The Three Affiliated Tribes, owners of the 4 Bears Casino and Lodge in New Town, North Dakota, produces about 1,000 barrels of oil a day through its tribal-owned company, Missouri River Resources, located on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. Production began in June 2015.
MRR Board Chairman Ken Hall said previously the tribe had leased the majority of its lands to private oil companies, which kept 82 percent of royalties. Now, by taking on new or expiring leaseholds and drilling its own oil, MRR is able to get back 26 percent of royalties, which are used for infrastructure, law enforcement, education and reinvesting into MRR.
Hall said, “We’re big players in the whole scheme of things.” With the motto “Sovereignty by the Barrel,” the company has plans for three four-well projects this year and a 32-well project in 2017, he noted.
