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BAKKEN WIRE
Daily Activity

Hess and Enerplus Lead Bakken Permitting with Seven New Wells

Hess secured five permits for a Williams County pad, while Enerplus added two in Dunn County; confidential status released for six wells.

Bakken Wire Staff·☀️Morning Wire·

The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources approved seven new drilling permits in filings dated Monday, September 28, 2026, with Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC and Enerplus Resources USA Corporation accounting for all the new activity.

Hess was the most active operator, receiving approval for five new wells in Williams County. All five permits (#43347 through #43351) are located in the Rainbow field. Four of the permits (GO-BEYER-158-98-3415H-1 through H-4) are for a single pad, indicating a significant multi-well development project. The fifth Hess permit is for the GO-BINDE-158-98-3514H-1 well.

Enerplus Resources USA Corporation was approved for two permits in Dunn County. The permits, #43051 for the MHA BUCKWHEAT 4892 21-19 3B well and #43056 for the MHA RICE 4892 21-19 8B well, are both located in an unspecified field on Lot 2, according to the DMR report.

In other activity, the DMR released six wells from confidential status, making their drilling and completion data publicly available. Oasis Petroleum North America LLC had two wells, SPYGLASS 5793 24-13 6BX and SPYGLASS 5793 24-13 4B, released in Mountrail County.

Devon Energy Williston, L.L.C. also had two wells released from confidential status in Williams County: CORVETTE 34-35-37-3H and CORVETTE 34-35-37-4H.

Formentera Operations, LLC saw two wells released from confidential status in Divide County. The wells, FONDA-23-02-BAL N611HF and FONDA-23-02-BAL N513HF, are located in the Noonan field.

The new permit activity underscores continued operator focus on core Bakken counties. Williams County, a historic production leader, saw the bulk of the new permits with Hess's five-well commitment. Dunn County also saw activity from Enerplus. The release of confidential data for wells operated by Oasis, Devon, and Formentera provides new insight into recent completion results across Mountrail, Williams, and Divide counties.

Source

North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources Daily Activity Report for September 28, 2026.

dmrdrilling permitshessenerpluswilliams countydunn countyconfidential status

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