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BAKKEN WIRE
Daily Activity

DMR Approves Six Permits; Slawson Dominates Williams County

The state regulator issued permits for four Slawson wells and two saltwater disposal projects in the latest filings.

Bakken Wire Staff·☀️Morning Wire·

The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) approved six new permits in its latest daily activity report, with Slawson Exploration Company, Inc. accounting for the majority of new drilling activity.

Slawson secured four permits for wells in Williams County, all targeting the 'Confidential' field. The permits are for the AMBUSH 4-31-30H, AMBUSH 2-31-30UH, AMBUSH 3-31-30UH, and AMBUSH 5-31-30UH locations. These confidential filings allow operators to withhold specific well data for a period after spudding.

The other two approved permits were for saltwater disposal (SWD) wells. Phoenix Operating, LLC received a permit for the MACHETE 1 SWD in McKenzie County, and True Oil, LLC was approved for the LIBERTY STATE 12-36H SWD, also in McKenzie County. These wells are critical infrastructure for handling produced water from oil and gas operations in the region.

The report also noted two other filings beyond new permits. A filing was made for Silver Hill Energy Operating, LLC's CHRISTINE 158-93-9-4-3MBH well in Mountrail County, within the Enget Lake field. Additionally, a filing was made for Enerplus Resources USA Corporation's CRYING TREE 147-97-8-5-56H well in Dunn County, within the Little Knife field. These entries represent other regulatory steps, such as status changes or completion reports, for existing projects.

The day's data shows a continued focus on the core Bakken counties, with all drilling permits concentrated in Williams County and disposal activity in McKenzie County. Slawson's four-well batch in a single field highlights a pattern of concentrated development common among Bakken operators to maximize efficiency.

Permit approvals are a leading indicator of future drilling activity and capital deployment in the basin. The addition of new SWD capacity in McKenzie County supports ongoing production by providing essential water management infrastructure.

Source

North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources Daily Activity Report for October 20, 2026.

dmrdrilling permitsslawson explorationwilliams countymckenzie countysaltwater disposalbakken

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