What are Mineral Rights?
Mineral rights refer to the ownership of the rights to extract minerals such as coal, oil, natural gas, and other substances from a piece of land. The owner of the mineral rights has the right to access the minerals and to sell them, or to lease the rights to extract the minerals to others. The ownership of the mineral rights can be separate from the ownership of the surface rights to the land.
Do you have to have permission from the surface rights owner in order to drill an oil well if the mineral rights owner wants an oil well?
Yes, in most cases, the owner of the mineral rights would need to obtain permission from the owner of the surface rights to drill an oil well on their property. This is because drilling an oil well often involves accessing the minerals beneath the surface of the land, which can impact the use and enjoyment of the surface. The specific terms and conditions of the agreement between the mineral rights owner and the surface rights owner may vary, but it is generally necessary to have a mutually agreed upon arrangement to proceed with drilling.
