2024 through August 2026, estimated

Payors usually pay two or three months after production, so more has usually been earned since.

Estimates from the state's production records and public oil and gas prices. Not an appraisal.How we estimate this

An estimate from the state's production records and public prices, after severance tax and before the operator's deductions, from March 2024 (the first full month after the death) through August 2026 (the newest month the state has reported).

Income comes from what the Texas Railroad Commission says each lease sold, times the decimal, at Energy Information Administration oil and gas prices, less Texas severance tax. The money earned since the death is the same estimate, added up month by month. A real check is lower by the payor's price differences and deductions. The value as of Feb 14, 2024 uses only what was known before that date. The state's records run through August 2026.

Income now
$7,010 a monthestimate, from the state's newest months
Value at the date of death
$333,714 to $716,234middle case $491,322an estimate, not an appraisal
The heirs
3 heirseach one's share of the money since the death
  • Ann Sample (1/2)about $150,991
  • Carl Sample (1/4)about $75,495
  • Dana Sample (1/4)about $75,495
Interests counted
4on statements or confirmed by you
County's appraised value
$385,620tax year 2024, 2026

On the map

Where their land is

Every lease we found, where it is in Texas, and the wells on it and around it. Choose a lease to see its land up close, then open the live map to zoom in, see it from the air and draw on it.

wells on their leasesringed on each lease's map
258
leases with drilling permits nearbyissued in the last 2 years
4 of 4

The estate’s leases

Four leases in four counties

  • Their lease, numbered
  • Their counties

Swipe for the other leases, or tap a pin.

Interstate 8-32 C

Midland County, operated by Diamondback E&P LLC

The lease’s page: production and wells
Their interest
Royaltydecimal 0.00312500
Paying now
$4,434 a monthour estimate, from the state's newest months
On the state's map
5 wellsringed on the map below
Map of the Interstate 8-32 C lease in Midland County, Texas: its 5 wells ringed, among 444 wells and 12 recent drilling locations in a picture about 6 miles across.
  • Their lease5Its wells, ringed on the map: all producing
  • Drilling locations12Permits issued in the last two years
  • Producing wells344On a lease reporting production now
  • Not producing33Shut in, inactive or no lease on record
  • Plugged67The state's wellbore record says plugged

The 5 ringed dots are this lease's wells, each where the Railroad Commission's map puts it. The other dots are wells and drilling permits of the last 24 months on the land around it; the counts are for everything in the picture, which is about 6 miles across. The thin brown lines are the original land surveys. Sources: Railroad Commission of Texas well layers, drilling permit files and survey lines.

  • Where the money comes from

    The 5 ringed wells are this lease's. The estate’s royalty is paid on what they produce.

  • Drilling nearby

    12 drilling permits were issued in this picture in the last 2 years, the red dots. Companies are still drilling here, and a new well on this lease would add to what it pays.

  • The land on paper

    The state’s well records put most of its wells in Section 17, Block 39 T2S, T&P RR CO Survey, A-314. The court inventory uses the same words. Open the live map to see the original surveys and their abstract numbers.

Part 2 of 4

What they owned

Every interest under the name, what it pays, its estimated value on the date of death, and the court inventory.

  1. 03Interests
  2. 04Income
  3. 05Value at death
  4. 06Court inventory

What they owned

The interests we found

Each one shows why we think it is theirs and how sure we are. Nothing counts until a statement shows it or you say so.

interests that count
4
counties
4
operators
4
Estimates from the state's production records and public oil and gas prices. Not an appraisal.How we estimate this

Income comes from what the Texas Railroad Commission says each lease sold, times the decimal, at Energy Information Administration oil and gas prices, less Texas severance tax. The money earned since the death is the same estimate, added up month by month. A real check is lower by the payor's price differences and deductions. The value as of Feb 14, 2024 uses only what was known before that date. The state's records run through August 2026.

The value at death is a range with a middle estimate, worked out under Value at death.

Interests that are theirs

  • Likely theirsOverriding royalty

    Affirmed 48

    RRC 08-47299 · Reeves County · Operator: Permian Resources Operating, LLC

    Decimal
    0.01250000from the county roll
    Income now
    Stoppedlast report 2025-02
    Value at death
    $99,348 to $265,850middle case $174,758
    County's value
    $98,110tax year 2024
    Where this comes fromThe Reeves County roll lists this property under a name that matches, and the lease number on the roll is the state's lease number. It is in Reeves County, which you listed.
  • Likely theirsRoyalty

    Arktika A

    RRC 02-12065 · Karnes County · Operator: EOG Resources, Inc.

    Decimal
    0.00976563from the county roll
    Income now
    $916 a month
    Value at death
    $21,415 to $43,234middle case $29,123
    County's value
    $32,260tax year 2026
    Where this comes fromThe Karnes County roll lists this property under a name that matches, and the lease number on the roll is the state's lease number. It is in Karnes County, which you listed.
  • Likely theirsRoyalty

    Interstate 8-32 C

    RRC 08-58035 · Midland County · Operator: Diamondback E&P LLC

    Decimal
    0.00312500from the county roll
    Income now
    $4,434 a month
    Value at death
    $182,052 to $313,468middle case $236,190
    County's value
    $200,630tax year 2026
    Where this comes fromThe Midland County roll lists this property under a name that matches, and the lease number on the roll is the state's lease number. It is in Midland County, which you listed.
  • Likely theirsRoyalty

    Rocker B

    RRC 7C-14573 · Irion County · Operator: Pioneer Natural Res. USA, Inc.

    Decimal
    0.00012207from the county roll
    Income now
    $1,659 a month
    Value at death
    $30,899 to $93,682middle case $51,251
    County's value
    $54,620tax year 2026
    Where this comes fromThe Irion County roll lists this property under a name that matches, and the lease number on the roll is the state's lease number. It is in Irion County, which you listed.

A name that is not found is not proof of no interest

A name that is not found is not proof that there is no interest: interests are also held under a trust, a company, a maiden name or a different spelling, and most of Texas's 254 counties are not covered above.

Here the family has said yes to each interest. In a report, one found only by name waits for a yes or a no, and counts only after that. Its pin on the map is dashed until then.

