County told mineral valuations and production are down; commissioners warned to expect budget pressure

Scurry County staff presented a preliminary mineral valuation outlook that showed declining production and projected price drops that will likely reduce mineral-derived revenues and require budget adjustments.

The presenter reported preliminary 2025 production of about 9.3 million barrels and said top operators account for a large share of production. The transcript records a projected 2026 oil price near $53.26 per barrel and lower gas-price projections; presenters repeatedly cautioned that these figures are preliminary and that final appraisals arrive in May.

"So what this means is that we're gonna have to really look at the budget this coming year and see what we need to do," Unidentified Speaker 1 said, urging awareness that mineral revenues are expected to be down. Staff noted the county has hundreds of leases and thousands of wells and that a small set of operators account for most production and value.

Commissioners discussed the need to diversify revenues and watch forecasts closely; no final budget decisions were made at the meeting. The county will receive final mineral appraisal values in May and will return to budget planning as those figures become available.