7,344 wells across 432 active operators, with 2,147 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months.
Refreshed monthly from NDIC well-header records. Data current as of 2026-08-23.
Quick answer: The Williston Basin formation in North Dakota has 7,344 wells on record across 432 active operators, with 2,147 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months (as of 2026-08-23). Its most active operators by well count are Continental Resources, Hess Bakken Investments Ii, Devon Energy Williston,LLC, Oasis Petroleum North America and Marathon Oil Company. Compiled from North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC) well-header records, refreshed monthly.
The operators with the most well counts targeting the Williston Basin formation in North Dakota:
| # | Operator | Wells in Williston Basin |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Continental Resources | 720 |
| 2 | Hess Bakken Investments Ii | 587 |
| 3 | Devon Energy Williston,LLC | 517 |
| 4 | Oasis Petroleum North America | 343 |
| 5 | Marathon Oil Company | 332 |
| 6 | Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company | 323 |
| 7 | Enerplus Resources | 308 |
| 8 | Phoenix Operating Company | 274 |
| 9 | Whiting Petroleum CORP | 236 |
| 10 | Xto Energy | 222 |
The North Dakota counties with the most Williston Basin activity:
Mc Kenzie, Williams, Dunn, Mountrail, Divide
The most recent 100 drilling permits filed for Williston Basin wells in North Dakota:
| Permit Date | Well | API | County | Operator | Lateral (ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-21 | Frazier 161-97-3-1h-3 | 33023018630000 |
Divide | Hunt Oil Company | — |
| 2026-08-21 | Frazier 161-97-3-12h-1 | 33023018610000 |
Divide | Hunt Oil Company | — |
| 2026-08-21 | Frazier 161-97-3-1h-2 | 33023018600000 |
Divide | Hunt Oil Company | — |
| 2026-08-21 | Frazier 161-97-3-1h-1 | 33023018620000 |
Divide | Hunt Oil Company | — |
| 2026-08-20 | Brenda 32-5-8-17 1h | 33053108770000 |
Mc Kenzie | Phoenix Operating Company | — |
| 2026-08-20 | Md-Sadie Skye 8-5h Mb | 33105068600000 |
Williams | Murex Petroleum | — |
| 2026-08-20 | Md-Rae Lynn 8-5h Mb | 33105068590000 |
Williams | Murex Petroleum | — |
| 2026-08-20 | Md-Sarah Christine 8-5h Mb | 33105068610000 |
Williams | Murex Petroleum | — |
| 2026-08-20 | Brenda 32-5-8-17 3h | 33053108750000 |
Mc Kenzie | Phoenix Operating Company | — |
| 2026-08-20 | Brenda 32-5-8-17 2h | 33053108760000 |
Mc Kenzie | Phoenix Operating Company | — |
| 2026-08-20 | Brenda 32-5-8-17 4h | 33053108740000 |
Mc Kenzie | Phoenix Operating Company | — |
| 2026-08-19 | Ph 143-98-3d-27-2h | 33007019710000 |
Billings | Petrohunt | — |
| 2026-08-19 | Ph 143-98-3d-27-1h | 33007019700000 |
Billings | Petrohunt | — |
| 2026-08-19 | Kadrmas 143-98-10a-22-2h | 33007019690000 |
Billings | Petrohunt | — |
| 2026-08-19 | Superior Federal 11-32 32-8 Tf1h | 33053108730000 |
Mc Kenzie | True Oil | — |
| 2026-08-18 | Hull Federal 32x-26g | 33025052340000 |
Dunn | Exxonmobil | — |
| 2026-08-18 | Hull Federal 32x-26f | 33025052320000 |
Dunn | Exxonmobil | — |
| 2026-08-18 | Hull Federal 32x-26a | 33025052310000 |
Dunn | Exxonmobil | — |
| 2026-08-18 | Federal 34-20 | 33053108710000 |
Mc Kenzie | Wesco Operating | — |
| 2026-08-18 | Hull Federal 32x-26h | 33025052360000 |
Dunn | Exxonmobil | — |
| 2026-08-18 | Hull Federal 32x-26c | 33025052350000 |
Dunn | Exxonmobil | — |
| 2026-08-18 | Hull Federal 32x-26b | 33025052330000 |
Dunn | Exxonmobil | — |
| 2026-08-17 | Akemi Ferrari 14-11-2 1h-Llr | 33023018590000 |
Divide | Phoenix Operating Company | — |
| 2026-08-17 | Superior Federal 31-32 32-8 Tf3h | 33053108700000 |
Mc Kenzie | True Oil | — |
| 2026-08-17 | Br 143-98-11b-23-3h | 33007019680000 |
Billings | Petrohunt | — |
| 2026-08-17 | Kadrmas 143-98-10a-22-1h | 33007019670000 |
Billings | Petrohunt | — |
| 2026-08-14 | Fox Tail 1c | 33025052250000 |
Dunn | Burlington Resources Oil Gas Company | — |
| 2026-08-14 | Fox Tail 1d | 33025052260000 |
Dunn | Burlington Resources Oil Gas Company | — |
| 2026-08-14 | Fox Tail 1b | 33025052240000 |
Dunn | Burlington Resources Oil Gas Company | — |
| 2026-08-14 | Fox Tail 1e | 33025052270000 |
