Trace the minerals separately when buying McMullen County land

A McMullen County deed can transfer the ranch surface without transferring all the oil and gas below it. Mineral rights can be sold or reserved separately. Have a title company or attorney trace the old deeds and mineral reservations. Do that before treating the sale as a mineral-rights deal.

Nearby wells have a separate paper trail at the Railroad Commission of Texas. Look up who operates a well, its permits, and reported output. Plugging records are there too. Use those records to investigate activity around the tract, not as proof that the seller owns the minerals.

The mineral estate is generally dominant. Its owner or lessee may use the surface as reasonably needed to produce oil or gas. Deeds, leases, city rules, and legal limits can change that right. Resolve both the ownership and surface-use questions before closing.