For the Texas Royalty properties, the average realized price of oil decreased to $65.20 per Bbl in the third quarter of 2025, compared to $79.06 per Bbl in the third quarter of 2024 due to worldwide market variables. The average realized price of gas (including natural gas liquids) for the Texas Royalty properties decreased to $8.65 per Mcf in the third quarter of 2025 to $10.54 per Mcf in the third quarter of 2024 in part due to change in overall market variables.
Since the oil and gas sales attributable to the Royalties are based on an allocation formula that is dependent on such factors as price and cost (including capital expenditures), the production amounts in the Royalties section of the above table do not always provide a meaningful comparison. However, for the Texas Royalty properties, oil volumes slightly decreased and gas volumes increased from the Underlying Properties for the applicable period in 2025 compared to 2024, while for the Waddell Ranch properties, oil volumes and natural gas volumes (including plant products) increased for the applicable period in 2025 compared to 2024.
Blackbeard Capital Expense Discussion
Blackbeard advised the Trustee that capital expenditures for drilling, remedial and maintenance activities on the Waddell Ranch properties during the third quarter of 2025 totaled $53.3 million (gross) as compared to $24 million (gross) for the third quarter of 2024. The three months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024 include expenditures for the production months of April through June. Blackbeard does not provide capital expenditures budget information or development information for the Waddell Ranch properties such as well completions, workovers, remedial activities, and plugging and abandonment.
Blackbeard advised the Trustee that lease operating expenses and property taxes totaled $26.6 million (gross) for the third quarter of 2025, compared to $22.6 million (gross) for the same period in 2024 on the Waddell Ranch properties. The quarter ended September 30, 2025 and September 30, 2024, for the Waddell Ranch properties includes April through June expenditures.
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2025 Compared to Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024
For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, royalty income received by the Trust amounted to $13,403,049 compared to royalty income of $23,175,406 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The royalty income for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, includes the $4.5 million partial settlement payment from Blackbeard. Pricing information for the Waddell Ranch properties is for the nine month period of December 2024 through August 2025 (reflecting the period for which proceeds would have been distributed to Unitholders in the first nine months of 2025). The average realized oil and gas prices for the Waddell Ranch properties were $66.68 per Bbl and $1.80 per Mcf, respectively for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared to $76.62 per Bbl and $1.61 per Mcf for the eight months ended August 31, 2024. For the Texas Royalty properties, the average realized oil and gas prices were $67.66 per Bbl and $9.11 per Mcf, respectively for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared to $77.40 per Bbl and $9.69 per Mcf, respectively for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease in royalty income reported in the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2024 is attributable to the deficit position of the Waddell Ranch properties due to an excess in working interest costs during the first nine months of 2025, somewhat offset by the partial settlement payment of $4.5 million received in September 2025. No deficit position existed during the first nine months of 2024.
Interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $47,324 compared to $122,688 during the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease in interest income is primarily attributable to a decrease in the amounts of funds available for investment and the decrease in interest rates. Total expenses during the nine months ended September 30, 2025, amounted to $1,595,019 compared to $1,315,916 during the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The increase in total expenses can be primarily attributed to increased expenses for professional services associated with legal proceedings with Blackbeard.
These transactions resulted in distributable income for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 of $11,855,354, or $0.25 per Unit. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, distributable income was $21,982,178 or $0.47 per Unit.
From and after May 2024, Blackbeard, the operator of the Waddell Ranch properties, provides the Trustee information necessary to calculate the net proceeds the last week of the month. In accordance with the Trust Indenture, if royalty income is received on or prior to the record date, it will be included in the following month's distribution, rather than the current month's distribution. As such, royalty income reporting for the Waddell Ranch properties is one month in arrears. Royalty income for the Trust for the first nine months of the calendar year is associated with actual oil and gas production for October 2024 through June 2025 for the Waddell Ranch properties from which "Royalties" were carved. Royalty income for the Trust for the first nine months of the calendar year for the Texas Royalty properties is associated with actual oil and gas production from November 2024 through July 2025.
As of May 2024, Blackbeard provides production, product sales, capital expenditure, and development information for the Waddell Ranch properties from which the Trust's Royalties are carved for each distribution month on a quarterly basis, approximately 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter. On October 30, 2025, Blackbeard provided the Trustee with a quarterly statement showing the production volumes and computation of net proceeds to the Trust for each month of the quarter ended September 30, 2025. Oil and gas sales attributable to the Royalties and the properties from which the Royalties were carved are as follows: