{
  "name": "North Dakota Oil & Gas Formations and Plays, Ranked by Well Count",
  "publisher": "Buckhead Energy",
  "url": "https://www.buckheadenergy.com/formations-north-dakota",
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "doi": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21442884",
  "dataAsOf": "2026-08-23",
  "count": 3,
  "formations": [
    {
      "state": "ND",
      "formationSlug": "bakken",
      "formationName": "Bakken",
      "wellCount": 35128,
      "activeOperators": 1289,
      "totalLateralFt": "159426813",
      "recentPermits24Mo": 33,
      "primaryCounties": "MC KENZIE, WILLIAMS, MOUNTRAIL, DUNN, BOTTINEAU",
      "topOperators": [
        {
          "name": "CONTINENTAL RESOURCES",
          "slug": "continental-oil-company",
          "wells": 2375
        },
        {
          "name": "HESS BAKKEN INVESTMENTS II",
          "slug": null,
          "wells": 2316
        },
        {
          "name": "WHITING PETROLEUM CORP",
          "slug": null,
          "wells": 2312
        },
        {
          "name": "OASIS PETROLEUM NORTH AMERICA",
          "slug": null,
          "wells": 1869
        },
        {
          "name": "DEVON ENERGY WILLISTON,LLC",
          "slug": "devon-energy-willistonllc",
          "wells": 1827
        },
        {
          "name": "EOG RESOURCES",
          "slug": "eog-resources-inc",
          "wells": 1225
        },
        {
          "name": "XTO ENERGY",
          "slug": "xto-energy-inc",
          "wells": 1180
        },
        {
          "name": "BURLINGTON RESOURCES OIL & GAS COMPANY",
          "slug": "burlington-resources-oil-gas-company",
          "wells": 1134
        },
        {
          "name": "PETROHUNT",
          "slug": "petrohunt",
          "wells": 1112
        },
        {
          "name": "ENERPLUS RESOURCES",
          "slug": "enerplus-resources",
          "wells": 1042
        }
      ],
      "dataAsOf": "2026-08-23"
    },
    {
      "state": "ND",
      "formationSlug": "williston-basin",
      "formationName": "Williston Basin",
      "wellCount": 7344,
      "activeOperators": 432,
      "totalLateralFt": "42642293",
      "recentPermits24Mo": 2147,
      "primaryCounties": "MC KENZIE, WILLIAMS, DUNN, MOUNTRAIL, DIVIDE",
      "topOperators": [
        {
          "name": "CONTINENTAL RESOURCES",
          "slug": "continental-oil-company",
          "wells": 720
        },
        {
          "name": "HESS BAKKEN INVESTMENTS II",
          "slug": null,
          "wells": 587
        },
        {
          "name": "DEVON ENERGY WILLISTON,LLC",
          "slug": "devon-energy-willistonllc",
          "wells": 517
        },
        {
          "name": "OASIS PETROLEUM NORTH AMERICA",
          "slug": null,
          "wells": 343
        },
        {
          "name": "MARATHON OIL COMPANY",
          "slug": "marathon-oil-company",
          "wells": 332
        },
        {
          "name": "BURLINGTON RESOURCES OIL & GAS COMPANY",
          "slug": "burlington-resources-oil-gas-company",
          "wells": 323
        },
        {
          "name": "ENERPLUS RESOURCES",
          "slug": "enerplus-resources",
          "wells": 308
        },
        {
          "name": "PHOENIX OPERATING COMPANY",
          "slug": "phoenix-operating-company",
          "wells": 274
        },
        {
          "name": "WHITING PETROLEUM CORP",
          "slug": null,
          "wells": 236
        },
        {
          "name": "XTO ENERGY",
          "slug": "xto-energy-inc",
          "wells": 222
        }
      ],
      "dataAsOf": "2026-08-23"
    },
    {
      "state": "ND",
      "formationSlug": "judith-river-eagle",
      "formationName": "Judith RIver- Eagle",
      "wellCount": 1442,
      "activeOperators": 87,
      "totalLateralFt": "3811065",
      "recentPermits24Mo": 0,
      "primaryCounties": "BOWMAN, SLOPE",
      "topOperators": [
        {
          "name": "CONTINENTAL RESOURCES",
          "slug": "continental-oil-company",
          "wells": 480
        },
        {
          "name": "DENBURY ONSHORE",
          "slug": "denbury-onshore-llc",
          "wells": 394
        },
        {
          "name": "REMUDA ENERGY DEVELOPMENT",
          "slug": "remuda-energy-development",
          "wells": 101
        },
        {
          "name": "BURLINGTON RESOURCES OIL & GAS COMPANY",
          "slug": "burlington-resources-oil-gas-company",
          "wells": 68
        },
        {
          "name": "RIDGE OIL & GAS, LLC DBA RIDGE ENERGY",
          "slug": "ridge-oil-gas-llc-dba-ridge-energy",
          "wells": 63
        },
        {
          "name": "LUFF EXPLORATION COMPANY",
          "slug": "luff-exploration-company",
          "wells": 40
        },
        {
          "name": "FIDELITY EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION COMPANY",
          "slug": "fidelity-exploration-production-company",
          "wells": 25
        },
        {
          "name": "BTA OIL PRODUCERS",
          "slug": "bta-oil-producers-llc",
          "wells": 24
        },
        {
          "name": "SHELL OIL COMPANY",
          "slug": "shell-oil-company",
          "wells": 23
        },
        {
          "name": "JOSEPH J C PAINE & ASSOCIATES",
          "slug": null,
          "wells": 18
        }
      ],
      "dataAsOf": "2026-08-23"
    }
  ]
}