Dunn | Burlington Resources Oil Gas Company | — |
| 2026-08-12 | Mercury 32-29-20 #2h | 33053108670000 |
Mc Kenzie | Kraken Operating | — |
| 2026-08-12 | Mercury 32-29-20 #4h | 33053108690000 |
Mc Kenzie | Kraken Operating | — |
| 2026-08-12 | Predator Federal 33x-19a | 33025051650000 |
Dunn | Exxonmobil | — |
| 2026-08-12 | Mercury 32-29-20 #1h | 33053108660000 |
Mc Kenzie | Kraken Operating | — |
| 2026-08-12 | Mercury 32-29-20 #3h | 33053108680000 |
Mc Kenzie | Kraken Operating | — |
| 2026-08-11 | Hbu Sandstone 5n Mbh | 33053108610000 |
Mc Kenzie | Burlington Resources Oil Gas Company | — |
| 2026-08-11 | Hbu Sandstone 4n Mbh | 33053108620000 |
Mc Kenzie | Burlington Resources Oil Gas Company | — |
| 2026-08-11 | Hbu Sandstone 3n Mbh | 33053108630000 |
Mc Kenzie | Burlington Resources Oil Gas Company | — |
| 2026-08-11 | Hbu Sandstone 2n Mbh | 33053108640000 |
Mc Kenzie | Burlington Resources Oil Gas Company | — |
| 2026-08-11 | Hbu Sandstone 6s Mbh | 33053108650000 |
Mc Kenzie | Burlington Resources Oil Gas Company | — |
| 2026-08-10 | Kandiyohi 159-90-4-21h- 2 | 33013020830000 |
Burke | Hunt Oil Company | — |
| 2026-08-10 | Kandiyohi 159-90-4-21h- 3 | 33013020840000 |
Burke | Hunt Oil Company | — |
| 2026-08-10 | Kandiyohi 159-90-4-21h 1 | 33013020820000 |
Burke | Hunt Oil Company | — |
| 2026-08-07 | Monkey Barrel 14-23-26-35 5h | 33023018550000 |
Divide | Phoenix Operating Company | — |
| 2026-08-07 | Monkey Barrel 14-23-26-35 1h | 33023018510000 |
Divide | Phoenix Operating Company | — |
| 2026-08-07 | Monkey Barrel 14-23-26-35 2h | 33023018520000 |
Divide | Phoenix Operating Company | — |
| 2026-08-07 | Monkey Barrel 14-23-26-35 4h | 33023018540000 |
Divide | Phoenix Operating Company | — |
| 2026-08-07 | Monkey Barrel 14-23-26-35 3h | 33023018530000 |
Divide | Phoenix Operating Company | — |
| 2026-08-07 | Bock 1435-4bh | 33023018560000 |
Divide | Koda Resources Operating LLC | — |
| 2026-08-07 | Bock 1435-6bh | 33023018580000 |
Divide | Koda Resources Operating LLC | — |
Wells targeting the Williston Basin that have been spudded but are waiting on completion — near-term production upside:
| Spud Date | Days Waiting | Well | Operator | County | Lateral (ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-17 | 5 | En-Momm- 157-93-1705h-4 | Hess Bakken Investments Ii | Mountrail | — |
| 2026-08-17 | 5 | Lindvig 23-22-21-20f 5h | Devon Energy Williston,LLC | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-16 | 6 | Jacie E 159-93-6-19-3mbhxl | Silver Hill Energy Partners | Burke | — |
| 2026-08-15 | 7 | Lindvig 23-22-21-20f 4h | Devon Energy Williston,LLC | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-15 | 7 | En-Momm-Le- 157-93-1705h-1 | Hess Bakken Investments Ii | Mountrail | — |
| 2026-08-14 | 8 | En-Rc- 157-93-2032h-4 | Hess Bakken Investments Ii | Mountrail | — |
| 2026-08-13 | 9 | Lindvig 23-22-21-20f 3h | Devon Energy Williston,LLC | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-13 | 9 | Gbu Perses Federal 43x-3h | Xto Energy | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-13 | 9 | Cattleman 5-1 | Eben Operating CO LLC | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-13 | 9 | Ride The Lightning 1 Swd | Firebird Services, LLC | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-13 | 9 | En-Rc- 157-93-2032h-5 | Hess Bakken Investments Ii | Mountrail | — |
| 2026-08-12 | 10 | Gbu Perses Federal 43x-3d | Xto Energy | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-12 | 10 | Lindvig 23-22-21-20f 2h | Devon Energy Williston,LLC | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-12 | 10 | Shorthorn 3-10 6h Xe | Zavanna Energy Operating, LLC | Williams | 114 |
| 2026-08-11 | 11 | Gbu Perses 43x-3g | Xto Energy | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-11 | 11 | En-Rc-Le- 157-93-2032h-1 | Hess Bakken Investments Ii | Mountrail | — |
| 2026-08-10 | 12 | Gbu Perses 43x-3b | Xto Energy | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-10 | 12 | Lindvig 23-22-21-20f 1h | Devon Energy Williston,LLC | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-10 | 12 | Gbu Perses Federal 43x-3e | Xto Energy | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-10 | 12 | Jacie E 159-93-6-19-4mbhxl | Silver Hill Energy Partners | Burke | — |
