Continental Resources

Continental Resources is focused on the exploration and production of onshore oil-prone plays and is a Top 10 independent oil producer. 

Continental Resources is based in Oklahoma City, USA, and has a long and successful history of developing its industry-leading leasehold and production in the nation's premier oil play, the Bakken of North Dakota and Montana. As well as significant positions in Oklahoma in its recently discovered SCOOP play and the Northwest Cana play.

1967: Harold Hamm founded Shelly Dean Oil Co., Continental's predecessor.

1974: Harold Hamm begins drilling a series of successfully producing wells in Oklahoma

1976: The company became Hamm Production Company when Harold Hamm obtained ownership.

1985: Harold Hamm acquires Petro-Lewis and 500+ oil and gas wells, it remains the company’s largest acquisition

1988: Disgruntled with the overproduction of natural gas in Oklahoma, which flooded the market at unprofitable pay rates, Hamm guided the company toward expansion into oil development beginning of the year, initially in eastern Montana’s Lustre field.

1990: The company formed a subsidiary, Continental Gas, Inc., for the purpose of providing ancillary services to the gas industry. The company was renamed Continental Resources.

1992: Continental purchases headquarters buildings in downtown Enid, OK.

1993: Continental expands into the Rocky Mountain region and begins using 3-D seismic. Continental made its first substantial acquisitions outside of Oklahoma, and most of the properties were suitable for alternative extraction of secondary reserves.

1995: To gain access to air-injection technology, Continental acquired 50,000 acres of mineral rights from Koch Exploration. The company discovered what was later described as the Cedar Hills Field in North Dakota, the 7th largest onshore field in the lower 48 United States ranked by liquid proved reserves, and was the first to develop it exclusively through precision horizontal drilling.

1996: The company purchased 19 oil and gas wells in Kansas and New Mexico and planned to apply the technique there when it became economically feasible.

1998: A private offering of $150 million in senior subordinated notes supported the purchase of oil development interests at Big Horn Basin in northern Wyoming.

1999: Through a joint venture with Challenger Minerals, Inc., Continental began drilling offshore in July.

2000: The company concluded the acquisition of all assets from Farrar Oil Company, including Har-Ken Oil Company, for a total compensation of $33.7 million.

2003: Continental expanded its natural gas services with the $12 million acquisition of Carmen Gathering System in western Oklahoma in August. Continental enters the North Dakota Bakken with a purchase of 300,000 acres. Project developments in the Rocky Mountain region progressed, particularly at the Cedar Hills field in North Dakota and Montana. The company drilled its first wells in the Bakken formation.

2005: This year alone, oil production rose 55 percent, to 5.71 million barrels.

2006: In March Continental announced plans for an initial public offering of stock, intending to raise $575 million. In April, the company acquired a 50 percent interest in the Marfa Basin in southwest Texas.

2007: Continental is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: CLR). The company became a public company via an initial public offering in which Harold Hamm sold approximately $300 million worth of his shares.

2008: The company was the first to complete a horizontal well in the Three Forks zone.

2010: Continental introduced the ECO-Pad® drilling technique, which involves drilling 4 wells from 1 pad.

2011: Interactive Media Council, Inc. names Continental’s Web site Best in Class in the Energy Industry, created by a team led by Brian Engel and designed by Marker Seven.

2012: Harold Hamm was named “one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World.”

2013: Continental Resources wins “Company” and “CEO” of the year titles at the 2013 Platts Global Energy Awards

2015: Harold Hamm is named 2015 Wildcatter of the Year by the Western Energy Alliance

2016: The company sold assets in North Dakota and Montana for $222 million.

2017: The company sold 26,000 acres in the Arkoma Basin for $68 million.

2021: The company acquired 92,000 net leasehold acres and 50,000 net royalty acres in the Permian Basin for $3.25 billion from Pioneer Natural Resources.

2022: The Company will celebrate 55 years of operations.

“With a focus on the exploration and production of oil, Continental has unlocked the technology and resources vital to American energy independence and our nation’s leadership in the new world oil market.”

“To actively protect the resources available on our planet. That is why our actions are characterized by the constant pursuit of higher efficiency.”