# Williston Basin Formation in North Dakota: Operators, Permits & Activity 2026
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> Williston Basin oil and gas activity in North Dakota: 7344 wells across 432 operators, 2147 recent permits. Top operators, top counties, recent permits and DUC inventory targeting the Williston Basin formation. Refreshed monthly.

**URL:** https://www.buckheadenergy.com/formation-north-dakota/williston-basin
**Source:** Buckhead Energy (https://www.buckheadenergy.com/)
**Generated:** 2026-08-23 (heuristic; server-side extraction)

## Answer
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.

## Dataset
**Name:** Williston Basin Formation – North Dakota Oil & Gas Activity

Williston Basin formation operator and drilling activity in North Dakota: 7,344 wells, 432 active operators, 2,147 permits in the last 24 months. Top operators, top counties, recent permits, and DUC inventory.

**Variables measured:**
- Total Wells: 7344
- Active Operators: 432
- Recent Permits (24 Months): 2147

## Page Outline
- Williston Basin Formation in North Dakota
  - Top Operators in the Williston Basin (North Dakota)
  - Primary North Dakota Counties for the Williston Basin
  - Recent Williston Basin Drilling Permits in North Dakota
  - Williston Basin DUCs (Drilled, Uncompleted Wells) in North Dakota
  - About the Williston Basin Formation in North Dakota
  - Frequently Asked Questions
  - Own Williston Basin Mineral Rights in North Dakota?
  - Related Operator Intelligence

## Related Pages
- [North Dakota Oil & Gas Industry Snapshot Dashboard](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/north-dakota-oil-gas-industry-snapshot)
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- [North Dakota Drilling Activity Report (permits, DUCs, spuds)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/north-dakota-drilling-activity-report)
- [US Mineral Market Activity Index (all 11 states ranked 0–100)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/us-mineral-market-activity-index)
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- [Oklahoma Industry Snapshot](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/oklahoma-oil-gas-industry-snapshot)
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- [Browse the Full Operator Directory](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/operators)
- [Live Oil & Gas Prices (WTI + Henry Hub)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/oil-gas-prices)
- [Sell Your North Dakota Mineral Rights](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/sell)
- [How to Sell Mineral Rights (Step-by-Step)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/2026/how-to-sell-mineral-rights)
- [Oil & Gas Market Data Hub (all dated datasets)](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/oil-gas-market-data)

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