| 2026-08-09 | 13 | Akemi Ferrari 14-11-2 1h-Ll | Phoenix Operating Company | Divide | — |
| 2026-08-09 | 13 | Gbu Perses Federal 43x-3a | Xto Energy | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-09 | 13 | Roosevelt Federal 5003 13-24 6bx | Whiting Petroleum CORP | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-08 | 14 | Roosevelt Federal 5003 13-24 5b | Whiting Petroleum CORP | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-08 | 14 | Roosevelt Federal 5003 13-24 4b | Whiting Petroleum CORP | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-08 | 14 | Akemi Ferrari 14-11-2 2h | Phoenix Operating Company | Divide | — |
| 2026-08-07 | 15 | Akemi Ferrari 14-11-2 3h | Phoenix Operating Company | Divide | — |
| 2026-08-07 | 15 | Roosevelt Federal 5003 13-24 3b | Whiting Petroleum CORP | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-07 | 15 | Albert South 34-33-32 4h | Devon Energy Williston,LLC | Mc Kenzie | — |
| 2026-08-06 | 16 | Gbu Zeus Federal 34x-8d | Xto Energy | Williams | — |
The Williston Basin is one of North Dakota's active oil and gas plays, with 7,344 wells on file across 432 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 2,147 drilling permits targeting the Williston Basin in the last 24 months — a measure of how active the play is right now versus its historical baseline.
For mineral owners with interests in Mc Kenzie, Williams, Dunn, Mountrail, Divide, knowing whether your tract sits within an active Williston Basin footprint is a foundational valuation question. Active formations with consistent permit flow command premium pricing; legacy formations with steady but declining production are valued differently.
See all North Dakota oil & gas formations & plays · Download the North Dakota formations dataset (CSV)
7,344 wells target the Williston Basin in North Dakota, worked by 432 active operators, per NDIC well-header records (as of 2026-08-23).
By well count, the most active Williston Basin operators 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.
Operators filed 2,147 drilling permits targeting the Williston Basin in the last 24 months, and there are 50 drilled-but-uncompleted (DUC) wells awaiting completion — a live measure of current activity, per NDIC records.
Operators filed 2,147 new drilling permits targeting the Williston Basin in North Dakota over the last 24 months, with 50 drilled-but-uncompleted (DUC) wells awaiting completion. New permits and spuds are the clearest signal of active Williston Basin drilling, per NDIC records (as of 2026-08-23).
Williston Basin activity in North Dakota currently spans 7,344 wells on record and 432 active operators, led by Continental Resources, Hess Bakken Investments Ii, Devon Energy Williston,LLC, Oasis Petroleum North America and Marathon Oil Company, with 2,147 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months — refreshed monthly from North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC) well-header records (as of 2026-08-23).
The most active Williston Basin counties in North Dakota are Mc Kenzie, Williams, Dunn, Mountrail, Divide.
Value depends on your net mineral acres or royalty decimal, the operator, the remaining drilling locations, and current oil and gas prices. Buckhead Energy checks your tract against current Williston Basin well and permit data and puts a free, no-obligation written offer in writing — this page is informational only, not a valuation.
Cite this dataset
Permanently archived and citable via a DOI on Zenodo (CERN), under a CC BY 4.0 license. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21442884 · View on Zenodo
License & attribution: This data is licensed CC BY 4.0. You are free to share and adapt it, including commercially, provided you credit “Buckhead Energy” and link back to this page or the DOI above.
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Formation: Williston Basin
State: North Dakota
Total wells: 7,344
Active operators: 432
Permits 24mo: 2,147
Last refresh: 2026-08-23
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