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Wyoming · DJ Basin North · Silo Field

Sell Mineral Rights
in Laramie County,
Wyoming.

Laramie County is the third-largest oil-producing county in Wyoming and the place where the DJ Basin runs over the state line from Colorado. If you own mineral rights here, you are likely sitting on the same Niobrara and Codell rock that has made Weld County famous, just on the Wyoming side of it. We are happy to help you understand what you have.

10%
of WY Oil
2024 state production
~7,000ft
Niobrara Depth
typical TVD
10,000ft
Standard Lateral
2-mile horizontal
4
Niobrara Benches
A, B, C, Fort Hays
1,280ac
Standard DSU
2 section spacing
01 The Basin

Where the DJ Basin
crosses into Wyoming.

The Denver Julesburg Basin is best known for its core in Weld County, Colorado, where the Wattenberg Field has been producing since the 1970s. What is less commonly understood is that the same basin extends north over the state line into Wyoming, and Laramie County sits on that productive trend.

According to the Wyoming State Geological Survey, Laramie County produced roughly 10 percent of all Wyoming oil in 2024, ranking third statewide behind Converse and Campbell counties in the Powder River Basin. That share has been growing as horizontal Niobrara and Codell development has matured. Laramie County's oil play is very much alive, and it is structurally a different basin from the PRB to the north.

If you are reading this, you probably own a piece of that. Maybe it came through a will, a letter showed up in the mail with an offer to lease, or you are trying to make sense of a royalty statement. This page is for you.

Laramie County is the Wyoming side of the same productive Niobrara trend that runs through Weld County. The geology does not stop at the state line.

The short answer to the question everyone asks first is yes, Laramie County minerals can have meaningful value, particularly in the historic Silo Field area and the Hereford trend along the Colorado border. The longer answer depends on which formations sit beneath your specific section, who the operator is, your lease terms, and where in the county you are. We walk through all of it below.

Starting point

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02 The Rock

Stacked pay. Multiple zones,
one spacing unit.

Laramie County's productive geology is the same Cretaceous-age stack that drives the broader DJ Basin to the south. The Niobrara is the primary horizontal target, with the Codell co-developed beneath it and a long history of conventional production from older sandstones below. The same acre of Laramie County minerals can produce royalty income from multiple wells targeting different rock layers.

NiobraraA, B, C, and Fort Hays

The Niobrara is the primary unconventional target across most of Laramie County. It is a calcareous shale-and-chalk formation deposited during the Late Cretaceous, and in the DJ Basin it is divided into multiple benches. The Silo Field area, discovered by Amoco in 1980 and the original horizontal Niobrara field in the basin, produces from natural fractures within four limestone benches layered with organic-rich shale.

For mineral owners in Laramie County, the practical consequence is similar to Weld County: a single 1,280-acre drilling and spacing unit can host multiple Niobrara wells stacked across the benches. Your decimal interest applies to each of them.

Depth Range
5,500 to 8,500 ft
Type
Calcareous shale & chalk
Typical Lateral
7,500 to 10,000 ft
Lead Operators
North Silo, SM Energy
Codelltight sandstone

The Codell sits just below the Niobrara C bench and is the second major horizontal target in Laramie County. It is a thin tight sandstone, typically 3 to 25 feet thick across the broader DJ Basin, that responds well to modern multi-stage hydraulic fracturing. North Silo Resources, the largest current leaseholder in the county, lists Codell alongside Niobrara as its primary targets.

Codell wells are often drilled on the same spacing unit as Niobrara wells, adding another layer of royalty income for the underlying mineral owner. The two intervals are also commonly co-mingled in single wells, which is referred to as the Codell-Niobrara interval in production reports.

Depth Range
5,800 to 8,800 ft
Type
Tight sandstone
Thickness
3 to 25 ft
Common Completion
Paired with Niobrara
J SandMuddy / Dakota

The J Sand, sometimes called the Muddy or Dakota depending on the operator, is the historical conventional producer of Laramie County. Horse Creek Field, just to the south, has produced over 8 million barrels from this formation. Many older Laramie County leases originate from vertical J Sand wells drilled in the 1970s and 1980s.

Modern horizontal activity in the J Sand is limited, but legacy royalty income from older vertical wells continues across many parts of the county. If your minerals have been producing since before 2010, there is a good chance your royalty income originates from a J Sand or similar conventional well.

