Continental Resources Secures Four New Permits in Divide County

Continental Resources was the most active driller in the latest North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) filing, securing approval for four new permits in Divide County. According to the DMR Daily Activity Report for filings on September 23, all four permits are for confidential wells in the Nielsen drilling unit.

The approved permits are for the Nielsen 2-24HSL, Nielsen 3-24H, Nielsen 4-24H, and Nielsen 5-24H. These new permits highlight continued operator interest in the Bakken formation's northwestern core area, particularly in Divide County, which has historically been a prolific oil-producing region.

In other activity, Hunt Oil Company had a significant number of well filings move out of confidential status. According to the report, eight Hunt Oil wells across two units in Burke County were released from confidential designation. These include the Dimond 160-91-36-24H-1, 2, and 3, and the Vanville 159-91-1-13H-1 and 2. Also released were the Vanville 159-91-2-14H-1, 2, and 3. The release from confidential status typically follows the initial production phase, allowing well production data to become publicly available.

A single McKenzie County well operated by Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company LP was also released from confidential status. The DMR report lists the HBU Hazel 10S MBH in Haystack Butte field as now being publicly reportable.

The DMR report did not list any new permits for other major Bakken operators, suggesting a focused batch of approvals. The confidential status of Continental's new wells means specific drilling and production details for these locations will remain undisclosed for a standard period, a common practice used by operators to protect competitive data during the early phases of a well's life.