What it pays

Income

What their interests have earned since the death and over the last two years, and what they pay now.

a month now
$7,010
over the last 24 months
$196,190
earned since the death
$301,981
Estimates from the state's production records and public oil and gas prices. Not an appraisal.How we estimate this

Each month is the state's reported sales on the lease, times the decimal, at that month's public oil and gas prices, less Texas severance tax. A month the state has not reported counts as nothing.

Each bar is the state's reported sales for the lease, times the decimal, at that month's oil and gas prices, less severance tax. It tells you the size and the shape of the income. It is not what a payor paid.

Income comes from what the Texas Railroad Commission says each lease sold, times the decimal, at Energy Information Administration oil and gas prices, less Texas severance tax. The money earned since the death is the same estimate, added up month by month. A real check is lower by the payor's price differences and deductions. The value as of Feb 14, 2024 uses only what was known before that date. The state's records run through August 2026.

SourceTexas Railroad Commission production data (sold volumes), EIA monthly WTI and Henry Hub prices, Texas severance tax rates (4.6 percent oil, 7.5 percent gas). Read from January 2020 through August 2026.

Earned since the death, by interest

Earned since the death, by interest
InterestMonths reportedsince the deathSince the deathestimated
Affirmed 48Reeves County12 of 30about $9,838
Arktika AKarnes County30 of 30about $29,803
Interstate 8-32 CMidland County30 of 30about $219,033
Rocker BIrion County30 of 30about $43,307
All togetherabout $301,981

The last 24 months

About $196,190 over the last 24 monthsEvery interest that is theirs, added up month by month. Each bar is an estimate, not what a payor paid.
Estimated income by month, Sep 24 to Aug 26, about $196,190 in all.$0$10k$20kSep 24Mar 25Sep 25Mar 26Aug 26Estimated income by month, Sep 24 to Aug 26, about $196,190 in all.$0$10k$20kSep 24Dec 24Mar 25Jun 25Sep 25Dec 25Mar 26Aug 26
  • Estimated from state records

Income by interest

Income by interest
InterestLast 24 monthsestimatedNowa month
Affirmed 48$0Stopped
Arktika A$22,476$916
Interstate 8-32 C$137,643$4,434
Rocker B$36,071$1,659
All together$196,190$7,010

What it was worth

Value on Feb 14, 2024

A range from public data, for the estate and for the tax preparer. It is not an appraisal.

middle estimate
$491,322
low to high estimate
$333,714 to $716,234
county's value, for taxtax year 2024, 2026
$385,620
Estimates from the state's production records and public oil and gas prices. Not an appraisal.How we estimate this

On Feb 14, 2024 the interests we could value were worth roughly $333,714 to $716,234 as a buyer of royalty might see it, $491,322 in the middle case. That is an estimate from public data. It is not a formal appraisal.

For each royalty interest we take the estimated income from the 12 months before the month of death, at the prices of the last three months before it, and the lease's own trend (how fast its output was falling, never less than 5 percent or more than 60 percent a year). We add up the next 20 years of income and discount it the way a buyer would.

  • Middle case: discounted at 15 percent a year, with the lease's own decline.
  • High: discounted at 10 percent, with the decline 10 points slower.
  • Low: discounted at 20 percent, with the decline 10 points steeper.

It uses only what was known before the death, so a well drilled or a price jump afterwards does not raise it. Working interests and interests with no production record get no estimate; their county value is shown instead. The county's value is what the appraisal district taxes, from its tax year 2024, 2026 roll, and it is often far from what the interest would sell for.

For an heir, the tax basis of inherited property is generally its fair market value on the date of death (26 U.S.C. 1014; IRS Publication 551), not what the person paid. Use this range as a starting point and ask your tax preparer whether a formal appraisal is needed.

SourceSame math as our mineral rights value calculator, run as of the date of death. Texas Railroad Commission production, EIA prices, county appraisal rolls (2024, 2026). Discount rates and the 20-year horizon are our assumptions, not the state's.

Estimated value on Feb 14, 2024, by interest
InterestLowMiddle caseHighCounty's valuefor tax
Affirmed 48$99,348$174,758$265,850$98,110
Arktika A$21,415$29,123$43,234$32,260
Interstate 8-32 C$182,052$236,190$313,468$200,630
Rocker B$30,899$51,251$93,682$54,620
All together$333,714$491,322$716,234$385,620
  • Interstate 8-32 C: only 9 months of state production came before the death, so this rests on less history than usual.

For the probate court

Court inventory

The interests that count, written the way a Texas probate inventory lists real property: what each one is, and our estimate of what it was worth on the date of death.

total value at the date of death
$491,322
lines on the inventory
4
Download for Word (.docx)Download for Excel (.xlsx)
Estimates from the state's production records and public oil and gas prices. Not an appraisal.How we estimate this

Each value is our middle estimate of what the interest was worth on the date of death. We take the interest's income in the 12 months before the death, from the state's production records and the oil and gas prices of that time, follow the lease's own decline for 20 years, and discount it at 15 percent a year, the way a buyer of royalties would. Nothing after the death is used. It is an estimate from public data, not an appraisal. The low and high estimates are kept as support.

SourceTexas Railroad Commission production and well records, EIA monthly oil and gas prices, and the county appraisal rolls. Same lines and total as the PDF and the downloads, put together on Nov 15, 2026.

Texas treats mineral and royalty interests as real property. The executor or administrator lists each one, with its value on the date of death, in the inventory filed with the probate court (Estates Code 309.051). The downloads hold these same 4 lines and total, ready to paste into that inventory.

Court inventory: the interests that count, each with its value on Feb 14, 2024
No.Description of the propertyValue at the date of death
1

An undivided 0.00012207 royalty interest in the Rocker B lease, Railroad Commission District 7C, Lease No. 14573, Irion County, Texas, operated by Pioneer Natural Res. USA, Inc.

The state's well records put this lease's wells in Section 111, Block 1, T&P RR CO Survey, A-621; Section 163, Block 1, T&P RR CO Survey, A-627; Section 86, Block 1, T&P RR CO/SALTER, L H Survey, A-1153; and 125 more locations.

