Continental Resources Leads DMR Activity with Five New Confidential Permits

The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources approved five new drilling permits in its latest daily activity report, all filed by Continental Resources, Inc. for locations in Williams County. According to the report, the permits are for the Billings 5-16H, Stockton 4-21H, Billings 6-16H, Stockton 5-21H, and Stockton 6-21HSL wells. All five are designated for the 'CONFIDENTIAL' field.

The report also listed twelve permit renewals. Four of these were for Zavanna Energy Operating, LLC, for the Beth 4-6 1H through 4H wells in McKenzie County's Glass Bluff field, each noted as a "proposed drillback outside of spacing unit."

Four producing well completions were reported, showcasing strong initial flows. Continental Resources reported two high-performing wells in McKenzie County: the Brakken FIU 4-6H flowed 1,111 barrels of oil per day (BOPD) and 2,151 barrels of water per day (BWPD), while the Brakken FIU 5-6HSL flowed 2,107 BOPD and 603 BWPD. Zavanna Energy also reported two completions in Williams County: the Boxer 22-3 2H flowed 402 BOPD and 2,043 BWPD, and the Boxer 22-3 3H flowed 373 BOPD and 1,630 BWPD.

Two wells were listed as now abandoned, both operated by SOGC, Inc. in McKenzie County. They are the Summit State Saetz 8-36R and the Grasslands Federal 14-15-2H.

For saltwater disposal (SWD), two permits were approved for Formentera Operations, LLC, in Burke County. The permits are for The Great-25-25-PGN A211VW in the Larson field and the Rabbit-08-09-PGN E113DW in the Black Slough field.

Additional information in the filing included location amendments for two Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC wells in Williams County. The surface locations for the SC-JW HAMILTON-153-99-1314H-3 and SC-JW HAMILTON-153-99-1314H-2 wells were adjusted slightly from their previously recorded positions.

The daily filings highlight continued permitting and development activity by major operators in the core Bakken counties of Williams and McKenzie. The confidential status of Continental's new permits is a common regulatory provision that temporarily shields specific well data from public disclosure.