Unclaimed Mineral Royalties
Unclaimed mineral royalties are payments an operator could not deliver, which after a set period go to the state’s unclaimed property program. Owners who moved, heirs who never updated a division order and owners who never knew they held minerals are common reasons. You can search and claim them free through the state.
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Search the state program
Each state runs its own search for unclaimed oil and gas royalties, and MissingMoney.com, endorsed by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, searches many states at once. Search every state where you, or the person you inherited from, have lived or owned minerals.
Unclaimed royalty search planner
Choose what you know, and the planner lists where to search, with a link to each official state program. Nothing is stored and nothing is sent.
What a claim needs
Expect to prove who you are and that you own the interest, with a deed, a will or probate order and, for an heir, a death certificate. The state pays the claim; no finder is needed.
Claims are usually free to file online or by mail, and the state’s site lists what it accepts.
When the checks stopped for another reason
An operator can hold payments in suspense while a title question or an unsigned division order is sorted out. Contact the operator’s owner relations team first; the operator is named on old check stubs.
Where well and production records are kept
The state oil and gas regulator holds each well’s operator and production history, which shows who should be paying you.
| State | Regulator that holds well and production records |
|---|---|
| Texas | Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) |
| New Mexico | Oil Conservation Division (OCD), EMNRD |
| North Dakota | Department of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas Division |
| Colorado | Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC, formerly COGCC) |
| Pennsylvania | DEP Office of Oil and Gas Management |
| West Virginia | DEP Office of Oil and Gas |
| Louisiana | Department of Energy and Natural Resources (SONRIS system) |
| Wyoming | Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC) |
| Ohio | ODNR Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management |
| Montana | Board of Oil and Gas Conservation (BOGC) |
| Kansas | Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) |
| Utah | Division of Oil, Gas and Mining (DOGM) |
| California | Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM, formerly DOGGR) |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission (AOGC) |
Unclaimed mineral rights you did not know about
You can keep them, lease them, or ask buyers what they would pay. Read Who Owns the Mineral Rights to My Property to confirm the interest first.
One request. Buyers compete in writing. You call the shots.
Keep a recent check stub or the lease handy if you have one; it helps buyers price an offer, but you can ask without either. Nothing goes to a buyer until we have talked with you. If a buyer has already written to you, tell us; that letter becomes the number every other offer has to beat.
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Asking for an offer costs you nothing, and there is no fee when you sell. Usually we buy the interest ourselves, and the offer says so. We may resell it, and that is how we are paid; it never changes the price you agreed.
Your money moves through a licensed title company, escrow agent or closing attorney, never through our hands. Every written offer names its buyer.
Common questions
How do I find unclaimed oil and gas royalties?
Search the free national database at MissingMoney.com by full name, then check the official state programs listed at unclaimed.org for the state where the minerals are, the state where you or the late owner lived, the state where the operator is based, and Delaware, where many operators are incorporated. If checks are still owed but not in the state fund yet, contact the current operator directly.
Why do royalties end up unclaimed?
Usually because the operator cannot deliver the check: an owner moved without updating an address, an owner died without the operator learning who the heirs are, a name is misspelled in the records, or a division order was never signed. The operator holds the money in a suspense account until the owner is found or the funds are turned over to the state.
Is MissingMoney.com legitimate?
Yes. MissingMoney.com is a free site managed by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, the body of official state unclaimed property programs. The official per state programs are listed at unclaimed.org.
Neither charges a fee to search or to claim.
Do I have to pay anyone to claim unclaimed royalties?
No. Searching and claiming your own funds through a state program is free. People who mail you a letter offering to recover the money for a percentage are finders, and you do not need one to file a claim yourself. A state never requires a paid finder.
How long before unclaimed royalties go to the state?
It varies by state, but operators generally must turn over royalties they cannot deliver after roughly 3 to 5 years, a process called escheatment. Before that point the money sits in the operator's suspense account, which is why contacting the operator can recover funds the state does not show yet.
How do I find out who operates a well?
Each state's oil and gas regulator publishes a well and production database searchable by well, operator, or location. The U.S. Geological Survey also keeps an index of links to every state's well data. These records identify the operator of record, who you then contact about suspended royalties or getting into pay status.
Can I claim a relative's unclaimed royalties?
Yes, as an heir. You will generally need proof of your relationship and of the chain of inheritance, such as a death certificate, a will, or an affidavit of heirship, along with your identification. Each state program lists its exact documentation requirements.
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