Irion County appraisal account SAMPLE-0001 (tax year 2026).

Value at the date of death$51,251Estimate range $30,899 to $93,682
2

An undivided 0.00976563 royalty interest in the Arktika A lease, Railroad Commission District 02, Lease No. 12065, Karnes County, Texas, operated by EOG Resources, Inc.

The state's well records put this lease's wells in MENCHACA, HRS L Survey, A-5.

Karnes County appraisal account SAMPLE-0002 (tax year 2026).

Value at the date of death$29,123Estimate range $21,415 to $43,234
3

An undivided 0.00312500 royalty interest in the Interstate 8-32 C lease, Railroad Commission District 08, Lease No. 58035, Midland County, Texas, operated by Diamondback E&P LLC.

The state's well records put this lease's wells in Section 17, Block 39 T2S, T&P RR CO Survey, A-314.

Midland County appraisal account SAMPLE-0003 (tax year 2026).

Value at the date of death$236,190Estimate range $182,052 to $313,468
4

An overriding royalty interest, decimal 0.01250000, in the Affirmed 48 lease, Railroad Commission District 08, Lease No. 47299, Reeves County, Texas, operated by Permian Resources Operating, LLC.

The state's well records put this lease's wells in Section 48, Block 5, H&GN RR CO / STRAIN, C H Survey, A-5635; Section 48, Block 5, H&GN RR CO/STRAIN, C H Survey, A-5635.

Reeves County appraisal account SAMPLE-0004 (tax year 2024).

Value at the date of death$174,758Estimate range $99,348 to $265,850
Total value at the date of death$491,322

Before you file

Interests the family has not confirmed are not listed. The land on each line comes from the county roll or the state's well records, not from a deed. Check each line against the deeds and division orders before filing.

The Word and Excel buttons work: they give this sample’s inventory, marked as a sample.

Part 3 of 4

The heirs and their money

Who inherits what, what the royalty statements show, and money that may be waiting.

  1. 07Heirs
  2. 08Statements
  3. 09Unclaimed money

Who gets what

The heirs

Ann Sampleabout $150,991 since the death
1/2
Carl Sampleabout $75,495 since the death
1/4
Dana Sampleabout $75,495 since the death
1/4
Estimates from the state's production records and public oil and gas prices. Not an appraisal.How we estimate this

Each heir’s figures are the estate’s estimates times the heir’s share.

Income comes from what the Texas Railroad Commission says each lease sold, times the decimal, at Energy Information Administration oil and gas prices, less Texas severance tax. The money earned since the death is the same estimate, added up month by month. A real check is lower by the payor's price differences and deductions. The value as of Feb 14, 2024 uses only what was known before that date. The state's records run through August 2026.

Each heir's share of the estate's mineral income and value
HeirShareIncome nowa monthValue at deathmiddle case
Ann SampleWife1/2$3,505$245,661
Carl SampleSon1/4$1,752$122,831
Dana SampleDaughter1/4$1,752$122,831

The shares add up to 100 percent.

Each heir's decimal on each interestThe new decimal for each of the 3 heirs on all 4 interests, for the division orders.

An heir’s decimal is the decedent’s decimal times the heir’s share. A payor usually writes it on the new division order. Ask the payor for its own figure before you sign one.

Affirmed 48decedent’s decimal 0.01250000

  • Ann Sample (1/2)0.0062500000
  • Carl Sample (1/4)0.0031250000
  • Dana Sample (1/4)0.0031250000

Arktika Adecedent’s decimal 0.00976563

  • Ann Sample (1/2)0.0048828150
  • Carl Sample (1/4)0.0024414075
  • Dana Sample (1/4)0.0024414075

Interstate 8-32 Cdecedent’s decimal 0.00312500

  • Ann Sample (1/2)0.0015625000
  • Carl Sample (1/4)0.0007812500
  • Dana Sample (1/4)0.0007812500

Rocker Bdecedent’s decimal 0.00012207

  • Ann Sample (1/2)0.0000610350
  • Carl Sample (1/4)0.0000305175
  • Dana Sample (1/4)0.0000305175

We do not decide who inherits

Who inherits, and in what shares, depends on a will or on Texas law for a family like yours. This table only does the arithmetic on the shares you gave us. A Texas probate lawyer can tell you what the shares are.

In a report you can also send each heir a private link to their own share, which they can save to a free account.

What was actually paid

Royalty statements

Statements are the surest proof, and we check every line of them.

Upload the royalty statements or check stubs you have and we read them the same way we read any statement. We compare each line with the state’s production records and the county roll, and this report then uses the decimals and payments on them.

This sample has no statements; in a report you upload them here. See a sample statement check: a made-up owner on a real lease, checked against the state’s record.

Money that may be waiting

Unclaimed property

The State of Texas holds money that companies could not deliver to its owner, including oil and gas royalties. Anyone can search it for free. The state’s site makes you pass an “are you a person” check before it searches, so this search is one you do yourself.

Start with this spelling

SAMPLE ROBERT E

Open ClaimItTexas (opens in a new tab)Claim forms (opens in a new tab)

Nothing typed there comes back to Royalty Clerk.

What to do there5 steps on the state's site, and why money can be waiting there.
  1. Open the ClaimItTexas search page and complete the check it shows.
  2. Type one name from the list at a time, exactly as written on the line. Start with the first line; if nothing comes up, try the next.
  3. Open any result and compare the company that reported it, the city and the kind of property with what you know. A royalty or mineral entry, or a company that is an oil and gas operator, is the one to look for.
  4. Write down each match and the name of the company that reported it, then follow the claim instructions on the site for that match.
  5. Search again for the spouse, the maiden name, a business or trust the person owned, and any earlier addresses' spellings.

Why money can be waiting there

Mineral proceeds (royalties, overriding royalties, net revenue interests, bonuses, delay and shut-in rentals) that an owner has not claimed for longer than three years after they became payable are presumed abandoned. The company holding them, usually the operator, then reports them and hands them to the Comptroller by July 1 (Texas Property Code 75.101). Money an operator could not pay a lost owner can therefore show up here. Read the law (opens in a new tab).

