DMR Approves Four New McKenzie County Permits for Phoenix Operating

The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources approved four new drilling permits on Monday, August 24, 2026, all for a single operator in McKenzie County. According to the DMR Daily Activity Report, Phoenix Operating LLC received approval for a four-well pad in the Charlie Bob field.

The approved permits, #43244 through #43248, are for the SWENSON FED 31-6-7-18 1HF through 4HF wells. All are located in the NE NE of Section 31-146N-98W in McKenzie County. This concentrated permitting activity highlights ongoing development in the core of the Bakken formation.

In other regulatory activity, several wells were released from confidential status, making their production data publicly available. Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC had two wells released: the BB-STATE-151-96-2526H-12 in McKenzie County and the EN-EDWARDS-157-94-2203H-2 in Mountrail County's White Earth field.

Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation also had a well, the DOBIAS 5203 44-32 3B in McKenzie County's Glass Bluff field, released from confidential status. Zavanna Energy Operating, LLC saw two wells in Williams County's Stockyard Creek field become public: the SAWYER 13-36 1H and the HEREFORD 13-36-1H XW.

Additional wells released include Silver Hill Energy Operating, LLC's DOUBLE-R PAIGE 158-94-34-33-3MBH in Mountrail County, Devon Energy Williston, L.L.C's THUNDERBOLT 10-12 3H in Williams County's Squires field, and Oasis Petroleum North America LLC's PRESTWICK FEDERAL 5602 12-23 4B in Williams County's Bonetraill field.

The release of these wells from confidential status provides new production data points across multiple counties and operators, offering insights into recent drilling results in the Williston Basin. The activity spans the key Bakken counties of McKenzie, Mountrail, and Williams.