The Mineral Rights Podcast: Mineral Rights | Royalties | Oil and Gas | Matt Sands

Hosted by Matt Sands

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Episodes

337

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Welcome to The Mineral Rights Podcast! I'm here to help you to make the most out of your oil and gas mineral rights and royalty interests. From the latest mineral rights news to featured guests, get the knowledge and resources you need to manage your minerals and royalties.

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60 recent

June 11, 2026Episode 33634 min

MRP 336: Listener Questions June 2026

In this month's listener Q&A episode, we answer an interesting mix of questions: from assessing a mining prospect on inherited land in Alabama, to a Texas mineral owner caught in the middle of a confusing pooling-versus-allocation dispute with their operator, to one of the most common (and heartbreaking) situations we hear about — a widow trying to untangle mineral ownership across three states after her husband's passing. Whether you're dealing with unclaimed property, figuring out what your minerals are worth, or just trying to get organized before the worst happens, this episode has something for you. As always, links to the resources mentioned in this episode can be found in the show notes at mineralrightspodcast.com.

June 4, 2026Episode 33520 min

MRP 335: Mineral Rights News June 2026

If you've filled up your gas tank lately, you already know something big is happening in energy markets — and it doesn't look like it's going away anytime soon. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has shut down roughly 14% of the world's oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil and gas prices on a roller coaster ride that has the Federal Reserve worried about inflation, analysts predicting $3+ gas prices through the end of the decade, and even major OPEC members quietly making moves to protect their own interests. For mineral and royalty owners, higher oil prices are a double edged sword. While it can mean stronger royalty checks in the short term, higher gas prices and the trickle down effect into higher prices for just about everything can offset those gains. In this month's news episode, Justin and I break down what's actually happening, cut through the noise, and talk through what it all means for you as a mineral owner. As always, links to the articles discussed can be found in the show notes at mineralrightspodcast.com.

May 28, 2026Episode 33439 min

MRP 334: Finally Know What You Own: Use AI to Turn Your Old Deeds Into a Complete Mineral Rights Inventory

Most mineral owners are sitting on tools that could save them hours of time, catch payment errors they'd never find on their own, and make them far more informed at every step of owning minerals and royalties — and they don't even know it. In this episode, we cover easy, free things you can do right now using tools like ChatGPT and Claude to streamline your mineral management. We also pull back the curtain on the more advanced ways the industry is already using AI to streamline title work, track drilling activity, and audit royalty payments. The key theme running through all of it: AI is an amplifier, not a replacement. The more you understand about your minerals, the more you can get out of these tools. Get my free AI Prompt Guide for Mineral Owners to turn a pile of old deeds into a clean, organized mineral rights inventory — even if you have no technical background and no idea where to start. As always, the links to the resources mentioned in this episode can be found in the show notes at mineralrightspodcast.com.

May 21, 2026Episode 33330 min

MRP 333: The Rise of Enhanced Geothermal Energy and the Mineral Owner's Dilemma

When most people hear "geothermal energy," they think of Iceland, Yellowstone, or hot springs — places where the earth's heat is practically boiling up through the ground on its own. For decades, that image was essentially correct: traditional geothermal power only worked where nature had already done the hard work. But a wave of new technology borrowed directly from the oil and gas industry is changing everything. In this episode, we discuss the rapid advances in Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) — what they are, how far the technology has come since we first covered this topic in 2022, and most importantly, what the legal ownership picture looks like for mineral rights owners as this new energy source begins to scale up. As always, links to the resources mentioned in this episode can be found in the show notes at mineralrightspodcast.com

May 14, 2026Episode 33227 min

MRP 332: Listener Questions May 2026

In this episode, we answer questions submitted by Sara, David, Kevin, Tom, Bradley, and Linda. Topics range from decoding an unsolicited purchase offer to calculating decimal interest for allocation wells crossing multiple units in the East Texas Haynesville, to recovering unclaimed royalties for a deceased parent's estate. Whether you're brand new to mineral ownership or a seasoned buyer, there's something here for you. As always, links to the resources mentioned in this episode can be found in the show notes at mineralrightspodcast.com.