Every spelling to try5 spellings of the name, each with a copy button, and what else to search for.

Robert E. Sample

  • SAMPLE ROBERT E
  • ROBERT E SAMPLE
  • SAMPLE ROBERT
  • ROBERT SAMPLE
  • SAMPLE R

Also search for

  • Spouse's name, and a maiden name if there was one
  • Businesses, trusts or partnerships the person owned or was a trustee of
  • The name with and without a middle name or initial, and common misspellings

Part 4 of 4

Paperwork and next steps

The county records, copies to order, a letter to each payor, the heirship kit, and what to do and when.

  1. 10County records
  2. 11Order copies
  3. 12Letters
  4. 13Heirship kit
  5. 14Checklist
  6. 15PDF

The paper record

County records

Leases, deeds and heirship papers are recorded with the county clerk.

Leases, mineral and royalty deeds, and the papers that show how a share passed after a death are recorded with the county clerk. Their online indexes do not let a program search them, so we do not. Each county below has a link, the spellings to type and what to look for.

Look for

  • Oil and gas leases (the royalty fraction is in the lease)
  • Mineral deeds and royalty deeds (who owns which share)
  • Assignments and releases of oil and gas leases
  • Affidavits of heirship, probate orders and letters testamentary (how an owner's share passed after a death)

The counties in this report

Irion CountySearch page and steps

Records are kept on LGS Online Solutions 'Online Record Search'.

Open the search page (opens in a new tab)County clerk’s site (opens in a new tab)

Documents recorded after 2024-02-14 (probate, affidavit of heirship, deeds from heirs) show how an owner's share passed; documents recorded before it show what the owner held.

  1. Open the link and pick the county if asked.
  2. Choose the name search and type the last name first, then the first name.
  3. Try the name as 'Last First' and also with a middle initial; indexes list people the way they signed.

Spellings to type

For Robert E. Sample

SAMPLE ROBERT E · ROBERT E SAMPLE · SAMPLE ROBERT · ROBERT SAMPLE · SAMPLE R

Copies of recorded documents are charged by the County Clerk. Royalty Clerk does not download document images; to have copies ordered for you, use the manual order request in the estate report.

Link checked Oct 8, 2026.

Karnes CountySearch page and steps

Records are kept on Tyler 'County Government Records'.

Open the search page (opens in a new tab)County clerk’s site (opens in a new tab)

Documents recorded after 2024-02-14 (probate, affidavit of heirship, deeds from heirs) show how an owner's share passed; documents recorded before it show what the owner held.

  1. Open the link. On the shared Texas site, register for the free account first; on a county's own site choose 'Guest' if it is offered.
  2. Pick the county, then the name search; type the last name first.

Spellings to type

For Robert E. Sample

SAMPLE ROBERT E · ROBERT E SAMPLE · SAMPLE ROBERT · ROBERT SAMPLE · SAMPLE R

Copies of recorded documents are charged by the County Clerk. Royalty Clerk does not download document images; to have copies ordered for you, use the manual order request in the estate report.

Link checked Oct 8, 2026.

Midland CountySearch page and steps

Records are kept on Kofile PublicSearch (Official Record Search).

Open the search page (opens in a new tab)County clerk’s site (opens in a new tab)

Documents recorded after 2024-02-14 (probate, affidavit of heirship, deeds from heirs) show how an owner's share passed; documents recorded before it show what the owner held.

Spellings to type

For Robert E. Sample

SAMPLE ROBERT E · ROBERT E SAMPLE · SAMPLE ROBERT · ROBERT SAMPLE · SAMPLE R

Copies of recorded documents are charged by the County Clerk. Royalty Clerk does not download document images; to have copies ordered for you, use the manual order request in the estate report.

Link checked Sep 29, 2026.

Reeves CountySearch page and steps

Records are kept on Kofile PublicSearch (Official Record Search).

Open the search page (opens in a new tab)County clerk’s site (opens in a new tab)

Documents recorded after 2024-02-14 (probate, affidavit of heirship, deeds from heirs) show how an owner's share passed; documents recorded before it show what the owner held.

Spellings to type

For Robert E. Sample

SAMPLE ROBERT E · ROBERT E SAMPLE · SAMPLE ROBERT · ROBERT SAMPLE · SAMPLE R

Copies of recorded documents are charged by the County Clerk. Royalty Clerk does not download document images; to have copies ordered for you, use the manual order request in the estate report.

Link checked Sep 29, 2026.

In a report, a county’s button can open its search with the name typed in. The sample leaves the name out: Robert E. Sample is made up, and a real person may share it.

Get the documents

Order copies of the recorded leases and deeds

The lease, the deed that gave the decedent the interest, and the paper that shows how it passed after the death are all recorded with the county clerk. You can search for them yourself with the links above. Or tell us which counties and which documents, and our team will get copies. The county clerk charges its own fee for copies, so we will tell you what it is before anything is ordered.

In a report, a short form goes hereWhich counties, which documents and a note if you have one. Nothing is ordered until you have seen the county clerk's fee.
  • Which counties: Irion, Karnes, Midland, Reeves, or others you type.
  • Which documents: oil and gas leases, mineral deeds, royalty deeds, affidavits of heirship, probate orders and wills.
  • A note for our team, if you have one.

Someone on our team reads it and writes back. Nothing is ordered until you have seen what the county clerk will charge.

Tell the payors

Notification letters

One for each company that pays them.

letters, one to each company that pays
4
earned since the death, estimatedeach letter asks the payor for its own figure
$301,981

Earned since the death, by payor

Each payor’s letter asks for the balance it holds for the estate since the death. Compare its answer with this estimate.

Earned since the death, by payor
PayorSince the deathestimatedNowa month
Diamondback E&P LLCInterstate 8-32 Cabout $219,033about $4,434
EOG Resources, Inc.Arktika Aabout $29,803about $916
Permian Resources Operating, LLCAffirmed 48about $9,838Nothing now
Pioneer Natural Res. USA, Inc.Rocker Babout $43,307about $1,659
All payorsabout $301,981about $7,010

A payor’s answer can differ from the estimate: it pays the price it got and takes its own deductions, and it may have kept paying after the death. The letter also asks for the date and the address of its last payment.

