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XTO Energy Dominates New Bakken Permits; Enerplus Renews Five - Bakken Wire
Daily Activity

XTO Energy Dominates New Bakken Permits; Enerplus Renews Five

The North Dakota DMR approved 7 new drilling permits and 5 renewals on Tuesday, with activity concentrated in Dunn County.

Bakken Wire Staff·☀️Morning Wire·

The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources approved seven new drilling permits and five permit renewals in its daily activity report for Tuesday, August18, 2026. The new permits signal continued development in the state's core Bakken and Three Forks formations.

XTO Energy Inc. was the most active operator, securing all seven of the newly approved permits. All are for the "HULL FEDERAL" well series located in Section 26-148N-97W within Dunn County's Lost Bridge field. The permits are for wells 32X-26A, 32X-26B, 32X-26C, 32X-26F, 32X-26G, and 32X-26H. The seventh permit, #43220, was approved for Wesco Operating Inc. in Federal 34-20, located in McKenzie County's confidential field.

In addition to the new permits, the DMR processed five permit renewals, all filed by Enerplus Resources USA Corporation. The renewals are for wells in the company's Fort Berthold project within the Eagle Nest field of Dunn County. The specific wells are FORT BERTHOLD 148-95-25A-36-10H, 148-94-30B-31-14H, 148-94-30B-31-13H, 148-94-30B-31-11H, and 148-94-30B-31-6H. The DMR report noted that each renewal was for a "LOCATION OUTSIDE OF SPACING UNIT," indicating adjustments to the original well plans.

The report also listed two confidential status changes. Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC updated the status for two wells in Williams County: GO-HAUG-156-98-1918H-3 and GO-HAUG-156-98-3031H-3, both located in Lot 4 of Section 19-156N-98W.

Tuesday's activity underscores Dunn County's status as a primary target for Bakken operators, with all new permits and renewals focused there. The confidential status updates for Hess wells in neighboring Williams County point to ongoing well management and regulatory compliance work across the basin.

Source

North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources Daily Activity Report for August 18, 2026.

dmrdrilling permitsxto energyenerplusdunn countybakkenwilliston basin

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