In this episode, we share our favorite tools and resources for managing mineral rights and royalties effectively. As we have discussed in the past, there are four key phases to getting a handle on your minerals: knowing what you own, understanding different types of oil and gas interests, locating your property and researching activity, and determining value. Mineral and royalty management is a step-by-step journey where different tools become relevant at different times so we talk about the essential tools that we recommend for each step in your mineral management journey.

Be sure to bookmark the show notes for this episode which you can find at mineralrightspodcast.com.

In this episode of the Mineral Rights Podcast, I cover significant developments affecting mineral and royalty owners across the United States. The episode examines North Dakota's recent legislation establishing royalty rates for rare earth minerals, analyzes the implications of the new US-Ukraine critical minerals agreement on US mineral owners, highlights a major USGS resource assessment in Wyoming, and provides the latest drilling activity updates.

As always, links to the articles mentioned and additional resources can be found at mineralrightspodcast.com.

Jon Corkern serves as Executive Director of the National Association of Royalty Owners (NARO), bringing a unique combination of nonprofit management expertise and personal mineral ownership experience to the role. His path to NARO began not through an oil and gas industry background, but as a mineral rights owner who found himself overwhelmed by lease offers and complex paperwork related to his mineral interests. Like many NARO members, Corkern initially had no idea how to evaluate whether offers were fair or what steps he should take to protect his interests. Through his connection with past NARO president David Smith, he discovered the organization and quickly recognized both its value and his potential to contribute. His background in managing nonprofit organizations, combined with his firsthand understanding of the challenges mineral owners face, made him an ideal fit for leading NARO's mission to educate and support royalty owners across the country. Under his leadership, NARO continues to expand its educational resources and member services while working to increase awareness of the organization among mineral owners who often struggle in isolation with complex industry decisions.

For a limited time, new members can save $25 off an introductory membership. More information can be found in the show notes at mineralrightspodcast.com.

In this episode of the Mineral Rights Podcast, we provide a comprehensive checklist for mineral owners on handling division orders. From what division orders are, how to verify your decimal interest is correct, when to get professional help, and best practices for documentation. This essential guide helps ensure you get paid correctly from the start so you can protect your interests when a new well begins producing.

As always, the resources mentioned in this episode can be found in the show notes at mineralrightspodcast.com.

In this episode, we tackle a diverse set of listener questions submitted by Jim, Greg, Shelly, Sean, Denny, and Christie. Questions range from hedging strategies against oil price fluctuations to taxation of royalties held in suspense, resolving payment discrepancies, tracking down mineral ownership documentation, and managing working interests.

As always links to the resources mentioned in this episode can be found in the show notes at mineralrightspodcast.com.

In this month’s news, we discuss moves by the Trump administration to accelerate energy project approvals and development of critical minerals like lithium, latest Arkansas lithium developments, how the industry is responding to falling oil prices and economic uncertainty from tariffs. Meanwhile, natural gas prices remain stable, providing some security for royalty owners during a period of oil price volatility, and we give an update on the current drilling activity across major U.S. basins!

As always, links to the articles discussed can be found in the show notes at mineralrightspodcast.com.

In this month’s episode, we answer listener questions submitted by Jonathan, Stephen, Lisa, Michael, Nancy, James, and Greg. From interpreting well production tests, cost of mineral rights valuations, emerging lithium opportunities in Pennsylvania, concerns about missing royalty payments after an operator bankruptcy, understanding why your well was shut in, timing mineral sales around the election and lithium rights in leases, and filing mineral deeds after a surface property sale.

As always, links to the resources mentioned in this episode can be found in the show notes at mineralrightspodcast.com.

In this month’s mineral rights news episode, we analyze the unexpected OPEC announcement of plans to raise output by 411,000 barrels per day starting in May 2025 coupled with tariffs that sent oil prices tumbling 7%. We also examine how the Trump administration's new tariff policies are reshaping global energy markets, particularly for LNG exports, and discuss the implications of secondary tariffs targeting countries importing Venezuelan oil. Plus, we review the latest rig count data showing a potential shift toward natural gas production in several key basins.

As always, links to the articles discussed can be found in the show notes at mineralrightspodcast.com.