The letters

A payor cannot change who it pays until it knows about the death and has the papers it needs. Each letter below tells one payor who died, lists the interests we know it pays on, and asks for its list of documents, its division order forms and the balance it is holding. Read it, fill in anything in brackets, print it or copy it, and send it by certified mail.

Diamondback E&P LLC1 property, about $219,033 earned since the death, estimated, payor taken from the operator: check the statement

November 15, 2026

Jane Example

Attorney for the estate

Example Law PLLC

100 Example Street, Suite 200

Midland, TX 79701

(432) 555-0100

jane@example.com

Diamondback E&P LLC

Owner Relations / Division Order Department

[Address printed on the royalty statement]

Re: Notice of the death of Robert E. Sample

Dear Owner Relations:

I am the attorney for the estate of Robert E. Sample, who died on February 14, 2024. Robert E. Sample owned the interest listed below in properties for which you pay or may pay royalties.

I am writing so that your records show the death and so that payments are not delayed or sent to the wrong place.

Properties

  1. Interstate 8-32 C, RRC lease 08-58035, Midland County; royalty, decimal 0.00312500

I ask that you:

  1. Note the death in your owner records for the properties listed above, and for any other property where you pay this owner.
  2. Tell me, in writing, every document you need before you can pay the estate or the heirs. For example: a certified copy of the death certificate, a will and the court order admitting it to probate, an affidavit of heirship or a court order declaring the heirs, and your transfer order or division order forms.
  3. Send me the division order or transfer order forms you will use, and the decimal interest you show for each property.
  4. Tell me the balance you are holding for this owner, including any payments held in suspense since the date of death, and the date and address or account of the last payment you sent.
  5. Send all future letters about this owner to the address above.

I will send the documents you name as soon as I have your list. Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

Jane Example

EOG Resources, Inc.1 property, about $29,803 earned since the death, estimated, payor taken from the operator: check the statement

November 15, 2026

Jane Example

Attorney for the estate

Example Law PLLC

100 Example Street, Suite 200

Midland, TX 79701

(432) 555-0100

jane@example.com

EOG Resources, Inc.

Owner Relations / Division Order Department

[Address printed on the royalty statement]

Re: Notice of the death of Robert E. Sample

Dear Owner Relations:

I am the attorney for the estate of Robert E. Sample, who died on February 14, 2024. Robert E. Sample owned the interest listed below in properties for which you pay or may pay royalties.

I am writing so that your records show the death and so that payments are not delayed or sent to the wrong place.

Properties

  1. Arktika A, RRC lease 02-12065, Karnes County; royalty, decimal 0.00976563

I ask that you:

  1. Note the death in your owner records for the properties listed above, and for any other property where you pay this owner.
  2. Tell me, in writing, every document you need before you can pay the estate or the heirs. For example: a certified copy of the death certificate, a will and the court order admitting it to probate, an affidavit of heirship or a court order declaring the heirs, and your transfer order or division order forms.
  3. Send me the division order or transfer order forms you will use, and the decimal interest you show for each property.
  4. Tell me the balance you are holding for this owner, including any payments held in suspense since the date of death, and the date and address or account of the last payment you sent.
  5. Send all future letters about this owner to the address above.

I will send the documents you name as soon as I have your list. Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

Jane Example

Permian Resources Operating, LLC1 property, about $9,838 earned since the death, estimated, payor taken from the operator: check the statement

November 15, 2026

Jane Example

Attorney for the estate

Example Law PLLC

100 Example Street, Suite 200

Midland, TX 79701

(432) 555-0100

jane@example.com

Permian Resources Operating, LLC

Owner Relations / Division Order Department

[Address printed on the royalty statement]

Re: Notice of the death of Robert E. Sample

Dear Owner Relations:

I am the attorney for the estate of Robert E. Sample, who died on February 14, 2024. Robert E. Sample owned the interest listed below in properties for which you pay or may pay royalties.

I am writing so that your records show the death and so that payments are not delayed or sent to the wrong place.

Properties

  1. Affirmed 48, RRC lease 08-47299, Reeves County; overriding royalty, decimal 0.01250000

I ask that you:

  1. Note the death in your owner records for the properties listed above, and for any other property where you pay this owner.
  2. Tell me, in writing, every document you need before you can pay the estate or the heirs. For example: a certified copy of the death certificate, a will and the court order admitting it to probate, an affidavit of heirship or a court order declaring the heirs, and your transfer order or division order forms.
  3. Send me the division order or transfer order forms you will use, and the decimal interest you show for each property.
  4. Tell me the balance you are holding for this owner, including any payments held in suspense since the date of death, and the date and address or account of the last payment you sent.
  5. Send all future letters about this owner to the address above.

I will send the documents you name as soon as I have your list. Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

Jane Example

Pioneer Natural Res. USA, Inc.1 property, about $43,307 earned since the death, estimated, payor taken from the operator: check the statement

November 15, 2026

Jane Example

Attorney for the estate

Example Law PLLC

100 Example Street, Suite 200

Midland, TX 79701

(432) 555-0100

jane@example.com

Pioneer Natural Res. USA, Inc.

Owner Relations / Division Order Department

[Address printed on the royalty statement]

Re: Notice of the death of Robert E. Sample

Dear Owner Relations:

I am the attorney for the estate of Robert E. Sample, who died on February 14, 2024. Robert E. Sample owned the interest listed below in properties for which you pay or may pay royalties.

I am writing so that your records show the death and so that payments are not delayed or sent to the wrong place.

Properties

  1. Rocker B, RRC lease 7C-14573, Irion County; royalty, decimal 0.00012207

I ask that you:

  1. Note the death in your owner records for the properties listed above, and for any other property where you pay this owner.
  2. Tell me, in writing, every document you need before you can pay the estate or the heirs. For example: a certified copy of the death certificate, a will and the court order admitting it to probate, an affidavit of heirship or a court order declaring the heirs, and your transfer order or division order forms.
  3. Send me the division order or transfer order forms you will use, and the decimal interest you show for each property.
  4. Tell me the balance you are holding for this owner, including any payments held in suspense since the date of death, and the date and address or account of the last payment you sent.
  5. Send all future letters about this owner to the address above.

