7,541 wells across 432 recorded operators, with 2,108 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at summary refresh.
Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
Quick answer: The Williston Basin formation in North Dakota has 7,541 wells on record across 432 recorded operators, with 2,108 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh. Its operators with the most wells on record are Continental Resources, Hess Bakken Investments Ii, Devon Energy Williston,LLC, Oasis Petroleum North America and Marathon Oil Company. Source: Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
The operators with the most well counts targeting the Williston Basin formation in North Dakota:
| # | Operator | Wells in Williston Basin |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Continental Resources | 744 |
| 2 | Hess Bakken Investments Ii | 593 |
| 3 | Devon Energy Williston,LLC | 529 |
| 4 | Oasis Petroleum North America | 356 |
| 5 | Marathon Oil Company | 332 |
| 6 | Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company | 330 |
| 7 | Phoenix Operating Company | 326 |
| 8 | Enerplus Resources | 315 |
| 9 | Kraken Operating | 309 |
| 10 | Whiting Petroleum CORP | 241 |
The North Dakota counties with the most Williston Basin activity:
Mc Kenzie, Williams, Dunn, Mountrail, Divide
Drilling permits in North Dakota 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 | 848 | 836 | 98.6% | 15,189 ft |
| 2025 | 1,125 | 1,100 | 97.8% | 14,865 ft |
| 2024 | 1,110 | 1,052 | 94.8% | 10,099 ft |
| 2023 | 976 | 913 | 93.5% | 10,007 ft |
| 2022 | 797 | 759 | 95.2% | 10,017 ft |
| 2021 | 658 | 262 | 39.8% | 9,892 ft |
| 2020 | 702 | 606 | 86.3% | 9,803 ft |
| 2019 | 1,372 | 104 | 7.6% | 9,843 ft |
Share of each year’s North Dakota drilling permits by target formation, for the formations with the most permits.
| Year | Williston Basin | Bakken |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 98.6% | 1.4% |
| 2025 | 97.8% | 2.2% |
| 2024 | 94.8% | 5.2% |
| 2023 | 93.5% | 6.5% |
| 2022 | 95.2% | 4.8% |
| 2021 | 39.8% | 60.2% |
| 2020 | 86.3% | 13.7% |
| 2019 | 7.6% | 92.4% |
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: 2026-11-01. 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 North Dakota, with 7,541 wells on file across 432 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 2,108 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.
7,541 wells target the Williston Basin in North Dakota, worked by 432 recorded operators, per Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
The Williston Basin operators with the most wells on record in North Dakota are Continental Resources, Hess Bakken Investments Ii, Devon Energy Williston,LLC, Oasis Petroleum North America and Marathon Oil Company. The full ranking is in the table on this page. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
Operators filed 2,108 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: 2026-11-01.
Operators filed 2,108 new drilling permits targeting the Williston Basin in North Dakota 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: 2026-11-01.
Williston Basin activity in North Dakota includes 7,541 wells on record and 432 recorded operators, with 2,108 drilling permits filed in the 24-month window at source refresh — from Buckhead Energy analysis of public oil and gas data. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
The primary counties recorded for Williston Basin in North Dakota are Mc Kenzie, Williams, Dunn, Mountrail, Divide. Formation summary date: 2026-11-01.
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: 2026-11-01.
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Get Your Free Written OfferFormation: Williston Basin
State: North Dakota
Total wells: 7,541
Recorded operators: 432
Permits 24mo: 2,108
Summary date: 2026-11-01
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