Sell Your Mineral Rights in Billings County, ND
If you own mineral rights in Billings County, North Dakota, you're sitting on acreage in the Williston Basin — one of the country's most significant onshore oil plays. Development here is real, though it's more measured than the densest parts of the Bakken, and understanding what your specific acres are worth takes a little more nuance. We'll give you a straight answer.
Est. per Acre
$500–$2,500
per net royalty acre
Active Wells
120+
Drilling Activity
Core Basin
Williston Basin
Primary Formation
Primary Resource
Oil
Commodity Type
What's Actually Happening in Billings County Right Now
Billings County sits in the heart of the North Dakota Badlands, and its rugged terrain — including portions of Theodore Roosevelt National Park's surrounding area — means development here is more geographically constrained than in flatter Bakken counties like McKenzie or Mountrail. That said, the Bakken and Three Forks formations absolutely run beneath this county, and operators have drilled productive wells here. If your acres are in the eastern or northern parts of the county, closer to active unit corridors, they carry real value. If they're in more remote or topographically complex sections, the value picture is more speculative and worth understanding before you make any decisions. Either way, you deserve a clear-eyed look at what you have.
Billings County by the Numbers
~120
horizontal oil wells
Estimated Active Wells
$500 – $2,500
per net mineral acre (estimate; location-dependent)
Estimated Value Range Per Acre
10,000 – 11,500
feet (Bakken)
Primary Producing Formation Depth
Oil
with associated natural gas
Primary Commodity
Medora
nearest larger city: Dickinson, ND (~35 miles east)
County Seat
Who's Operating in Billings County
Continental Resources
CLRHess Corporation
HESMarathon Oil
MROOasis Petroleum
OASWhiting Petroleum
WLLWhat's in the Ground
Bakken Shale
The primary target in Billings County. The Middle Bakken member is an oil-bearing silty dolostone sitting roughly 10,000 to 11,500 feet below the surface. Horizontal drilling and multi-stage fracking have made it commercially productive across much of the county, though results vary significantly by location. This is the formation that most buyers are focused on when they approach you.
Three Forks
Directly below the Bakken, the Three Forks has been developed as a secondary target in many Williston Basin wells. In Billings County, operators have stacked Three Forks laterals beneath Bakken wells in some units, which adds value when it happens — your royalty interest covers both. Not every unit has seen Three Forks development yet, so this can represent upside potential.
Lodgepole
An older carbonate formation above the Bakken. Historically it was a conventional oil target in parts of the Williston Basin, and some legacy vertical wells in Billings County have produced from it. It's not the primary focus of current horizontal drilling programs, but it's worth noting if your title includes older wells or lease language referencing it.
What to Know About Billings County
Courthouse Is in Medora — Plan Accordingly
The Billings County Courthouse is located in Medora, the county seat and one of the smallest county seats in North Dakota with a population under 200. Title research, deed filings, and mineral conveyances are recorded there. If you're working with a title company or attorney, note that physical access to Medora is seasonal for some researchers and remote services may take longer. The courthouse handles recording for the entire county.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park Proximity Matters
Portions of Billings County border or are near Theodore Roosevelt National Park's South and North Units. Federal land restrictions and surface access considerations are more pronounced here than in most other Bakken counties. Mineral rights under or adjacent to federal lands may have different leasing and permitting timelines, and some acreage simply isn't developable in the near term. This is a real factor in how buyers price Billings County acres.
North Dakota Mineral Rights Follow Standard Severance Rules
Like the rest of North Dakota, mineral rights in Billings County can be severed from the surface — meaning you can own the minerals without owning the land above them, or vice versa. If you inherited minerals or received them through a deed, it's worth confirming exactly what you own through a title review before assuming. The North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC) maintains public records of well permits and production that can help you locate your acres relative to active drilling.
Forced Pooling Is Active in North Dakota
North Dakota's Industrial Commission can pool your minerals into a drilling unit even if you haven't signed a lease — this is called forced pooling or integration. If that happens, you'll still receive a royalty, but the rate may be lower than what you could negotiate voluntarily. If an operator has approached you about leasing, it's worth understanding where you are in that process before making a decision.
Questions We Hear From Billings County Owners
I got an offer from an operator or landman for my Billings County minerals. Is the price fair?
Does being near Theodore Roosevelt National Park affect my mineral rights?
My family has owned these minerals for decades and we've never gotten a lease offer. Are they worth anything?
Find Out What Your Billings County Minerals Are Actually Worth
You don't have to figure this out alone. Whether you just got an offer, inherited acres from a family member, or simply want to understand what you're sitting on, we'll give you a real valuation — no pressure, no obligation, and no corporate runaround. Just a straight conversation with someone who knows the Williston Basin.
Get My Free ValuationOther Bakken Shale / Williston Basin Counties
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