I will send the documents you name as soon as I have your list. Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

Jane Example

Have these ready5 papers most payors ask for before they pay the estate or the heirs.
  • A certified copy of the death certificate (order several).
  • The will and the court order admitting it to probate, if there is one.
  • If there is no will: a recorded affidavit of heirship or a court order declaring the heirs.
  • A photo ID for each person who will be paid.
  • A completed IRS Form W-9 for each person who will be paid.

Payors set their own requirements, so treat this as a starting list. Each payor’s answer to the letter is the list that counts.

Getting the heirs paid

Heirship kit

Record the affidavit, send each operator its papers, and ask for what it held since the death.

Recording an affidavit of heirship

Most operators want the heirs named in a recorded paper before they change who they pay.

The 6 steps, in orderStart from the statute's form, then sign it before a notary, and 4 more.

These are the steps for the affidavit, in order. A step marked statute is what the Estates Code says. A step marked in practice is what county clerks and payors ask for, and each one sets its own rules.

  1. Start from the statute's form

    Statute

    Estates Code 203.002 gives a form, "Affidavit of facts concerning the identity of heirs". The person who signs has personal knowledge of the family: the dates the person died and was married, and who the children are. Someone who knew the family well, and who is not an heir, is the usual choice.

    Estates Code ch. 203

  2. Sign it before a notary

    Statute

    A recorded statement about family history counts as prima facie evidence only if it is in a sworn or acknowledged affidavit (203.001). Sign it in front of a notary public, with the signer's identification.

    Estates Code ch. 203

  3. Record it in Irion County, Karnes County, Midland County, Reeves County

    In practice

    Take the original to the county clerk and ask to record it in the real property (deed) records. Ask the clerk what page format it requires and what the recording fee is: both are set by the clerk, and they differ from county to county. Record it in every county where the property lies.

    Estates Code ch. 203

  4. Keep the recording information and send copies

    In practice

    The clerk returns the original with a stamp that gives the recording date and the volume and page, or the instrument number. Keep it with the estate's papers and send a copy to each operator with the packet.

  5. Know what five years does

    Statute

    After the affidavit has been of record for five years or more in the deed records of a county where the property is, or where the decedent lived, the statement is received as prima facie evidence of the facts in it (203.001). If it has an error, anyone interested in a proceeding where it is offered may prove the true facts.

    Estates Code ch. 203

  6. Do not leave anyone out

    Statute

    A good-faith buyer who relies on an affidavit that leaves out a child who was not yet legally established as a child gets good title to the interest that person would have received, but the heirs stay liable to the child who was left out for the proceeds of a sale (201.053). A court determination of heirship (chapter 202) names the heirs and their shares.

    Estates Code 201 · Estates Code ch. 202

One packet for each operator

Each operator that pays on the estate’s interests gets the same papers and a letter of its own. The packet lists what to send it, the interests it pays on and the heirs the family entered. The letter asks what it held since the death and the interest on it, and it is also the written notice of nonpayment the statute asks for (Natural Resources Code 91.404).

Diamondback E&P LLC1 property, payor taken from the operator: check the statement
PropertyRRC leaseCountyDecimalOwner no.
Interstate 8-32 C08-58035Midland0.00312500not on file

Send Diamondback E&P LLC

  • A certified copy of the death certificateIn practiceMost operators ask for one. Ask each whether a copy is enough.
  • The papers that name the heirsA recorded affidavit of heirship (Estates Code chapter 203), a court judgment of heirship (chapter 202), or, if there is a will, the order admitting it to probate and the letters testamentary. Each operator decides what it accepts, and you can ask which it wants.
  • A list of the heirs and each one's shareIn practiceThe family entered 3 heirs in this report. The shares come from the heirship determination; this report does not work them out.
  • A signed Form W-9 for each person who is to be paidNatural Resources Code 91.402(c)(1)(E) lets a payor ask for the payee's taxpayer identification number in a division order. The W-9 asks for a name, tax classification, address and number only. It has no lines for bank details or for lease or division order terms.
  • A division order or transfer order for each heir, on the operator's formAsk the operator to send them. A division order may contain only the provisions listed in 91.402(c). If an owner will not sign one that has more, the payor may not withhold payment only for that reason (91.402(e)).
  • Where each person wants to be paidIn practiceA mailing address, and the bank details only on the operator's own direct-deposit form, never in a letter.

In a report, two buttons here make this operator’s letter and its packet, each as a PDF to print and send.

EOG Resources, Inc.1 property, payor taken from the operator: check the statement
PropertyRRC leaseCountyDecimalOwner no.
Arktika A02-12065Karnes0.00976563not on file

Send EOG Resources, Inc.

  • A certified copy of the death certificateIn practiceMost operators ask for one. Ask each whether a copy is enough.
  • The papers that name the heirsA recorded affidavit of heirship (Estates Code chapter 203), a court judgment of heirship (chapter 202), or, if there is a will, the order admitting it to probate and the letters testamentary. Each operator decides what it accepts, and you can ask which it wants.
  • A list of the heirs and each one's shareIn practiceThe family entered 3 heirs in this report. The shares come from the heirship determination; this report does not work them out.
  • A signed Form W-9 for each person who is to be paidNatural Resources Code 91.402(c)(1)(E) lets a payor ask for the payee's taxpayer identification number in a division order. The W-9 asks for a name, tax classification, address and number only. It has no lines for bank details or for lease or division order terms.
  • A division order or transfer order for each heir, on the operator's formAsk the operator to send them. A division order may contain only the provisions listed in 91.402(c). If an owner will not sign one that has more, the payor may not withhold payment only for that reason (91.402(e)).
  • Where each person wants to be paidIn practiceA mailing address, and the bank details only on the operator's own direct-deposit form, never in a letter.

In a report, two buttons here make this operator’s letter and its packet, each as a PDF to print and send.

