Oil has been produced in Callahan County since 1923

Oil was discovered in the county in 1923. The Handbook of Texas records total crude production from 1923 to 1991 at more than 79 million barrels, from fields including Cross Plains Townsite, Pioneer, and Cross Cut. The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) regulates all oil and gas activity in the state and maintains public well records for the county.

In Texas, mineral rights can be split from surface rights. When you buy land here, the deed may not include the minerals beneath it, since a prior owner may have sold or reserved them. Ask a title company to do a mineral title search before closing. If you own minerals and there is a producing well on your land, the RRC's online records can show the operator and permit history. The RRC website has a searchable wellbore database.