Depth Range
6,500 to 8,500 ft
Type
Sandstone
Era of Development
1970s to present
Well Type
Conventional, mostly
03 The Operators

Who is drilling on your
Laramie County minerals.

Laramie County's operator landscape leans more private than the PRB to the north and more fragmented than the Weld County core to the south. The 2010-era land rush brought several public operators in for a few years, but most have since divested or deemphasized their positions. The active program today is driven primarily by private operators who know the basin and have stayed through the cycles.

i.
North Silo Resources
North Silo Resources is a privately owned exploration and production company managed by Boomtown Oil LLC, whose principals have operated in the DJ Basin for over a decade. The company describes itself as the largest leaseholder in Laramie County, with production exceeding 9,000 barrels of oil per day. Primary targets are the Codell and Niobrara, with development concentrated in townships north and east of Cheyenne. North Silo is currently the most active driller of new horizontal wells in the county.
Private · Active driller
Largest Leaseholder
ii.
Occidental Petroleum (Anadarko legacy)
Occidental acquired the Anadarko Petroleum DJ Basin position through its 2019 acquisition. While Oxy's modern focus is concentrated in the Wattenberg Field in Weld County, the Anadarko legacy footprint extends north into the Wyoming portion of the basin. Some Laramie County mineral owners receive royalty checks tied to Anadarko-era leases that are now under Occidental operation or have been farmed out.
Anadarko legacy
Legacy Position
iii.
SM Energy
SM Energy was one of the early drivers of the modern Niobrara play in Laramie County. The company's Atlas well in the Silo Field area produced an initial seven-day rate of about 1,075 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2010, helping to ignite the Wyoming portion of the broader Niobrara land rush. SM has since shifted most of its focus to the Permian, but legacy production and acreage interests in the Silo area remain relevant for some mineral owners.
Silo Field history
Legacy Operator
iv.
Continental Resources
Continental built a meaningful Laramie County position during the 2011 Niobrara push, with most of its broader DJ Basin acreage spread across Goshen, Platte, and Laramie counties in Wyoming. Continental went private in late 2022, which has reduced public visibility into its development plans. Mineral owners with Continental leases or royalty exposure may need to research current development through WOGCC filings rather than public investor materials.
Private · Multi-county
Private Operator
v.
Private Independents & Long Tail
Roughly 17 active oil and gas operators are currently producing wells in Laramie County, with a long tail of small private independents holding fractional interests, legacy positions from the 2010-2014 land rush, and pockets of conventional production from older fields like Horse Creek. Several formerly active public operators (Apache, Bill Barrett, MDU Fidelity, and Gungnir Resources) have exited or divested over the past decade, with their positions absorbed by private operators or retained by mineral owners directly.
Mixed · Long tail
~17 Active Operators
See a familiar name?

We know how these operators develop in Laramie County. Happy to give you context on yours.

Ask About Your Operator →
04 The Geography

Not all Laramie County
minerals are built the same.

Laramie County covers roughly 2,700 square miles and runs from the Colorado border in the south to the Goshen and Platte county lines in the north. The most productive acreage is concentrated in the central and northern part of the county, with structural features like the Silo Field driving much of the historical production. Where your minerals sit shapes everything that comes next.

