Early Life
Harold Glenn Hamm was born on December 11, 1945, in Lexington, Oklahoma, the youngest of 13 children born to cotton sharecroppers. He grew up working hard and, at the age of 16, began working at a gas station to support his family. After graduating from Enid High School in 1964, he was unable to afford college.
Rise to Success
Hamm's career in the oil industry began when he started his own oilfield service company at the age of 21. With a $1,000 loan, he purchased a tank truck and began hauling water and drilling mud. In 1967, he founded Shelly Dean Oil Company, later renamed Continental Resources, Inc. (CLR). Hamm pioneered the development of the Bakken shale play in North Dakota and Montana using horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Continental Resources went public in 2007, but in November 2022, Hamm took the company private again through Omega Acquisition, Inc..
Key Business Strategies
Hamm's success is attributed to his strategic vision and ability to capitalize on unconventional resource plays. He focused on oil exploration and production, particularly in the Bakken shale, SCOOP, and STACK plays. Continental Resources became a leader in domestic energy, with Hamm's innovative approach driving the company's growth and efficiency.
Philanthropy
Harold Hamm has also been involved in philanthropy, with significant donations to education and diabetes research. He donated $10 million to the University of North Dakota to create the Harold Hamm School of Geology and Geological Engineering and $12 million to the University of Mary to establish the Hamm School of Engineering.