Permian Basin Royalty Trust Reveals Resolution of Blackbeard Lawsuit
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Aug 19 2025
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Source: Newsfilter
Settlement Agreement: Argent Trust Company, as Trustee of the Permian Basin Royalty Trust, has reached a settlement with Blackbeard Operating, LLC regarding a lawsuit over unpaid royalties amounting to over $9 million.
Payment Terms: Blackbeard will pay the Trust a total of $9 million, with an initial payment of $4.5 million due within 30 days and the remaining amount in four quarterly installments throughout 2026.
Operational Agreements: The settlement includes provisions for overhead rates charged to the Trust, third-party charges for salt water disposal, and allows for annual site audits by the Trust at its expense.
Future Reporting: Blackbeard is required to provide agreed reporting to the Trustee going forward, ensuring predictability in future royalty payments calculations.
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About PBT
Permian Basin Royalty Trust is an express trust. Its Waddell Ranch Properties has mineral interests in the Waddell Ranch. Its Waddell Ranch Properties have proved reserves in six fields: Dune, Sand Hills (Judkins), Sand Hills (McKnight), Sand Hills (Tubb), University-Waddell (Devonian) and Waddell. The Waddell Ranch properties contain approximately 918 (net) productive oil wells and 111 (net) productive gas wells. The Blackbeard Operating, LLC is an operator of record of the Waddell Ranch properties. In the six fields, there are 12 producing zones ranging in depth from 2,800 to 10,600 feet. The prolific of these zones are the Grayburg and San Andres, which produce from depths between 2,800 and 3,400 feet. Also productive from San Andres are the Sand Hills gas field and the Sand Hills oil field, the Dune (Grayburg/San Andres) oil field, and the Waddell (Grayburg/San Andres) oil field. The Dune and Waddell oil fields are productive from both the Grayburg and San Andres formations.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Permian Basin Royalty Trust Declares $0.013198 Cash Distribution Per Unit
- Cash Distribution Announcement: The Permian Basin Royalty Trust declared a cash distribution of $0.013198 per unit, payable on January 15, 2026, reflecting a decrease from the previous month due to production costs exceeding revenues.
- Production Cost Impact: The absence of proceeds from the Waddell Ranch properties indicates ongoing cost pressures, which may adversely affect future distributions and highlight the financial challenges faced by the Trust.
- Oil and Gas Production Data: Texas Royalty Properties reported production of 13,834 barrels of oil and 12,089 Mcf of gas, with oil priced at $60.17 per barrel, resulting in a net profit of $793,696 for the month, illustrating the impact of lower production volumes on overall revenues.
- Shareholder Voting Outcome: At the special meeting on December 16, 2025, approximately 59.9% of unitholders voted in favor of SoftVest's proposal to modify the Trust Indenture, which could streamline future amendments and influence the governance structure of the Trust.
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Permian Basin Royalty Trust Declares $0.013198 Cash Distribution Per Unit
- Cash Distribution Announcement: The Permian Basin Royalty Trust declared a cash distribution of $0.013198 per unit, payable on January 15, 2026, reflecting the inability of Waddell Ranch properties to contribute proceeds due to production costs exceeding revenues.
- Impact of Production Costs: This month's distribution decreased compared to the previous month primarily due to lower oil volumes from Texas Royalty Properties, despite higher natural gas volumes and pricing, indicating direct market volatility effects on distributions.
- Voting Outcome Analysis: At the special meeting held on December 16, 2025, approximately 59.9% of unitholders voted in favor of SoftVest's non-binding proposal, demonstrating strong investor interest in amending the Trust's indenture despite its non-binding nature.
- Uncertain Future Outlook: Ongoing global market conditions continue to affect domestic production pricing, making future distribution predictions increasingly difficult, reflecting potential long-term impacts on the Trust's financial health due to market instability.
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