DMR Approves Six New Permits; Slawson Wells Post Strong Initial Oil Rates

North Dakota oil regulators approved six new drilling permits and processed numerous administrative filings on Friday, according to the Department of Mineral Resources' daily activity report. The new permits signal continued development across the core Bakken counties.

Three of the six newly approved permits were filed by SOGC LLC for wells in Mountrail County's confidential Martens field. Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company LP received a permit for the Clemens 2C-TFH-R well in McKenzie County, while Devon Energy Williston L.L.C. and RIM Operating Inc. secured permits for wells in Dunn and McKenzie counties, respectively.

The DMR also renewed 13 existing permits. Formentera Operations, LLC accounted for four renewals in Burke County, including one noted as being outside a spacing unit. XTO Energy Inc. and Neptune Operating LLC also had renewals for wells in McKenzie and Williams counties flagged with location-outside-spacing-unit notations.

The most significant production news came from three newly completed wells operated by Slawson Exploration Company, Inc., all located in the same Mountrail County section. The Rebel Federal 4-32-17TFH well reported a strong initial production rate of 616 barrels of oil per day (BOPD) with 2,338 barrels of water per day (BWPD). The two sibling wells, Rebel Federal 5-32-17TFH and 6-32-17TFH, posted rates of 1,142 BOPD and 1,131 BOPD, respectively.

In other well status changes, Firebird Services, LLC completed a new saltwater disposal well named "Ride The Lightning 1 SWD" in McKenzie County. Devon Energy Williston L.L.C. filed name changes for three wells in Dunn County, all part of its FBIR MHA project.

The report listed three additional filings for confidential status changes. Oasis Petroleum North America LLC had two wells in McKenzie County, and Enerplus Resources USA Corporation had one in Dunn County listed under "additional information."

Friday's activity underscores ongoing operations by both large and mid-sized operators in the Williston Basin's key producing regions. The concentration of new permits and renewals in counties like McKenzie, Mountrail, and Dunn aligns with the basin's established core development areas.