What North Dakota Geological Survey does

The North Dakota Geological Survey (NDGS) is a state government agency created by the North Dakota Legislature in 1895, now operating as a division within the Department of Mineral Resources under the Industrial Commission. Its primary function is to investigate and publish geological information on North Dakota's mineral, paleontological, and geochemical resources, while also regulating oil and gas exploration and production across 17 western counties. The agency serves oil and gas operators, mineral companies, academic researchers, city and county governments, and the general public through a portfolio of regulatory, research, and public-service products.

Core offerings are organized around three operating units: the Oil and Gas Division (well permitting, Class II injection well oversight, production tracking, and the NorthSTAR data reporting platform), the Geological Survey (geologic mapping via the Geologic Map Viewer, LiDAR-based surface analysis, and the Rare Earth Elements & Critical Minerals research program), and the Paleontology Department (public fossil dig programs, the State Fossil Collection, and the Johnsrud Paleontology Laboratory). Supporting infrastructure includes the Wilson M. Laird Core and Sample Library in Grand Forks, housing 93+ miles of rock core and drill cuttings from the Williston Basin — a dataset that underpins both regulatory compliance and academic research.

The business model is hybrid: primarily funded through North Dakota Industrial Commission legislative appropriations (state government budget), supplemented by subscription fees for data services. Basic Subscription access costs $100/year and Premium Subscription costs $500/year (effective January 1, 2026), providing tiered access to well data, production reports, GIS tools, and digital logs. Distribution occurs through Bismarck headquarters, three field offices (Dickinson, Minot, Williston), the Grand Forks core library, and online subscription portals. The agency holds EPA-granted primacy over Class VI injection wells (CO2 sequestration) since April 2018, providing a growing regulatory footprint as carbon capture activity expands in the state.

Name

North Dakota Geological Survey

Legal name

North Dakota Geological Survey

Website

https://dmr.nd.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The North Dakota Geological Survey is a state government agency that investigates and publishes geological information on North Dakota's mineral, paleontological, and geochemical resources while regulating oil and gas operations and managing the state's core and fossil collections.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Geological Survey and Mineral Resource Management

NAICS

Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360), Support Activities for Mining (213)

SIC

Oil & Gas Field Exploration Services (1382), Oil & Gas Field Services, Nec (1389)

akta.pro primary industry

Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling) (IMAKAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seismic & Geoscience Services (Acquisition, Processing, Interpretation) (EUALABAK), Exploration & Prospecting (Geology, Geophysics, Seismic) (EUALAAAA), Geothermal Resource Exploration & Assessment (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry) (EUAMAEAA), Geotechnical Investigation & Site Characterization (Boreholes, In-situ Testing, Lab Testing) (IMAFAOAG)

Keywords

• Geological survey services
• Oil gas regulation
• Paleontological research
• Mineral resource mapping
• Subsurface data management

Headquarters

HQ city

Bismarck

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. State Government Appropriations: Funded by North Dakota Industrial Commission through state legislative appropriations as a state government agency.
2. Subscription Services: Basic Subscription at $100/year (as of January 1, 2026) and Premium Subscription at $500/year providing access to field orders, case files, well data, production volumes, GIS tools, and other regulatory data.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The North Dakota Geological Survey is a state government agency that conducts geological surveys and publishes geological information for North Dakota. It regulates oil and gas drilling and production, manages subsurface mineral resources including Class VI injection wells for CO2 sequestration, operates the Wilson M. Laird Core and Sample Library housing over 93 miles of geological core, and administers the state Paleontology program including public fossil dig programs and the State Fossil Collection.

Product overview

The North Dakota Geological Survey operates as a state government agency under the Department of Mineral Resources, offering a unified portfolio of regulatory, research, and public service products. The core offerings include the Oil and Gas Division (regulatory oversight of drilling/production), the Geological Survey (geological research and publications), and the Paleontology Department (fossil program management). Supporting infrastructure includes the Wilson M. Laird Core and Sample Library (physical repository of geological samples) and the NorthSTAR data platform. Revenue-generating subscription services (Basic at $100/year and Premium at $500/year) provide tiered access to oil and gas data, GIS tools, well records, and production reports. Public engagement products include the Director's Cut monthly publication, Geo News Newsletter, Geologic Map Viewer, Public Fossil Dig Program, and the Collections Database. The organization also conducts specialized research programs for rare earth elements, critical minerals, and LiDAR mapping.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wilson M. Laird Core & Sample Library: A facility housing one of the finest collections of rock core and drill cuttings in the country, located on the University of North Dakota campus in Grand Forks.
• Johnsrud Paleontology Laboratory
• North Dakota Heritage Center - Geologic Time Gallery

Products and services

• Oil and Gas Division Regulatory division that oversees the drilling and production of oil and natural gas in North Dakota, including well permitting, field operations, Class II injection wells, and compliance with environmental standards.
• North Dakota Geological Survey Research and Publications Primary source of geological information in North Dakota, publishing maps and reports on mineralogical, paleontological, and geochemical resources including oil and gas, coal, uranium, clay, sand and gravel, and potash.
• Paleontology Department Manages the public fossil dig program, collections database, and provides scientific and educational resources about North Dakota's fossils, including the State Fossil Collection and State Rock and Mineral Collection.
• Wilson M. Laird Core and Sample Library Physical repository housing one of the finest collections of rock core and drill cuttings in the country, with over 93 miles of core (493,404 feet), 163,310 core boxes, and 55,628 boxes of drill cuttings from oil and gas wells. Free facility usage for visiting professionals with lab reservations.
• Basic Subscription Service Annual subscription providing access to field orders, case files, well data, production reports, GIS tools, and general statistics for oil and gas operations in North Dakota.
• Premium Subscription Service Enhanced annual subscription offering comprehensive access to all Basic services plus advanced GIS map tools, digital and image logs, core search capabilities, well performance curves, and detailed production/injection data.
• NorthSTAR Data Platform Oil and gas data management and reporting system providing training manuals and new user resources for industry stakeholders to file and access regulatory data.
• Geologic Map Viewer Interactive web-based mapping application for viewing geological data and surface geology throughout North Dakota, built on ArcGIS.
• Public Fossil Dig Program Organized fossil excavation opportunities for the public at various locations including Bismarck Area, Dickinson Area, and Pembina Gorge, with educational programming.
• Rare Earth Elements & Critical Minerals Research Program Research program for study and documentation of rare earth element concentrations in North Dakota lignites, identifying critical mineral resources and exploration potential for national security purposes.
• Paleontology Collections Database Online database of paleontological collections including fossils, the State Rock and Mineral Collection, and the State Fossil Collection housed at the Heritage Center.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 17,500 wells drilled and completed within the Middle Bakken and upper Three Forks Formations tracked and regulated
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PCOR Partnership (Petroleum Technology Research Center)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative development of the Gas Analysis map service hosted on UND EERC web site. Joint effort to create GIS and graphing interface for exploring gas composition data in the Williston Basin.
• University of North Dakota (UND)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNDGS Wilson M. Laird Core and Sample Library located on UND campus in Grand Forks. Academic collaboration for geological research and core studies.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-dakota-geological-survey

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about North Dakota Geological Survey