In the Midland Basin — direct buyer, no brokers, no fees
Upton County, in the southern Midland Basin, is a cornerstone of the Spraberry Trend and one of the longest-producing oil counties in West Texas. It blends decades of legacy production with active horizontal development.
Upton County features the classic stacked Spraberry and Wolfcamp section of the southern Midland Basin, with strong oil saturation across multiple benches.
Pioneer Natural Resources (now part of ExxonMobil) and other operators have long held significant acreage in Upton County and continue active horizontal drilling.
Yes. Upton County is part of the historic Spraberry Trend and has produced oil for decades, with modern horizontal wells adding to its long-lived base of production.
ARB is a direct buyer of Upton County minerals and royalties, offering free, no-obligation valuations with no fees to sellers.
Based on state regulatory filings as of June 13, 2026, the operators with the most recent drilling permits in Upton County include APA (Apache) (22 permits), ExxonMobil (20 permits), Firebird Energy (10 permits), ConocoPhillips (8 permits), Ovintiv (8 permits). If you receive royalty checks from any of these operators, that activity is a meaningful driver of what your Upton County mineral or royalty interest is worth. American Royalty Buyers tracks this county-level permit activity and can provide a free, no-obligation valuation of your specific interest.
Selling Upton County mineral rights to American Royalty Buyers takes four steps: (1) gather your most recent check stub, division order, or lease so you can describe your interest; (2) request a free valuation, in which ARB reviews your net mineral acres, the producing and permitted wells on your acreage in the Midland Basin, and current commodity prices; (3) review the written, no-obligation offer, typically delivered within five business days; and (4) if you accept, ARB handles the title research, curative work, and deed preparation, then funds your lump-sum payment by wire — usually within four to six weeks. ARB is a direct buyer: no broker, and no fees or commissions at any point.
Upton County produces from the Midland Basin . Explore the full basin hub for more on geology, operators, and selling your minerals.
Upton County drilling permits: 66 new permits filed in the trailing 90 days (March 13 – June 11, 2026) (as of June 11, 2026, Texas RRC + New Mexico OCD filings). Permit data (JSON) →
Companies among the most active permit filers in Upton County (trailing 90 days, as of June 13, 2026). Receiving royalty checks from one of these? Get a free valuation.
Royalty checks in Upton County come from the operators drilling there — often under subsidiary or legacy payor names. Here is who pays, and the names to look for on your check (as of June 13, 2026).
Royalty checks tied to APA (Apache)-operated wells in Upton County commonly arrive under: Apache Corporation, APA Corporation.
Royalty checks tied to ExxonMobil-operated wells in Upton County commonly arrive under: XTO Energy, Pioneer Natural Resources, Exxon Mobil Corporation.
Royalty checks tied to Firebird Energy-operated wells in Upton County commonly arrive under: Firebird Energy II LLC.
Royalty checks tied to ConocoPhillips-operated wells in Upton County commonly arrive under: ConocoPhillips Company, Concho Resources, Burlington Resources.
Royalty checks tied to Ovintiv-operated wells in Upton County commonly arrive under: Ovintiv USA Inc., Newfield Exploration, Encana Oil & Gas.
Full payor-name directory · Find your operator from your check stub
The Permian Basin spans West Texas and southeastern New Mexico — the Delaware Basin straddles the state line. ARB buys mineral rights and royalties across these Permian counties in both states.
American Royalty Buyers buys royalty and working interests beyond traditional mineral rights in Upton County, Texas — directly, with no fees. Every value question gets a free, no-obligation valuation.
Yes — American Royalty Buyers buys an overriding royalty interest (ORRI) in Upton County, Texas: a cost-free interest carved out of the lease rather than the minerals, so its value tracks the productive life of the wells on that leasehold. As a direct, principal buyer, ARB makes a written, no-obligation offer with no fees or commissions. How selling ORRI works · Get a free valuation
Yes — American Royalty Buyers buys a non-participating royalty interest (NPRI) in Upton County, Texas: a cost-free royalty with no leasing or bonus rights, valued on current production and the prospect of future drilling. As a direct, principal buyer, ARB makes a written, no-obligation offer with no fees or commissions. How selling NPRI works · Get a free valuation
Yes — American Royalty Buyers buys a non-operated working interest in Upton County, Texas: a cost-bearing interest — ARB assumes the joint-interest billings, AFEs, and end-of-life plugging liability going forward. As a direct, principal buyer, ARB makes a written, no-obligation offer with no fees or commissions. How selling Non-Op WI works · Get a free valuation