Silo Field Area
T15N-T17N
R63W-R65W
The historic and modern core of Laramie County oil. Silo Field, discovered by Amoco in 1980 and the basin's first horizontal Niobrara field, sits seventeen miles northeast of Cheyenne. North Silo Resources is the largest current leaseholder. Mineral interests in this area benefit from a long production history plus active modern drilling.
Activity: Highest Development: Active
Hereford Trend
T12N-T14N
R64W-R67W
The southernmost part of Laramie County, where the Niobrara play extends north out of Weld County across the Colorado border. EOG Resources sparked the modern DJ Niobrara play with its Jake well in nearby Weld County, and the same productive trend continues into this part of Laramie. Historically active and an area of ongoing operator interest.
Activity: High Development: Continuing
Cheyenne & Southern Laramie
T13N-T15N
R65W-R67W
The county seat and metropolitan area. As Cheyenne has grown, oil and gas development has had to navigate residential setbacks and infrastructure constraints, similar in pattern to the dynamics in southern Weld County. Existing permitted locations in this area can be more valuable because new permits are harder to obtain.
Activity: Constrained Development: Permitted-premium
Northern Laramie / Goshen Border
T18N-T22N
R63W-R67W
The northern reach of the county, transitioning into Goshen and Platte counties along the basin's northern flank. This area saw significant land position-building during the 2010-2014 Niobrara rush, much of which has been since divested. Modern activity is more selective but the underlying geology remains attractive.
Activity: Selective Development: Targeted
Eastern Laramie
T13N-T20N
R60W-R63W
Eastern Laramie trends toward the Nebraska border and the basin's eastern margin. The deep Niobrara play thins here, and most legacy production comes from older J Sand and Muddy wells. Modern horizontal activity is limited, but legacy royalty income on producing tracts continues.
Activity: Light Development: Legacy
Western Laramie
T13N-T22N
R67W-R71W
Western Laramie rises toward the Laramie Mountains, where the basin shallows and the productive Niobrara fairway pinches out. Some conventional production exists here, often from older fields, but mineral values are typically lower than in the central trend.
Activity: Limited Development: Legacy
05 Your Valuation

What your Laramie County
mineral rights are worth.

There is no universal formula. Valuation in Laramie County is shaped by the same fundamentals as the broader DJ Basin (current production, future development, operator quality, lease terms, market conditions) but with an extra dimension: where your minerals sit on the spectrum between Silo Field core and basin-margin matters more here than in the Wattenberg core. What follows are the four scenarios we see most often.

01
Producing Minerals with Active Royalty Income
Valued on a cash flow multiple
If your Laramie County minerals are actively producing and you are receiving monthly royalty checks, valuation typically starts with the trailing twelve months of royalty income. A buyer applies a multiple based on expected remaining reserves, well decline curves, and commodity price outlook. Modern Niobrara horizontals in the Silo Field area or Hereford trend tend to carry stronger multiples than legacy J Sand wells, but both can have real value.
What shapes the number: well vintage and remaining productive life, which formations are currently producing beneath your acreage, your royalty rate, commodity price outlook, remaining drilling locations in the spacing unit, and whether your lease permits cost deductions for transportation and processing.
02
Unleased Minerals in an Active Development Area
Valued on future potential
Unleased minerals in Laramie County, especially in the central Niobrara fairway, are valued on expected development timing and future royalty potential. A buyer looks at nearby permit filings, operator acreage positions, and recent pooling activity. Unleased minerals carry significant optionality because a buyer can negotiate the lease terms themselves at or before the next pooling cycle.
What shapes the number: nearby permit activity, operator acreage position and development pace, formation quality beneath your specific section, proximity to active drilling, comparable lease bonuses being paid on surrounding tracts, and whether the section is likely to be force pooled in the near term.
03
Small Fractional Interests & Inherited Positions
Often overlooked, often worth more than expected
Many Laramie County mineral owners hold small fractional interests inherited across generations. These positions often get ignored by larger buyers because they are too much work for the ticket size. We pay them the same attention as larger interests and we are comfortable doing the title research on fractional chains that cross multiple heirs, which are common in Laramie County due to the long history of Cheyenne-area land grants and railroad ownership patterns.
What shapes the number: net mineral acre count, royalty rate if leased, producing status of the underlying wells, operator quality, and whether other heirs holding the same mineral chain are also ready to move. Small interests are not small value, especially on producing tracts in the Silo or Hereford areas.
04
Leased but Not Yet Producing
Valued on lease terms and proximity to activity
If your Laramie County minerals are leased but not yet producing, value depends on the lease terms, the operator holding the lease, and how close active drilling has moved toward your acreage. Wyoming primary terms are often three to five years, and Pugh clauses are common. A lease held by an active driller like North Silo Resources is worth materially more than one held by a passive leaseholder waiting on commodity prices.
What shapes the number: your royalty rate, primary term expiration, Pugh clause and cost deduction language, the specific operator holding the lease, and how close active drilling has moved toward your section.
Your specific situation

We would rather look at real facts than speak in generalities. Send us what you have.

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06 The Regulatory Landscape

Wyoming rules,
DJ Basin realities.

Laramie County's regulatory framework is the standard Wyoming oil and gas regime, but the on-the-ground realities differ from the Powder River Basin counties to the north. The DSU is larger, the federal land overlap is smaller, and Cheyenne's urban growth introduces setback considerations that look more like southern Weld County than like rural PRB ranchland.

