Burlington Resources Dominates DMR Permit Approvals with Four-Well Dunn County Project

The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources approved six new drilling permits and three permit renewals in its latest daily activity report. The new approvals signal continued development in the state's western oil fields.

Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company LP was the most active operator, securing four new permits for a pad in Dunn County. All four wells—Firebird 1B, 2A, 2C, and 4A—are located in the NW NE of Section 12-145N-96W. The permits are listed for the 'CONFIDENTIAL' field, a designation sometimes used for exploratory or strategically sensitive projects.

Koda Resources Operating LLC also received approval for two new horizontal wells in Divide County. The permits are for the Amber 3120-2BH and Amber 3119-1BH wells in the Fertile Valley field, according to the DMR report.

In addition to the new permits, three existing permits were renewed, all for Foundation Energy Management, LLC operations in Billings County. Two renewals are for the Cerkoney 141-100-2-11-3H and 4H wells in the Tree Top field, listed as proposed drillbacks outside of the standard spacing unit. A third renewal is for the Little Mo Federal 142-102-1-36-4H well in the Ash Coulee field, also for a location outside of a spacing unit. Permit renewals are necessary to maintain the right to drill if the original permit's timeframe is expiring.

The activity highlights ongoing operator interest in the core Bakken region, with new work concentrated in Dunn and Divide Counties. The confidential nature of Burlington Resources' four-well project in Dunn County may indicate testing of a new formation or development plan. The permit renewals for Foundation Energy suggest the company is moving forward with infill or extended-reach drilling projects in Billings County, aiming to recover additional resources from established units.

No other permit categories, such as wells spudded or completed, were listed in this daily report. The DMR's daily activity report provides a snapshot of regulatory filings and is a leading indicator of future drilling and completion work in the Williston Basin.