Continental, Hess Lead Bakken Permitting with Eight New Well Approvals
North Dakota regulators approved eight new drilling permits and six renewals, with activity focused in Williams and McKenzie counties.
The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources approved eight new drilling permits in its latest daily activity report, with Continental Resources Inc. accounting for more than half of the new approvals. Six existing permits also saw renewals.
Continental Resources was issued five new permits, all for confidential wells in Williams County. The permits are for the Billings 2-16HSL, Stockton 2-21H, Billings 3-16H, Stockton 3-21H, and Billings 4-16H locations, according to the DMR report.
Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC secured one new permit for the GO-SKJEI MW TR-158-98-3526H-4 well in the Rainbow field of Williams County. Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company LP received a permit for the HBU Sandstone 10S MBH well in a confidential field in McKenzie County. Koda Resources Operating, LLC was approved for the ALE 2335-3BHN well in Divide County.
The report listed six permit renewals. Hess Bakken Investments II renewed three permits for the SC-Ellingsberg-154-98-3229H-5, -6, and -7 wells in the Truax field of Williams County, all listed as confidential. Koda Resources Operating renewed three permits: the Bock 04-1 SWD injection well in Divide County's Daneville field, and the Stout 2005-1BH and Stout 2005-2BH wells in the Fertile Valley field of Divide County. The two Stout well renewals were noted as being for locations outside of a spacing unit.
In additional administrative updates, the confidential status was changed for two existing Burlington Resources permits in McKenzie County. The affected wells are the HBU Badlands 5N TFH-ULW and the HBU Hazel 3N MBH, both in the Haystack Butte field.
The day's filings indicate continued operator interest in the core Bakken counties of Williams and McKenzie, which together accounted for seven of the eight new permits and three renewals. The activity underscores ongoing development and well management by major operators like Continental Resources and Hess in the formation's most productive areas.
Source
North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources Daily Activity Report