In this analysis, we reviewed public mineral deed records from 68 counties. The charts and maps featured below are generated using Convey640 data. Please note that this article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as investment advice.
INTRO
It’s that time of the year again, as we proudly present our annual report on mineral activity in the state of Oklahoma for the year 2023. Remarkably, this marks the fifth consecutive year of our publication, and it’s astonishing to reflect upon how far we’ve come since the inception of Convey640.
If you’re interested in exploring our historical reports, you can access them through the links provided below:
Minerals of Oklahoma 2022
Minerals of Oklahoma 2021
Minerals of Oklahoma 2020
Minerals of Oklahoma 2019
But enough about the past; let’s dive right into the data you’ve been eagerly awaiting – the comprehensive insights from 2023!
WHO (GRANTEE)
The Top 10 Grantee chart is based on the number of tracts acquired, not mineral acres.
As we have mentioned in the past, the number of tracts acquired throughout the year is not the best indicator of who is spending the most capital.
- A 0.25 net mineral acre tract is counted with the same weight as a 250 net mineral acre tract. Therefore, we examined the total consideration below to get a better idea of who is actively spending in Oklahoma.
- We removed Grantees that appeared to be Trust-related transactions for this analysis to be more company-related.
The standout highlight of the 2023 Grantee chart undoubtedly revolves around the dominant presence of Eckard Cornerstone, LLC.
This particular entity of Eckard acquired assets of Cobblestone Minerals. If you remember back to Minerals of Oklahoma 2022, Cobblestone acquired assets from LongPoint Minerals.
WHO (GRANTOR)
Now that we have examined the number of Grantees, let’s examine the number of Grantors. Within Convey640, you can view the Grantors associated with each Grantee and gain a clear understanding of the buying, selling, and brokering activities occurring.
As mentioned earlier, Cobblestone Minerals transferred a large number of mineral tracts to Eckard Cornerstone LLC. It’s important to clarify that we have not standardized the Grantor names, which is why you may observe multiple appearances of Cobblestone in the below chart. This variance in naming conventions is a result of the practices employed by the individual county clerks. In the Grantor chart below, we are presenting the data in its unaltered form.
HOW MUCH & WHEN
As stated above, we believe that the total amount of consideration recorded is the best, publicly available indicator of who is actively investing in minerals.
- Consideration is based on the Doc Stamp Recorded (75 Cents Per $500).
The total consideration recorded across the examined counties amounted to slightly over $419 million, which represents a significant decrease compared to the previous year when it stood at around $700 million.
Why did this decline occur? One evident factor could be the downward trend in oil prices during the latter half of 2022 and the early part of 2023, leading to lower valuations for mineral assets. Another possibility is that buyers in 2023 were not actively pursuing tier 1 acreage, which is a topic of discussion in the Permian Basin concerning the remaining available prime acreage for acquisition. Additionally, the political landscape and its relationship with the oil and gas industry may have played a role, causing potential buyers to exercise caution.
Numerous factors, some intricate and beyond my expertise, could contribute to this decline in consideration for 2023, but I will refrain from speculating further and stay within my area of knowledge. I just wanted you to be aware that the total consideration for 2023 was indeed lower.
So who were the top Grantees based on consideration recorded? The chart below provides a visual representation of the top Grantees’ percentage of the total. Since the chart might be hard to read in email, I also listed them for your convenience.
ECKARD 41.01%
L3 RESOURCES LLC 4.61%
EMERALD BAY ROYALTIES LLC 4.29%
PHX MINERALS INC 2.11%
BUFFALO BAYOU RESOURCES 1.70%
MONTAGE MINERALS LLC 1.69%
ADVOCATE OIL & GAS LLC 1.62%
CASTLEROCK RESOURCES INC 1.52%
OGI MINERALS LLC 1.36%
T3 ENERGY LLC 1.30%
OTHER 38.79%
The top ten Grantees, based on consideration, collectively invested a staggering $256 million, accounting for approximately 61% of the total expenditure within the state!
It’s worth noting that in 2023, Eckard and others made acquisitions through multiple entities, and for simplicity, we consolidated them and quickly standardized their names for a more accurate illustration of the top entities.
Congratulations to the top mineral buyers of 2023! Moreover, kudos to all of the Grantees who contribute to the state’s prosperity by investing in its mineral resources.
When examining the number of tracts acquired per month, we observe that the majority of the months displayed relatively similar figures. August 2023 stands out, primarily because that’s when Eckard acquired the aforementioned tracts from Cobblestone Minerals.
When it comes to November, the numbers took a bit of a breather – maybe they were on a Thanksgiving break! But remember, we’re here to lay out the data, and we’ll leave the fun conclusions to you.
WHERE
The Anadarko Basin emerged as the primary hub for mineral activity.
- This chart is based on the number of tracts recorded.
If we filter to the Top 10 consideration Grantees and map their tracts, we can see that most of the capital was spent in the SCOOP and STACK regions, which has been the story for the past few years. But also notice the green tracts in Ellis County and Roger Mills County. Western Oklahoma has had some promising well results recently, and some geologists think the region has a lot of potential. That’s great news for Oklahoma!
Mineral buyers generally prefer to acquire assets ahead of drilling activities to maximize their potential for profit, strategically aligning their purchases with permit filings and new OCC applications. The following two maps depict the distribution of permits across the state in 2023. The first map exclusively showcases the permits, while the second map overlays the permits with the mineral tracts held by the top 10 Grantees.
CLOSING
Although 2023 saw a dip in consideration levels compared to 2022, my optimism about Oklahoma’s potential remains steadfast. The region continues to showcase numerous strengths, especially with the new encouraging well results emerging from Western Oklahoma. Additionally, should the gas sector stage a comeback, Oklahoma offers promising gas plays in the Arkoma region. As a company whose data coverage exclusively focuses on Oklahoma, we prefer to maintain an optimistic outlook.
Now, it’s time to highlight our platform, Convey640! If you’re actively involved in buying, leasing, or drilling activities in Oklahoma, I recommend exploring our comprehensive platform. It’s a source of pride for us that many leading companies rely on Convey640 daily, and we’d be thrilled to have you and your team join us if you haven’t already.
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