ConocoPhillips shuttles from Williston to Midland amid Permian expansion push

ConocoPhillips flew from Williston Basin International Airport to Midland International Air and Space Port on May 18, 2026, a 2-hour 27-minute hop aboard its Embraer ERJ-145XR, tail N284CP. The aircraft, part of a newly launched employee shuttle service, connected two of the company's major operational hubs: the Bakken shale in North Dakota and the Permian Basin in West Texas.

This intra-company flight comes the same week ConocoPhillips is executing on a $12–12.5 billion capital budget for 2026, with up to $500 million of incremental spending directed to the Permian, per an Oil & Gas Journal report on May 1. The company's first-quarter earnings, announced April 30, showed a 2% dip in shares but strong free cash flow of $2.4 billion, as CEO Ryan Lance emphasized maintaining operational efficiency.

The shuttle flights, which began earlier this month with the delivery of N284CP, serve routes from Houston to Midland, Carlsbad, Bartlesville, Williston, and other field locations, according to Hamden Aviation. This particular leg—Williston to Midland—reinforces ConocoPhillips' strategy of leveraging its aviation fleet to move personnel quickly between key assets, from the Bakken to the Permian, as it locks in drilling efficiencies and advances its Willow project in Alaska.