With a market capitalization of US $790,000,000, and an average daily trading volume of about 186,000 shares at the end of 2007, it was one of the largest royalty trusts in the United States.
Its source of revenue is oil and gas pumped from the geologic formation for which it is named, the Permian Basin in west Texas, as well as a few locations in other parts of the state.
[1] The principal productive zones for oil on the Waddell Ranch are in two geologic units, the Grayburg and the San Andreas, at a depth of from 2,800 to 3,400 feet (1,000 m) below ground surface; however there are a total of 12 producing zones on the ranch, including one at a depth of 10,600 feet (3,200 m).
Meridian changed its name to Burlington Resources Oil and Gas Company, LP, in 1996, prior to being acquired by ConocoPhillips in 2006.
Since the Trust's assets are considered a depletable resource, its dividend payments are not taxed at the regular dividend rate, but rather as return of capital instead of return on investment; this is an additional tax advantage in the United States, and applies to all royalty trusts.