Active Acquisition State
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The Bakken Formation in western North Dakota changed the shape of US oil production. We buy mineral rights and royalties across the core Bakken counties, with a focus on McKenzie, Williams, Mountrail, and Dunn — where much of the state's horizontal drilling activity is concentrated. North Dakota went from producing fewer than 100,000 barrels per day in 2005 to over 1.2 million barrels per day at its peak, almost entirely due to Bakken and Three Forks horizontal development. The state remains one of the top three oil producers in the country, and continued drilling activity means mineral rights in the core Bakken counties remain highly valuable.
Highlighted state with approximate basin locations shown in tan
The table below shows the top producing counties in North Dakota where we are most active, along with the primary operators and target formations in each area.
| County | Major Operators | Key Formations |
|---|---|---|
| McKenzie | Hess Corporation, Continental Resources, ConocoPhillips, Chord Energy | Bakken, Three Forks |
| Williams | Hess Corporation, Continental Resources, Oasis Petroleum | Bakken, Three Forks |
| Mountrail | Continental Resources, Hess Corporation, Chord Energy | Bakken, Three Forks |
| Dunn | Continental Resources, Hess Corporation, ConocoPhillips | Bakken, Three Forks |
| Divide | Kraken Oil & Gas, Chord Energy, Lime Rock Resources | Bakken, Three Forks |
| Burke | Chord Energy, Kraken Oil & Gas | Bakken, Three Forks |
We cover 8 North Dakota counties in total. Beyond the counties highlighted above, we also buy mineral rights in these 2 additional producing counties, listed in order of recent oil and gas activity:
North Dakota's Bakken is dominated by a handful of large operators with concentrated acreage positions. Hess Corporation is the largest producer in North Dakota with a massive footprint across McKenzie and Williams counties. Continental Resources, founded by Harold Hamm, was one of the original pioneers of Bakken horizontal development and remains one of the largest operators. ConocoPhillips (which absorbed Marathon Oil in 2024) and Chord Energy (formed from the 2022 Whiting–Oasis merger and the 2024 Enerplus acquisition) are also significant players. In the northern counties of Divide and Burke, smaller operators like Kraken Oil & Gas have carved out meaningful positions.
Operators ranked by the number of North Dakota counties where they hold the top active-well count. Counties where the operator runs the most active wells link through to the county detail page.
North Dakota mineral leases typically carry royalty rates of 16% to 20%, with 1/6 (16.67%) being the statutory minimum and 1/5 (20%) being the most common rate in competitive leasing areas. North Dakota is a forced pooling state — the North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC) can pool unleased mineral owners into a spacing unit at the operator's request. Under a pooling order, mineral owners who do not voluntarily lease are typically pooled at the statutory minimum royalty rate of 16.67%. Bonus payments for new leases in the core Bakken can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars per net mineral acre. North Dakota imposes an extraction tax and a production tax on oil production, which are paid by the operator but can affect the economics of mineral ownership.
We buy mineral interests, royalty interests, NPRI, and ORRI across North Dakota's Bakken and Three Forks trends.
Not sure which type you own? Start with our mineral rights glossary for plain-English definitions of MI, RI, NPRI, and ORRI.
North Dakota has significant federal minerals and portions of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation (home to the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation). Tracts on or near the reservation can have unique title considerations, including Bureau of Indian Affairs involvement in lease approvals and trust status on allotted lands. Federal minerals under BLM administration are also present in some areas. We have experience working through these title issues and can evaluate interests regardless of the ownership category.
North Dakota mineral owners occasionally run into questions about severance-tax treatment, dormant mineral statutes, and non-participating royalty interests. These topics rarely drive a transaction, but understanding them helps you read a division order or evaluate an offer. The summaries below are starting points — verify against current statute text before relying on them.
Combined oil tax: 5% gross production tax + 5% oil extraction tax = 10% effective rate on most production. Stripper-well and incentive-rate exceptions reduce the extraction tax to 0% or 3% in defined cases. Natural gas: gross production tax of $0.0865 per Mcf (indexed to gas price under NDCC 57-51-02.2).
North Dakota suspended its 6.5% extraction-tax trigger and various rate-reduction provisions over time as legislation has changed. Always verify the current effective rate against the state Tax Commissioner's most recent guidance before relying on it for valuation.
Statutory citation: NDCC 57-51 (gross production), 57-51.1 (extraction)
North Dakota has the most aggressive dormant mineral statute in the country. After 20 years of non-use (no production, no lease, no payment of taxes, no recorded statement of claim), the surface owner of the underlying tract may file a Notice of Lapse of Mineral Interest under NDCC 38-18.1. The mineral owner has 60 days from publication of notice to file a Statement of Claim preserving the interest. If no preservation is filed, the mineral interest reverts to the surface owner. This statute is the reason ND mineral title work routinely involves a 20-year non-use audit.
Statutory citation: NDCC 38-18.1
North Dakota recognizes NPRIs as cost-free royalty interests. NPRIs are subject to the same 20-year dormant mineral statute as other mineral interests, so holders of unused NPRIs face the same lapse risk and should record Statements of Claim periodically (or otherwise demonstrate use within each rolling 20-year window).
Need plain-English definitions? See our mineral rights glossary.
In North Dakota, if an operator has leased enough acreage to drill a well but some mineral owners remain unleased, the operator can apply to the North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC) for a pooling order. Once pooled, the unleased mineral owner is typically assigned the statutory minimum royalty rate of 16.67% and may receive a bonus. The mineral owner can also elect to participate as a working interest owner and share in both the costs and revenues of the well. Forced pooling is routine in North Dakota and affects many inherited mineral interests where the owners have not actively negotiated a lease.
The Bakken mineral market remains active. Core county acreage in McKenzie, Williams, and Mountrail counties commands the highest valuations, particularly tracts with existing production from multiple wells and remaining undeveloped locations. Values have stabilized as the play has matured, but the continued pace of infill drilling and improved well performance keep demand for quality Bakken minerals strong. Fringe county acreage and non-producing minerals trade at lower multiples but are still regularly bought and sold.
North Dakota imposes both an oil extraction tax (currently 5%) and a gross production tax (also 5%) on oil production. These taxes are paid by the operator and effectively reduce the net revenue available for royalty payments. When selling mineral rights, the proceeds are subject to North Dakota state income tax at rates up to 2.5%, plus federal capital gains tax. North Dakota does not have a separate mineral rights transfer tax.
Yes, but the process involves additional steps. Mineral interests held in trust by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) require BIA approval for any transfer. Allotted interests — those assigned to individual tribal members — can be sold but must go through a BIA review process that typically adds 60 to 90 days to the closing timeline. Fee simple mineral interests within the reservation boundaries that are not held in trust can be sold like any other mineral interest.
We pull well-level production data from the NDIC, map your mineral interest against existing spacing units, and look at both current producing wells and permitted or probable future drilling locations. We weigh the facts of your specific tract — operator quality, lease terms, title, and the development outlook around the unit — and send you a written offer. Every tract is underwritten individually; there is no formula and no rate card.
Learn more about the basins active in North Dakota:
Many North Dakotamineral and royalty interests are held by heirs who live elsewhere. If that's you, our metro pages address the inheritance, ancillary-probate, and tax mechanics specific to your home state:
See all mineral rights FAQ.
State-specific guides covering the legal mechanics that come up most often for owners considering a sale.