Continental Resources Secures Lone New Permit in Divide County

North Dakota's Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) approved one new drilling permit in filings from Wednesday, August 5, 2026, according to the agency's daily activity report. Continental Resources, Inc. was granted permit #41137 for the SHADOWCAT 1-31H well, located in Divide County's "CONFIDNETIAL" field.

The report shows a continued, highly focused level of permitting activity among Bakken operators. The single new approval follows a pattern of measured, strategic additions to drilling inventories.

Beyond new permits, the DMR report listed several updates to previously filed permits, indicating ongoing project development. Silver Hill Energy Operating, LLC updated the status of its K&L HEGSTAD SOUTH W 158-92-10-22- 1MBHX well in Mountrail County's Cottonwood field, according to filing #42078.

The most notable administrative activity came from Phoenix Operating LLC. The operator filed three separate updates for wells in Williams County's Skabo field, according to the DMR. The filings, #42087, #42088, and #42089, are for the BIG STONE 32-29-20 1H, 2H, and 3H wells, respectively. All three are located in Lot 2 of Section 5, Township 159 North, Range 98 West.

Geographically, the reported activity spans the core of the Bakken formation. Divide County, where Continental's new permit is located, sits in the northwestern reaches of the play. Mountrail and Williams Counties are central to the Bakken's most productive area, indicating continued operator interest in these established regions.

The confidential designation for Continental Resources' new Shadowcat well is a standard provision under North Dakota law, allowing operators to withhold specific location data for a period to secure leases or for other strategic reasons. The status changes filed by Silver Hill Energy and Phoenix Operating typically reflect a shift from a permitted status to spudding, drilling, or completion, though the specific new status was not detailed in the summary report.

For Bakken operators and service companies, the daily report provides a real-time snapshot of where drilling-related capital is being deployed. The concentration of activity from Phoenix Operating in a single Williams County pad suggests a focused development program, while Continental's new permit represents a fresh commitment in Divide County.