Permian Resources Operating, LLC1 property, payor taken from the operator: check the statement
PropertyRRC leaseCountyDecimalOwner no.
Affirmed 4808-47299Reeves0.01250000not on file

Send Permian Resources Operating, LLC

  • A certified copy of the death certificateIn practiceMost operators ask for one. Ask each whether a copy is enough.
  • The papers that name the heirsA recorded affidavit of heirship (Estates Code chapter 203), a court judgment of heirship (chapter 202), or, if there is a will, the order admitting it to probate and the letters testamentary. Each operator decides what it accepts, and you can ask which it wants.
  • A list of the heirs and each one's shareIn practiceThe family entered 3 heirs in this report. The shares come from the heirship determination; this report does not work them out.
  • A signed Form W-9 for each person who is to be paidNatural Resources Code 91.402(c)(1)(E) lets a payor ask for the payee's taxpayer identification number in a division order. The W-9 asks for a name, tax classification, address and number only. It has no lines for bank details or for lease or division order terms.
  • A division order or transfer order for each heir, on the operator's formAsk the operator to send them. A division order may contain only the provisions listed in 91.402(c). If an owner will not sign one that has more, the payor may not withhold payment only for that reason (91.402(e)).
  • Where each person wants to be paidIn practiceA mailing address, and the bank details only on the operator's own direct-deposit form, never in a letter.

In a report, two buttons here make this operator’s letter and its packet, each as a PDF to print and send.

Pioneer Natural Res. USA, Inc.1 property, payor taken from the operator: check the statement
PropertyRRC leaseCountyDecimalOwner no.
Rocker B7C-14573Irion0.00012207not on file

Send Pioneer Natural Res. USA, Inc.

  • A certified copy of the death certificateIn practiceMost operators ask for one. Ask each whether a copy is enough.
  • The papers that name the heirsA recorded affidavit of heirship (Estates Code chapter 203), a court judgment of heirship (chapter 202), or, if there is a will, the order admitting it to probate and the letters testamentary. Each operator decides what it accepts, and you can ask which it wants.
  • A list of the heirs and each one's shareIn practiceThe family entered 3 heirs in this report. The shares come from the heirship determination; this report does not work them out.
  • A signed Form W-9 for each person who is to be paidNatural Resources Code 91.402(c)(1)(E) lets a payor ask for the payee's taxpayer identification number in a division order. The W-9 asks for a name, tax classification, address and number only. It has no lines for bank details or for lease or division order terms.
  • A division order or transfer order for each heir, on the operator's formAsk the operator to send them. A division order may contain only the provisions listed in 91.402(c). If an owner will not sign one that has more, the payor may not withhold payment only for that reason (91.402(e)).
  • Where each person wants to be paidIn practiceA mailing address, and the bank details only on the operator's own direct-deposit form, never in a letter.

In a report, two buttons here make this operator’s letter and its packet, each as a PDF to print and send.

The law behind this sectionThe Estates Code and Natural Resources Code sections each step and packet relies on.
  • Estates Code 201.001 to 201.003 and 201.053 (who inherits without a will; an affidavit that leaves out a child)
  • Estates Code chapter 202 (court determination of heirship)
  • Estates Code chapter 203 (recorded affidavit of heirship)
  • Estates Code 256.003 (probate of a will within four years)
  • Natural Resources Code 91.401 (division order and transfer order defined)
  • Natural Resources Code 91.402 (time for payment, withholding, what a division order may contain)
  • Natural Resources Code 91.403 (interest on late payment)
  • Natural Resources Code 91.404 (written notice of nonpayment)

What to do, and when

Checklist and dates

things to do, in order
11
Three years after the deaththe next date that matters, in 3 months
Feb 14, 2027

Dates that matter

Do first

In the first weeks.

  • Order several certified copies of the death certificateEach payor, bank and court may want a certified copy. Ordering several at once is usually easier than coming back for more.

    Each payor, bank and court may want a certified copy. Ordering several at once is usually easier than coming back for more.

    Our advice, not a rule of law

  • Find out whether there is a willIf there is one, it has to be taken to court for probate within four years of the death, unless the person who applies can show they were not at fault for the delay. If there is no will, the estate goes to the heirs the law names, and you will need the heirship steps below.

    If there is one, it has to be taken to court for probate within four years of the death, unless the person who applies can show they were not at fault for the delay. If there is no will, the estate goes to the heirs the law names, and you will need the heirship steps below.

    The law: Estates Code 256.003 (probate within four years) (opens in a new tab)

  • Send the notification letter to each payorThe letters in this report tell each company who died and ask what documents it needs before it can pay the heirs. Send them by certified mail and keep a copy.

    The letters in this report tell each company who died and ask what documents it needs before it can pay the heirs. Send them by certified mail and keep a copy.

    Our advice, not a rule of law

Then

Over the next few months.

  • Prove who the heirs are (no will), or probate the willWithout a will, families use either an affidavit of heirship (a sworn statement of the family history, on the form in Estates Code 203.002, recorded in the deed records of each county where the property lies) or a court judgment declaring the heirs. A court can be asked at any time after the death. Which one a payor or title company accepts is their call; a Texas probate lawyer can tell you which fits your family.

    Without a will, families use either an affidavit of heirship (a sworn statement of the family history, on the form in Estates Code 203.002, recorded in the deed records of each county where the property lies) or a court judgment declaring the heirs. A court can be asked at any time after the death. Which one a payor or title company accepts is their call; a Texas probate lawyer can tell you which fits your family.

    The law: Estates Code chapter 201 (who inherits without a will) (opens in a new tab); Estates Code chapter 202 (court determination of heirship) (opens in a new tab); Estates Code chapter 203 (recorded affidavit of heirship) (opens in a new tab)

  • Settle each heir's shareThe split in this report uses the shares you typed. We do not decide who inherits or in what shares; that depends on a will or on Texas law for a family like yours, and it is a question for a lawyer.

    The split in this report uses the shares you typed. We do not decide who inherits or in what shares; that depends on a will or on Texas law for a family like yours, and it is a question for a lawyer.

    The law: Estates Code chapter 201 (who inherits without a will) (opens in a new tab)

  • Expect new division orders, and read them before signingOnce the payor has your documents it will send a division order in the heirs' names. A payor may ask for a signed division order that contains only the items listed in Natural Resources Code 91.402(c). If a form asks for more, the payor may not hold your payment just because you will not sign the extra parts (91.402(e)). Keep a copy of everything you sign.

