Sell Your Mineral Rights in Billings County County, ND
If you own mineral rights in Billings County, you're sitting on acreage in the heart of the Williston Basin — one of the most significant oil-producing regions in the United States. Activity here is real, the Bakken formation runs through much of the county, and buyers are actively looking. Whether you've just received an offer or are trying to understand what you actually have, the first step is knowing your rights are worth more than guesswork.
Est. per Acre
$500–$3,000
per net royalty acre
Active Wells
320+
Drilling Activity
Core Basin
Williston Basin
Primary Formation
Primary Resource
Oil
Commodity Type
What's Happening in Billings County Right Now
Billings County sits squarely in the Williston Basin, and the Bakken Shale here is the real deal — this is the same play that put North Dakota on the map as a top oil-producing state. Drilling activity has been more measured than the peak boom years of 2012-2014, but operators are still active, wells are still producing, and buyers are still paying real money for mineral acres here. That said, Billings County isn't the most densely drilled part of the Bakken — McKenzie and Mountrail counties tend to see heavier operator focus — so your value will depend heavily on exactly where your acres sit, how close you are to active spacing units, and whether you're already in production. Before you accept any offer or sign anything, it's worth getting an honest picture of what you have.
Billings County by the Numbers
~320
producing & permitted wells in county
Estimated Active Wells
$500 – $3,000
per net mineral acre (varies widely by location)
Estimated Value Range Per Acre
Oil
with associated natural gas
Primary Commodity
9,000 – 10,500
feet below surface
Bakken Formation Depth
Williston Basin
one of the largest onshore oil basins in the U.S.
Basin
Who's Operating in Billings County
Continental Resources
CLRHess Corporation
HESXTO Energy (ExxonMobil)
XOMChord Energy (formerly Whiting & Oasis)
CHRDConocoPhillips (Burlington Resources)
COPWhat's in the Ground
Bakken Shale
The primary target in Billings County. The Middle Bakken member is a tight oil reservoir that requires horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing to produce. Wells here can produce hundreds of thousands of barrels over their lifetime, though initial production rates vary significantly by location. This is the formation most operators are targeting, and it's the main driver of mineral rights value in the county.
Three Forks
Directly below the Bakken, the Three Forks formation adds meaningful value to mineral rights because operators can potentially drill multiple benches from the same spacing unit. Not every acre in Billings County has proven Three Forks production, but where it does exist, it increases the number of wells that can reasonably be drilled — which matters to buyers and royalty owners alike.
Lodgepole
An older, shallower carbonate formation that was historically productive in parts of the Williston Basin. Less of a focus for current operators compared to the Bakken and Three Forks, but worth knowing about if your rights cover all depths — which many older deeds do.
Questions We Hear From Billings County Owners
I got a letter offering to buy my mineral rights. Is it a fair offer?
My minerals are in Billings County but I've never received a royalty check. Does that mean they're not worth anything?
How is Billings County different from McKenzie or Dunn County? Should I expect similar values?
What to Know About Billings County
North Dakota Mineral Title and Deed Basics
In North Dakota, mineral rights can be severed from surface rights, and many landowners in Billings County own one without the other. If you inherited minerals, your deed or probate records should specify what you actually own. It's worth confirming you hold the rights before assuming — and an attorney familiar with North Dakota mineral title can help if the chain of title is unclear.
Forced Pooling in North Dakota
North Dakota allows forced pooling, which means an operator can include your minerals in a drilling unit even without your direct consent — though you're entitled to your proportionate royalty share. If you've been pooled without knowing it, you may already be owed royalties. The North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC) maintains public records of all pooling orders and well permits.
Royalty Rates and Lease Terms
Standard Bakken leases in North Dakota typically carry royalty rates between 16% and 20%, though some landowners have negotiated higher. If you're currently unleased, you have leverage — operators want acreage and lease terms are negotiable. If you're already under lease, the terms of that lease govern what you receive. Reading the fine print on deductions, post-production costs, and depth clauses matters more than most people realize.
State Oversight via the NDIC
The North Dakota Industrial Commission regulates all oil and gas activity in the state, including Billings County. Their online GIS mapping tool lets you look up wells, spacing units, and production data by location — it's a genuinely useful free resource if you want to understand what's happening near your acres before talking to anyone.
How a Sale Works
You Get a Free Valuation First
Before anything happens, we look at your specific acres — where they sit in the county, whether they're in an active spacing unit, current production data if applicable, and what comparable mineral sales in the area look like. You get a real number, not a ballpark, and you're under no obligation to do anything with it.
You Decide What to Do
Some owners want to sell everything. Others want to sell a portion and keep some royalty exposure. Others just want to know what they have for estate planning purposes. There's no pressure here to transact — the goal is to make sure you have the information to make the right call for your situation.
If You Sell, It's a Clean Process
A mineral sale is handled through a purchase agreement, title review, and deed transfer — similar in structure to a real estate sale. You'll want an attorney to review any purchase agreement before signing. The process typically takes 30 to 60 days from agreement to closing, and payment is made at closing.
You Keep Your Surface Rights
Selling mineral rights has no effect on your surface ownership if you own both. The two are legally separate in North Dakota, and a mineral deed conveys only the subsurface rights specified in the agreement.
Find Out What Your Billings County Minerals Are Worth
You don't need to figure this out alone. Tell us where your acres are, and we'll give you a straightforward valuation based on real data — no pressure, no obligation, and no corporate runaround. If you've got an offer sitting on your desk, we can tell you whether it's fair. If you've never looked into this before, there's no better time to start.
Get My Free ValuationGet a Free Offer for Your Billings County County Mineral Rights
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