as of 2026-06-25

Prima Exploration, Inc. — Quiet Bakken Operator With Fresh Spacing & Pooling Orders in McKenzie and Divide Counties

27
Producing now
49
Total wells
0
Pending cases
0
Wells authorized
Win rate
Producing now27 / 49
Active (status A/AC)28 / 49
Plugged / abandoned2 / 49

Prima Exploration, Inc. is a modest North Dakota Bakken operator carrying a portfolio of 45 total wells, 24 active and 22 currently producing, with no pending docket activity as of June 2026. The company recently cleared two regulatory milestones — a field-extension spacing order in McKenzie County (Beicegel Creek-Bakken) and a forced pooling order in Divide County (Smoky Butte-Bakken, signed 28 May 2026) — both progressed to order status but neither yet backed by a permit or a spud. The pipeline is thin and deliberate: spacing is approved, the clock is ticking on permits, and the next move is entirely Prima's.

What stands out

Docket & Locations

Prima has two active development locations, both at stage-rank 0 ('Spacing approved — no permit yet'). Case 32613 is a field extension in McKenzie County, T.145N., R.99W., Sections 2, 11, 14, and 23, targeting the Beicegel Creek-Bakken pool on a 2,560-acre spacing unit; it first appeared at hearing on 26 February 2026 and progressed to order by 28 May 2026, with 4 wells authorized. Case 32863 is a pooling application in Divide County, T.160N., R.100W., Sections 22, 27, and 34, targeting the Smoky Butte-Bakken pool; it was heard and progressed to order on 27 May 2026. Neither location has a permit or a spud date. There are no pending cases and no upcoming hearings on the docket.

sources: 32613, 32863

Portfolio

Prima's total well count stands at 45, of which 24 are active and 22 are producing now. Only 2 wells are plugged. The producing base is concentrated — nearly all active wells are on production — suggesting a mature, low-churn inventory with limited near-term organic decline from plugging activity.

sources: port-total, port-active, port-plugged, port-producing_now

Recent Orders

The sole recent order on record is Order 35789, a Forced Pooling Order signed 28 May 2026, covering Divide County's Smoky Butte-Bakken Pool. Forced pooling in North Dakota is a standard regulatory mechanism used when an operator cannot reach voluntary agreement with all mineral-interest owners; its issuance here confirms that at least some interests in the Smoky Butte unit were non-consenting at the time of the hearing.

sources: ord-35789

Prior Well Context

The Beicegel Creek-McKenzie cell (Case 32613) had 2 prior wells before the new spacing order; the Smoky Butte-Divide cell (Case 32863) had 9. Both are therefore established, non-greenfield positions. The contrast in prior-well density between the two locations is notable: McKenzie is an early-stage expansion while Divide is a denser, more mature unit where Prima is now locking in remaining interests.

sources: 32613, 32863