2,265 wells across 489 recorded operators, with <3 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 Heath Fm formation in Montana has 2,265 wells on record across 489 recorded operators, with — drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh. Its operators with the most wells on record are Cline Production Company, Conocophillips Company, Tomahawk Oil Company, True Oil and Texaco Exploration And Production. 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 Heath Fm formation in Montana:
| # | Operator | Wells in Heath Fm |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cline Production Company | 109 |
| 2 | Conocophillips Company | 100 |
| 3 | Tomahawk Oil Company | 94 |
| 4 | True Oil | 92 |
| 5 | Texaco Exploration And Production | 83 |
| 6 | Mcalester Fuel Company | 77 |
| 7 | Beartooth Oil & Gas Company | 52 |
| 8 | Phillips Petroleum Company | 36 |
| 9 | Montana Energy Company LLC | 35 |
| 10 | Fpco Oil And Gas Company | 33 |
The Montana counties with the most Heath Fm activity:
Rosebud, Musselshell, Petroleum, Garfield, Fergus
Drilling permits in Montana each year, the Heath Fm count and share of them, and the median lateral length of those Heath Fm permits.
| Year | State permits | This formation | Share | Median lateral |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 208 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2025 | 54 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2024 | 72 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2023 | 61 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2022 | 65 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2021 | 50 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2020 | 22 | <3 | — | n<5 |
| 2019 | 75 | 4 | 5.3% | 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 Heath Fm is a formation/play group recorded in Montana, with 2,265 wells on file across 489 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed <3 drilling permits targeting the Heath Fm 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.
2,265 wells target the Heath Fm in Montana, worked by 489 recorded operators, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
The Heath Fm operators with the most wells on record in Montana are Cline Production Company, Conocophillips Company, Tomahawk Oil Company, True Oil and Texaco Exploration And Production. The full ranking is in the table on this page. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
Operators filed — drilling permits targeting the Heath Fm 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 — new drilling permits targeting the Heath Fm 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.
Heath Fm activity in Montana includes 2,265 wells on record and 489 recorded operators, with — 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 Heath Fm in Montana are Rosebud, Musselshell, Petroleum, Garfield, 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.
Get a free written offer based on your specific tract, operator, and the current Heath Fm activity in your area.
Get Your Free Written OfferFormation: Heath Fm
State: Montana
Total wells: 2,265
Recorded operators: 489
Permits 24mo: <3
Summary date: 2026-11-06
