Where is Bakken drilling in Montana?

Montana's share of the Williston Basin and Bakken formation is concentrated in the northeastern corner of the state, primarily in Richland, Roosevelt, Sheridan, and Dawson counties. These counties contain approximately 4,000 active wells.

Is Montana well data publicly available?

Yes. The Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation provides free public access to well data, including locations, production, and permit information. All data is public domain as a state government resource.

MT · Oil & Gas Wells

Montana Oil & Gas Wells by PLSS Section

6,400 active wells across the Williston Basin and surrounding areas — browse by township, range, and section.

Active Wells

6,400

Principal Meridian

Montana Principal Meridian

Primary Basin

Williston Basin

Source: Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation · Data as of 2025-12

Convert Montana Well Locations to GPS

Enter any Montana PLSS description to get GPS coordinates for a well site.

Example: T28N R55E Sec 4 NE¼ Montana PM

Open the converter

Top Producing Counties

Montana's most active oil and gas counties by well count, with representative PLSS townships.

Richland County

1,620 wells

High-activity township: T25N R58E

Roosevelt County

1,280 wells

High-activity township: T28N R55E

Fallon County

890 wells

High-activity township: T8N R61E

Sheridan County

720 wells

High-activity township: T35N R55E

Dawson County

540 wells

High-activity township: T18N R55E

Major Producing Basins

Montana's active oil and gas basins, all surveyed under the PLSS.

Williston Basin (Bakken) Powder River Basin Central Montana Uplift

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Montana oil and gas wells and PLSS locations.

Montana uses the Montana Principal Meridian for its PLSS grid. Every well permit filed with the Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation includes a legal description — township, range, section, and quarter-section — referenced to the Montana Principal Meridian.

Related Resources

Montana PLSS Converter PLSS Converter Oil & Gas Industry Developer API

Well Data for Other O&G States

Convert Well Locations to GPS

Paste any PLSS legal description and get GPS coordinates instantly — used by landmen, field engineers, and O&G professionals across Montana.

Try the Converter API Access

Need to process well site lists in bulk? See batch conversion

Well counts are approximate and based on publicly available data from the Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation as of 2025-12. Township America provides coordinate conversion tools and does not replace a licensed land surveyor. Always verify well locations with official state records before making land or permitting decisions.