May 7, 2026Episode 33123 min

MRP 331: Mineral Rights News May 2026

In this month's news episode, we break down four major developments shaking up global energy markets in May 2026. From the UAE's sudden departure from OPEC to a widening gap between paper and physical oil prices, the episode covers what these fast-moving events mean for royalty owners who are trying to make sense of their income outlook. We also discuss the Trump administration's meeting with major oil executives, a temporary waiver of the century-old Jones Act, and what the latest rig count data tells us about where the industry is actually headed. As always, links to the articles coverd in this episode can be found in the show notes at mineralrightspodcast.com.

April 30, 2026Episode 33040 min

MRP 330: From Global Oil Markets to Your Mailbox - The Economics of Royalty Income

Your royalty check is the end product of dozens of economic forces working all at once — and most of them have nothing to do with what's happening on your property. In this episode, we break down the economic framework every mineral owner needs to understand: starting with the global or macro-economic forces that set the price of oil and gas, moving to the local and regional factors that determine how much of that price actually reaches your check, and ending with the micro or property-level decisions that affect your long-term income. Whether you inherited your minerals or actively manage them, understanding the big picture helps you make smarter decisions, set realistic expectations, and stop second-guessing every time your royalty check goes up or down. Be sure to check out the show notes at mineralrightspodcast.com for more information!

April 23, 2026Episode 32937 min

MRP 329: Negotiating a Better Oil and Gas Lease

When a landman calls or a lease offer arrives in the mail, most mineral owners don't realize they're at the starting point of a negotiation — not the finish line. In this episode, we use a real question as the jumping-off point for a practical conversation about how to negotiate a better oil and gas lease. We walk through why the first offer is almost never the best one, what third-party lessees are and why they sometimes offer better terms than the operating company itself, and most importantly, why the royalty rate you agree to today will determine the value of your mineral rights for decades to come. We also break down the critical but often overlooked role of cost-free language in protecting your royalty checks from being quietly eroded by post-production deductions, and close with a clear set of steps any mineral owner can take to go into a lease negotiation better prepared. As always, links to the resources mentioned in this episode can be found at mineralrightspodcast.com.

April 16, 2026Episode 32831 min

MRP 328: Listener Questions April 2026

In this episode, we answer questions submitted by Scott, Greg, Charlotte, Clarissa, Sheri, and Paul. In this month's listener Q&A, we tackle a diverse set of questions that reflect the full range of challenges mineral and royalty owners face — from a technical question about appraisal methodology, to a listener navigating a suspicious lease offer, to a Haynesville owner trying to squeeze more value out of a lease negotiation. We also respond to a listener who sent along an article that discussed the Section 45Q carbon capture expansion in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and we provide a comparison to the mineral owner-focused take that we covered in Episode 297. Whether you're just starting to untangle inherited rights or you're deep in lease negotiations with a major operator, this episode has something for you. As before, many of the questions in this episode are covered in more depth in my Mineral Management Basics online course, including how to read a legal description, perform a title search, identify nearby oil and gas activity, and determine whether you should be getting paid on a well. Additional links to resources mentioned in this episode can be found in the show notes at mineralrightspodcast.com.

April 9, 2026Episode 32725 min

MRP 327: Mineral Rights News April 2026

In this month's news episode, we break down the energy market fallout from the U.S.-Iran conflict and what it actually means for oil prices (and your royalty checks) for the forseeable future. As compared to the start of the conflict, recent infrastructure damage has fundamentally changed the price recovery timeline. We also review how global strategic petroleum reserves are being tapped as a stopgap measure, which specific facilities were hit and why it matters, and why U.S. natural gas prices have so far been shielded from the chaos overseas. On the home front, we also cover a brewing political battle in Colorado that could directly affect mineral and royalty owners in the state, and close with a look at the rig count and what to expect from drilling activity in the months ahead. As always, links to the articles discussed in this episode can be found in the show notes at mineralrightspodcast.com.