4,337 wells across 837 recorded operators, with 4 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at summary refresh.
Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
Quick answer: The Central Montana Uplift formation in Montana has 4,337 wells on record across 837 recorded operators, with 4 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh. Its operators with the most wells on record are Northwestern, Fuel Resources Development Company, Montana Power Company, True Oil and Devon Energy Production Company. Source: Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
The operators with the most well counts targeting the Central Montana Uplift formation in Montana:
| # | Operator | Wells in Central Montana Uplift |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern | 277 |
| 2 | Fuel Resources Development Company | 126 |
| 3 | Montana Power Company | 97 |
| 4 | True Oil | 97 |
| 5 | Devon Energy Production Company | 91 |
| 6 | Norfolk Energy | 80 |
| 7 | Ang Holding USA CORP | 80 |
| 8 | Cenex | 70 |
| 9 | Brown J Burns Operating Company | 66 |
| 10 | Ocean Energy | 62 |
The Montana counties with the most Central Montana Uplift activity:
Blaine, Musselshell, Yellowstone, Stillwater, Fergus
Drilling permits in Montana each year, the Central Montana Uplift count and share of them, and the median lateral length of those Central Montana Uplift permits.
| Year | State permits | This formation | Share | Median lateral |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 208 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2025 | 54 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2024 | 72 | 3 | 4.2% | n<5 |
| 2023 | 61 | 3 | 4.9% | n<5 |
| 2022 | 65 | 6 | 9.2% | n<5 |
| 2021 | 50 | 4 | 8% | n<5 |
| 2020 | 22 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2019 | 75 | 3 | 4% | n<5 |
Share of each year’s Montana drilling permits by target formation, for the formations with the most permits.
| Year | Williston Basin | Bakken | Sweetgrass Arch | Powder River Basin | Central Montana Uplift | Heath Fm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 95.2% | — | 1.4% | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 85.2% | 7.4% | 7.4% | — | — | — |
| 2024 | 90.3% | — | 5.6% | — | 4.2% | — |
| 2023 | 75.4% | 4.9% | 9.8% | — | 4.9% | — |
| 2022 | 63.1% | 9.2% | 13.8% | — | 9.2% | — |
| 2021 | 42% | 38% | 12% | — | 8% | — |
| 2020 | 54.5% | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | 28% | 16% | 8% | 34.7% | 4% | 5.3% |
Buckhead Energy computes every figure on this page from grouped records in public oil and gas data. The page shows counts, sums, percentiles and indexes only; it does not list individual wells, leases or permits.
Counts under 3 wells and percentiles under 5 wells are withheld; totals are floors.
Share is the formation’s permits as a percent of the state’s permits that year. Median lateral length is published only when at least 5 permits stand behind it.
Last computed: 2026-11-06. These figures are informational only and are not a valuation of any mineral or royalty interest.
The Central Montana Uplift is a formation/play group recorded in Montana, with 4,337 wells on file across 837 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 4 drilling permits targeting the Central Montana Uplift in the 24-month window at summary refresh. These are stored records, not a live measure of drilling.
Recorded formation activity provides regional context. It does not establish ownership, future production, royalty payments or a value for an individual tract. Consult qualified professionals about your specific interest.
4,337 wells target the Central Montana Uplift in Montana, worked by 837 recorded operators, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
The Central Montana Uplift operators with the most wells on record in Montana are Northwestern, Fuel Resources Development Company, Montana Power Company, True Oil and Devon Energy Production Company. The full ranking is in the table on this page. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
Operators filed 4 drilling permits targeting the Central Montana Uplift in the 24-month window at source refresh, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
Operators filed 4 new drilling permits targeting the Central Montana Uplift in Montana in the 24-month window at source refresh. New permits and spuds record reported activity stages; they do not establish ongoing drilling, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
Central Montana Uplift activity in Montana includes 4,337 wells on record and 837 recorded operators, with 4 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh — from Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
The primary counties recorded for Central Montana Uplift in Montana are Blaine, Musselshell, Yellowstone, Stillwater, Fergus. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
Value depends on your net mineral acres or royalty decimal, the operator, the remaining drilling locations, and current oil and gas prices. This page is informational only, not a valuation. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
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Get Your Free Written OfferFormation: Central Montana Uplift
State: Montana
Total wells: 4,337
Recorded operators: 837
Permits 24mo: 4
Summary date: 2026-11-06
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