What is the difference between oil and gas mineral interests, royalty interests, and overriding royalty interests?
The term royalties is used interchangeable to mean either oil and gas mineral interests, royalty interests, or overriding royalty interests. These three interests are similar in that they all receive revenue from the production of oil and gas from a well. They do not pay for drilling or the monthly operating expenses of the well. There is a small difference between mineral interests and royalty interests, and a greater difference between mineral interests and royalty interests and overriding royalty interests. Mineral interests and royalty interests both involve ownership of the minerals under the ground. The main difference between the two is that the owner of a mineral interest has the right to execute leases and collect bonus payments and the owner of royalty interests does not execute leases or collect bonus payments. They both receive a portion of the income once the well is producing, but only the mineral owner receives an up-front bonus payment. Overriding royalty interests do n