The WOGCC and how pooling works

The Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, established in 1951, is the primary regulator for state and private oil and gas in Laramie County. It administers well permitting, pooling, spacing, and production reporting. The WOGCC holds public hearings on the second Tuesday of each month in Casper, where operators bring forward applications and where mineral owners can object or testify if they choose. Wyoming allows forced pooling with a lower consent threshold than Colorado, which means an operator can move forward with development on a spacing unit that includes your unleased minerals more quickly.

Standard 1,280 acre DSU pattern

Unlike the Powder River Basin counties to the north, where the regulatory base DSU is 640 acres (one section), modern DJ Basin development in Laramie County typically uses 1,280 acre (two section) drilling and spacing units. This matches the pattern in Weld County across the state line, and reflects the way Niobrara horizontal laterals are designed at roughly two-mile lengths. If you receive pooling notices or unit agreements that reference 1,280-acre units, this is normal for Laramie County.

The BLM Cheyenne Field Office and federal lands

Federal mineral interests in Laramie County are administered by the BLM Cheyenne Field Office, separate from the Buffalo Field Office that covers the Powder River Basin counties. Federal mineral leasing happens on a quarterly schedule with standardized lease terms. Laramie County has less federal mineral land than the PRB counties, but federal interests do exist along certain trends and require somewhat different procedures than state and private minerals.

Cheyenne urban growth and setbacks

As Cheyenne has expanded, oil and gas development around the metropolitan area has had to navigate the same setback dynamics that reshaped southern Weld County in Colorado, though Wyoming's state-level rules are less restrictive. Existing permitted locations near the Cheyenne urban edge tend to be more valuable because new permits are harder to obtain. If your minerals are within a few miles of the Cheyenne city limits, the regulatory analysis is more involved than for rural acreage.

07 Questions We Hear Often

The real questions
mineral owners ask.

We have been through these conversations hundreds of times. Below are the honest answers to the things people actually want to know.

