1,803 wells across 390 recorded operators, with 250 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 Williston Basin formation in Montana has 1,803 wells on record across 390 recorded operators, with 250 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh. Its operators with the most wells on record are Kraken Operating, Phoenix Operating Company, A&S Mineral Development Company LLC, Exxon Mobil and Continental Resources. 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 Williston Basin formation in Montana:
| # | Operator | Wells in Williston Basin |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kraken Operating | 197 |
| 2 | Phoenix Operating Company | 66 |
| 3 | A&S Mineral Development Company LLC | 48 |
| 4 | Exxon Mobil | 48 |
| 5 | Continental Resources | 43 |
| 6 | Gulf Oil | 32 |
| 7 | Sohio Petroleum Company | 30 |
| 8 | Oryx Energy Company | 29 |
| 9 | Shell Oil Company | 28 |
| 10 | Atlantic Richfield Company | 28 |
The Montana counties with the most Williston Basin activity:
Valley, Mccone, Richland, Phillips, Roosevelt
Drilling permits in Montana each year, the Williston Basin count and share of them, and the median lateral length of those Williston Basin permits.
| Year | State permits | This formation | Share | Median lateral |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 208 | 198 | 95.2% | 172 ft |
| 2025 | 54 | 46 | 85.2% | 157 ft |
| 2024 | 72 | 65 | 90.3% | 8,430 ft |
| 2023 | 61 | 46 | 75.4% | 10,667 ft |
| 2022 | 65 | 41 | 63.1% | 10,350 ft |
| 2021 | 50 | 21 | 42% | 10,531 ft |
| 2020 | 22 | 12 | 54.5% | 14,389 ft |
| 2019 | 75 | 21 | 28% | 10,510 ft |
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 Williston Basin is a formation/play group recorded in Montana, with 1,803 wells on file across 390 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 250 drilling permits targeting the Williston Basin 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.
1,803 wells target the Williston Basin in Montana, worked by 390 recorded operators, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
The Williston Basin operators with the most wells on record in Montana are Kraken Operating, Phoenix Operating Company, A&S Mineral Development Company LLC, Exxon Mobil and Continental Resources. The full ranking is in the table on this page. Formation summary date: 2026-11-06.
Operators filed 250 drilling permits targeting the Williston Basin 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 250 new drilling permits targeting the Williston Basin 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.
Williston Basin activity in Montana includes 1,803 wells on record and 390 recorded operators, with 250 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 Williston Basin in Montana are Valley, McCone, Richland, Phillips, Roosevelt. 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 Williston Basin activity in your area.
Get Your Free Written OfferFormation: Williston Basin
State: Montana
Total wells: 1,803
Recorded operators: 390
Permits 24mo: 250
Summary date: 2026-11-06
Free written offers on Williston Basin mineral rights in Montana.
Get Your Free Offer