Enerplus Secures New Dunn County Permits; Continental Renews Nine

The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources approved three new drilling permits and renewed nine others in its latest daily activity report, with Enerplus Resources USA Corporation and Continental Resources, Inc. accounting for all the activity.

Enerplus was approved for three new permits in Dunn County, according to the report. The permits are for the Little Chase Creek 4797 43-21 2BHP well and the Edward Federal 4797 43-21 2B and 3B wells. All three locations are in the same section, SW SE 21-147N-97W.

Separately, Continental Resources renewed nine confidential drilling permits. Seven of the renewals are for wells in the Plano Federal Indian Unit (FIU) in Williams County, specifically in section 28-154N-101W. The wells are named Plano FIU 5-28H, 4-28H, 3-28H, 2-28HSL, 6-28H, 7-28H, and 8-28HSL.

The remaining two Continental renewals are for the Frisco 4-31H and 5-31H wells in McKenzie County. The report notes these permits, located in SW SE 31-152N-102W in the Glass Bluff field, involve a "proposed drillback outside of spacing unit."

In other status changes, two permits were released from confidential designation. Devon Energy Williston, L.L.C.'s SCHA 33-34 5H well in Mountrail County (NW NW 33-156N-92W) is no longer confidential. Hunt Oil Company's SHELL 153-89-6-31H 1 well, also in Mountrail County (NE NE 7-153N-89W, Parshall field), was similarly released.

The daily report provides a snapshot of regulatory activity, with new permits indicating fresh drilling plans and renewals showing operators are maintaining their options to develop leased acreage. The concentration of activity from major operators like Enerplus and Continental underscores ongoing planning in the core Bakken and Three Forks play areas of Dunn, Williams, and McKenzie counties.