01
How much are mineral rights worth in Laramie County, Wyoming?
Values in Laramie County vary widely depending on where in the county you own, whether your minerals are leased or producing, who the operator is, and how much drilling activity is happening near your section. Acreage in the Silo Field area or the Hereford trend along the Colorado border tends to be most actively pursued. Two interests a few miles apart can have genuinely different values. The only way to know what your specific minerals are worth is to look at the actual facts. We are happy to do that for you, at no cost and with no obligation to sell.
02
Why is Laramie County DJ Basin and not Powder River like Converse and Campbell?
Laramie County sits in southeastern Wyoming, where the Denver Julesburg Basin extends north out of Colorado over the state line. Converse, Campbell, and Johnson counties are part of the Powder River Basin, a separate hydrocarbon basin in northeastern Wyoming with different formations, depths, and operator profiles. For Laramie County mineral owners, the relevant comparisons are usually Weld County, Colorado and the broader Wattenberg Field rather than the PRB.
03
I inherited mineral rights in Laramie County but I do not have any documents. What do I do?
You are not alone. This is a common situation. Start by gathering anything you do have: old letters from operators, tax statements, probate records, division orders, royalty stubs. The Laramie County Clerk's office in Cheyenne keeps recorded deed records that go back well over a century, and the WOGCC database has well and operator records that are publicly searchable. We can usually identify what someone owns with just a name and a rough idea of where the minerals are located, because Wyoming mineral ownership is well documented when you know where to look.
04
Should I sell my Laramie County mineral rights now or hold them?
That depends on your situation. People who hold typically want long-term royalty income, do not need cash for other priorities, and are comfortable with commodity price volatility. People who sell typically want to convert future uncertain income into certain present value, simplify their estate, or use the capital for something else. Neither is wrong. Laramie County's modern Niobrara play has been more episodic than Weld County's, with land rushes followed by quieter periods, so timing matters more here than in some basins. We can help you think through the tradeoffs without pressure to pick a side.
05
What is the difference between an offer to lease and an offer to buy my minerals?
Leasing gives an operator the right to develop your minerals for a period of time, typically three to five years in Wyoming, with extension if production is established. In exchange you receive a bonus payment per net mineral acre and a royalty percentage on any production. You still own the minerals. Buying transfers ownership entirely, in exchange for a lump sum. After a sale, you no longer own the minerals and you receive no future royalties. Both have their place. Buying typically delivers more value up front, leasing preserves long-term upside.
06
I just received a pooling notice from the WOGCC. What does that mean?
A pooling notice is a strong signal that an operator is preparing to drill on a spacing unit that includes your minerals. Wyoming's pooling process is fairly permissive, so the operator can typically move forward whether or not you sign a voluntary lease. Your options are roughly three: negotiate a voluntary lease with the operator before the hearing (usually preferable), participate as a working interest owner (rarely the right move for passive owners because you take on a share of well costs), or accept the default terms of the pooling order. Most owners benefit from the negotiation path. We are happy to help you understand the order and your options.
07
My minerals are on federal land. Does that change anything?
Yes, somewhat. Federal minerals in Laramie County are administered by the BLM Cheyenne Field Office (separate from the Buffalo Field Office that covers the Powder River Basin). Federal leases are issued on a quarterly schedule with standardized rather than negotiated terms. Royalty rates on federal leases are typically 12.5 percent for older leases or 16.67 percent for newer leases under the Inflation Reduction Act. None of this prevents you from selling federal minerals, but the analysis is slightly different. Laramie County has less federal mineral coverage than the PRB counties to the north.
08
Can I sell mineral rights I inherited if other family members inherited the same minerals?
Yes, you can sell your undivided fractional interest without needing the other heirs to participate. This is extremely common in Laramie County, where many interests have been subdivided across generations of heirs, often spread across multiple states. A good buyer will work with your specific interest, not require you to round up cousins. We do this all the time.
09
How does the sale process actually work?
Step one, we do the research. You send us what you have, we pull WOGCC and BLM records, we check operator activity in the spacing unit, and we build an analysis. Step two, we send you a written summary with our reasoning. Step three, if you want to proceed, we handle the mineral deed preparation, you sign at a notary, and funds are wired at close. We move on your timeline, whether that is quick or deliberate. There is no charge for the research and no obligation to sell.
10
Why should I sell to Timberline Minerals specifically?
We are a family-owned office with roots in Texas and Montana. We work across the primary US basins but we spend most of our time in the Powder River Basin and the DJ Basin, which means we know Laramie County geology, the operators working here, and the way WOGCC handles things. Laramie County sits on the same productive trend that runs through Weld County, and we work both sides of that line regularly. We work with mineral interests of all sizes. You should always get multiple offers and we encourage it. If ours is not the best one you receive, that is useful information for you. Either way, we are happy to help you understand what you have.

Find out what your
Laramie County minerals
are actually worth.

Send us what you have, or what you think you have. We will pull WOGCC and BLM records, check operator activity in your section, and put together a plain-English summary with our reasoning laid out. If it makes sense to go further, we move on your timeline. If not, you have a free breakdown you can take anywhere.

Request a Valuation (512) 626-7267
Free · No Obligation · Your Timeline
08 Keep Reading

More for Laramie County
mineral owners.

Guide · 7 min read
Wyoming WOGCC: what mineral owners should know
What the WOGCC does, how Wyoming pooling works, and where to look up activity in your section.
Read the guide  →
Guide · 6 min read
I inherited mineral rights. What now?
A walkthrough of the first few things to look at, whether you just found out or have been sitting on it for years.
Read the guide  →
Guide · 6 min read
What is a pooling order?
If you received a pooling notice from the WOGCC, here is what it actually means, what your options are, and how owners typically respond.
Read the guide  →
Market Pulse

DJ Basin status, April 2026

Colorado oil production averaged approximately 430 thousand barrels per day in early 2026, almost entirely from the DJ Basin, with Wyoming Laramie County adding a smaller amount on the same productive trend. Activity has been steady year-over-year, with the largest operators continuing to develop stacked Niobrara A, B, and C benches and the Codell sandstone across Weld County and the Hereford trend. For Weld and Laramie mineral owners, the practical takeaway is continued infill development of established spacing units.

12 month oil production trend
460
thousand barrels per day
Latest month
+2(+0.4%)
thousand barrels per day
Month over month
+15(+3.4%)
thousand barrels per day
Year over year
Last updated April 2026. Source: US Energy Information Administration, EIA-914 monthly petroleum production.