Ownership of the subsurface oil and gas beneath a parcel of land, giving the holder the right to extract or lease those mineral resources.
Mineral rights represent the ownership of underground oil, gas, or other minerals. An investor holding mineral rights can lease them to an oil and gas company for development, typically in exchange for a royalty on any production. The mineral owner does not pay for drilling or operating costs and does not manage the operations; their earnings come from a portion of the revenue if and when production occurs. Owning mineral rights is a passive way to participate in the industry, as the value depends on successful extraction by an operator and prevailing commodity prices.
Owning mineral rights can generate passive income through leasing and royalty payments. It allows investors to benefit from production without investing capital in drilling, but it relies on operators to explore and develop the resources.
