Runsheet (Chain of Title)

A runsheet, also called a chain of title, is the historical record of every legal transfer of ownership for a specific piece of land or its mineral estate. Each link in the chain represents a recorded document: a deed, a probate, an assignment, a lease, a patent.

For mineral rights, the runsheet is often more complex than the surface chain because mineral interests can be severed, divided fractionally, leased, and inherited independently from the surface estate. A single parcel might have dozens of mineral owners, each holding a fractional interest traceable through different chains.

Running a complete runsheet is the foundation of any mineral acquisition. Without it, a buyer cannot verify that the seller actually owns what they claim to own, or that the interest is free from encumbrances like prior leases or recorded judgments.