    Once the payor has your documents it will send a division order in the heirs' names. A payor may ask for a signed division order that contains only the items listed in Natural Resources Code 91.402(c). If a form asks for more, the payor may not hold your payment just because you will not sign the extra parts (91.402(e)). Keep a copy of everything you sign.

    The law: Natural Resources Code 91.402 (division orders, payment and withholding) (opens in a new tab)

  • Expect payments to pause until the payor has its papersA payor may hold payments without interest while there is a question about who owns the interest or a title requirement it has asked you to meet (91.402(b)). Ask each payor what balance it is holding and which document would release it.

    A payor may hold payments without interest while there is a question about who owns the interest or a title requirement it has asked you to meet (91.402(b)). Ask each payor what balance it is holding and which document would release it.

    The law: Natural Resources Code 91.402 (division orders, payment and withholding) (opens in a new tab)

  • Search for unclaimed propertyMineral proceeds that stay unclaimed for longer than three years after they became payable are presumed abandoned and are reported to the state by July 1. Search the state's site under every name in this report. The state may approve a claim for a person who has died from that owner's executor or beneficiaries, as Property Code 74.501(d) lists them. Nobody may charge more than 10 percent (plus reasonable attorney's fees) for telling you about property, and none of the minerals or royalty may be part of the fee.

    Mineral proceeds that stay unclaimed for longer than three years after they became payable are presumed abandoned and are reported to the state by July 1. Search the state's site under every name in this report. The state may approve a claim for a person who has died from that owner's executor or beneficiaries, as Property Code 74.501(d) lists them. Nobody may charge more than 10 percent (plus reasonable attorney's fees) for telling you about property, and none of the minerals or royalty may be part of the fee.

    The law: Property Code 75.101 (mineral proceeds presumed abandoned after three years) (opens in a new tab); Property Code 74.101 (report by July 1) (opens in a new tab); Property Code 74.501 (who may claim) (opens in a new tab); Property Code 74.507 (finder fees) (opens in a new tab)

When you can

No rush, but do not forget them.

  • Update the county appraisal district's recordsEach county sends the tax notice for a mineral account to the address it has. Ask the district to add the estate or the heirs as the contact so a notice about the value is not missed.

    Each county sends the tax notice for a mineral account to the address it has. Ask the district to add the estate or the heirs as the contact so a notice about the value is not missed.

    Our advice, not a rule of law

  • Record the paper that shows who owns the interestWhatever ends up proving the transfer (the probated will, the judgment, the recorded affidavit) should be in the deed records of each county where the property lies. Payors and buyers look there. A recorded affidavit of heirship that has been of record five years is accepted as prima facie evidence of the facts in it (Estates Code 203.001).

    Whatever ends up proving the transfer (the probated will, the judgment, the recorded affidavit) should be in the deed records of each county where the property lies. Payors and buyers look there. A recorded affidavit of heirship that has been of record five years is accepted as prima facie evidence of the facts in it (Estates Code 203.001).

    Our advice, not a rule of law

    The law: Estates Code chapter 203 (recorded affidavit of heirship) (opens in a new tab)

  • Keep the value as of the date of death for the tax preparerFor an heir, the tax basis of inherited property is generally its fair market value at the date of death, not what the person paid. The value range in this report is a starting point from public data. It is not an appraisal; ask the preparer whether one is needed.

    For an heir, the tax basis of inherited property is generally its fair market value at the date of death, not what the person paid. The value range in this report is a starting point from public data. It is not an appraisal; ask the preparer whether one is needed.

    The law: 26 U.S.C. 1014 (basis of property from a decedent) (opens in a new tab); IRS Publication 551, Basis of Assets (inherited property) (opens in a new tab)

Proving who the heirs areAn affidavit of heirship, a court judgment of heirship, or a will: what each one is. General information, not legal advice.

A payor will not pay a new owner on the say-so of a family. It wants a paper that shows who the owners now are. These are the usual ones. This is general information, not legal advice; which one fits your family is a question for a Texas probate lawyer.

An affidavit of heirship

  • A sworn statement by someone who knows the family: when the person died, who they were married to, and who their children are. Estates Code 203.002 gives the form.
  • You record it in the deed records of each county where the property lies. It needs no court hearing.
  • After it has been of record for five years, a court treats it as prima facie evidence of the facts in it (203.001).
  • A payor or a title company decides whether it accepts one. If it leaves out a child, a good-faith buyer may still get good title, but the heirs who sold can owe the left-out child the money from the sale (201.053).

The law: Estates Code chapter 203 (recorded affidavit of heirship) (opens in a new tab); Estates Code chapter 201 (who inherits without a will) (opens in a new tab)

A court judgment of heirship

  • A judge decides who the heirs are and each one's share (202.001).
  • It can be asked for at any time after the death (202.0025), by the personal representative, a creditor or a person who owns all or part of the estate, among others (202.004).
  • It goes through a court, so it involves a filing and a hearing. A Texas probate lawyer can tell you what that would cost and how long it takes in your county.

The law: Estates Code chapter 202 (court determination of heirship) (opens in a new tab)

If there is a will

  • The will is taken to court for probate. It cannot be admitted after the fourth anniversary of the death unless the person applying shows they were not at fault for the delay (256.003).
  • Ask each payor which papers from the probate it needs; for example the order admitting the will and the letters testamentary.

The law: Estates Code 256.003 (probate within four years) (opens in a new tab)

Keep a copy

The report as a PDF

The PDF has everything above in a form you can print, hand to a lawyer or a tax preparer, and file with the estate’s papers. In a report, a button here makes it, with the same cover, who it is prepared for, and the same numbers.

Your privacy

A real report is private: only the person who started it can open it, it is not shown to search engines, and they can delete everything in it at any time. This sample is the only estate report anyone else can see. How we handle your data.

Start with their name.

Seeing what the county rolls hold under a name is free. The full report is $199 once for the estate, and it is yours alone.

Search a name, freeStart a report · $199