A share of production revenue from a well, free of any costs, usually retained by a mineral rights owner as compensation for leasing the property.
A royalty interest is a non-operating ownership stake in a well that entitles the holder to a percentage of the gross production revenue, without any responsibility for drilling or operating costs. Typically, a landowner or mineral rights owner retains this interest when leasing their property to an operator. The royalty owner is paid "off the top" from the well’s output and bears none of the expenses or liabilities of well development. It’s a passive interest that provides income based solely on production, in contrast to a working interest which carries costs and control.
For investors, a royalty interest offers a way to earn income from oil and gas production without exposure to drilling costs or liabilities. It's lower risk than a working interest, but provides no operational control and a smaller share of potential upside.
