Harold Hamm

Harold Hamm grew up in poverty and founded Continental Resources in 1967. He pioneered horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing techniques in the Bakken Shale formation of North Dakota, helping launch the US shale revolution that fundamentally altered global energy markets. Continental Resources grew to become one of the largest oil and gas producers in the US. Hamm became a billionaire and vocal advocate for US energy production, advising political figures on energy policy. His story is considered one of the defining entrepreneurial narratives of the American oil industry. Hamm took Continental Resources private again in 2022 by acquiring the remaining public shares, reflecting his conviction that the long-term intrinsic value of the company's Bakken and SCOOP/STACK acreage was not being adequately recognized by public equity markets focused on near-term cash flow and capital return metrics.