There is no standard oil and gas royalty rate. Oil and gas royalties paid to mineral rights owners depend on several factors and are negotiable. Because market factors that drive oil and gas royalty rates vary over time, newer leases in high-demand areas can earn higher royalties than older leases. If you are a landowner trapped in a lease paying lower than market royalties, evaluate the terms of your lease carefully. There may be circumstances that provide an opportunity to break an existing oil or gas lease, freeing you to negotiate a new, more favorable lease. Although Texas statutes address the rights of landowners in oil and gas leases, no authority is charged with oversight to ensure private landowners are getting paid due to royalties. Landowners have few options but to take matters into their own hands, carefully monitor their interests, and go to court when necessary. It is not uncommon for oil and gas companies to find ways to shave money out of oil and gas royalty payments by under-reporting production, overstating post-production expenses, and other means. When they do, an experienced Houston litigation attorney can bring the resources and expertise to make a strong case against them and claim the royalties you are owed.