States with most gas drilling royalties

Estimates of gas drilling royalties paid to private landowners in 2010, according to the National Association of Royalty Owners, ranked in order of the top several states. Royalty payments change yearly based on well production, wholesale prices and individual landowner contracts. Estimates are based on federal production data and assume a royalty of 18.75 percent.

— Texas, $6.7 billion

— Wyoming, $2 billion

— Alaska, $1.9 billion

— Louisiana, $1.75 billion

— Oklahoma, $1.6 billion

— New Mexico, $1.3 billion

— Colorado, $1.2 billion

— Arkansas, $668 million

— Pennsylvania, $500 million

— Utah, $347 million

— West Virginia, $216 million

— Ohio, $68 million

— New York, $31 million

NATIONAL TOTAL: $21.2 billion