Sell Williams County mineral rights
What Williams County mineral and royalty interests are worth, who buys them, and how to sell directly to a principal buyer with no commission. Every figure is an estimate subject to verification of your specific interest.
Last updated June 2026.
What are Williams County mineral rights worth?
Williams County, around Williston, is a core Bakken producer at the heart of the basin. Producing royalties are valued on the 36 to 72 times monthly royalty rule, with deep, well-developed acreage. Estimate, subject to verification.
Williams County, centered on Williston, sits at the core of the Williston Basin and is one of North Dakota top oil-producing counties. It carries deep, well-developed Bakken and Three Forks acreage and a long history of oil activity dating back decades before the shale boom. For mineral owners that means strong, relatively durable production, with value resting mainly on existing wells now that the basin is mature. Williston also serves as the commercial hub of the basin, so owner activity and records here are comparatively well organized.
Williams County oil and gas activity
Public state commission records show 3,581 active oil and gas wells in Williams County out of 6,353 wells on record. The most recent drilling on record was spudded in 2026. These figures are pulled from the state oil and gas commission and are an activity snapshot, not a measure of any one owner's interest.
Top operators in Williams County
The most active operators in Williams County by well count, from the state commission. We name operators because the record is public; this is not an endorsement and implies no relationship.
- Continental Resources, INC. (909 wells)
- Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC (881 wells)
- Oasis Petroleum North America LLC (556 wells)
- Whiting Oil And Gas Corporation (526 wells)
- Devon Energy Williston, LLC (479 wells)
Producing formations in Williams County
The formations and pools that actually produce in Williams County, from the well records:
Producing royalties here are valued on the standard income multiple, roughly 36 to 72 times the average monthly royalty check, with deep, well-developed Bakken and Three Forks acreage often supporting the upper part of the band. The basin is mature, so value leans on existing production. This is an estimate, subject to verification, not an offer.
How Williams County minerals are valued
Producing interests anywhere are valued on a multiple of the income they pay: roughly 36 to 72 times your average monthly royalty check, the same as 3 to 6 times your annual royalty. Average your last three to six checks, then multiply. Where you land inside that band depends mostly on how fast your wells decline, plus the operator, royalty rate, and any undeveloped drilling upside. For the full method and a free on-screen estimate, see what are my mineral rights worth.
Who buys mineral rights in Williams County
Williams County owners hear from brokers, marketplaces, and direct buyers. A broker lists your interest and takes a commission, usually up to 6 percent of your proceeds. Ironwood Royalty is a principal buyer, which means the offer comes from us and there is no commission in the middle. We show you a value range before we ask for anything, explain the undeveloped upside instead of quietly keeping it, and never use a 72-hour deadline to rush a decision on a generational asset.
How to sell Williams County minerals
The order of operations is the same everywhere, and it protects you:
- Know your value range before you talk to any buyer.
- Ask every buyer to quote per net royalty acre so offers are truly comparable.
- Ask directly whether the offer accounts for undeveloped drilling upside.
- Confirm the price is firm and not subject to a quiet reduction during due diligence.
See the full walkthrough in how to sell mineral rights. If you inherited the interest, start with our guide for heirs, which covers recording title and the stepped-up basis that can make a near-term sale very tax-efficient.
Williams County is part of the Williston Basin. For the basin-wide value bands and the other counties we buy in, see the Williston Basin page.
Williams County mineral rights questions
- How much are Williams County mineral rights worth?
- Producing Williams County royalties are valued at roughly 36 to 72 times your average monthly royalty check. Williams is core Bakken acreage with deep, well-developed wells, so producing interests are typically strong and durable. This is an estimate, not an offer.
- Is Williams County still a strong Bakken county?
- Yes. Williams County remains one of the top oil-producing counties in North Dakota, with deep, well-developed Bakken and Three Forks acreage. Because the basin is mature, value leans on existing production rather than a wave of new drilling.
- Who buys mineral rights in Williams County, North Dakota?
- Ironwood Royalty buys Williams County mineral and royalty interests directly from owners as a principal buyer, valuing core Bakken royalties on the income multiple with an honest range before asking for anything.
Activity data for Williams County: North Dakota NDIC / Department of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas Wells (ArcGIS public service) (pulled 2026-06-17) . Public record, used with attribution.
See what your Williams County minerals could be worth
Run a free estimate for an honest on-screen range, then talk it through with a real person. An estimate, not an offer, and never any pressure.