Sunday, September 11, 2011

How Exciting Is the Bakken? Update On Three Early Wells in the Bakken, North Dakota, USA

For newbies, some rules of thumb when you look at the wells below:
  • wells in the legacy formations in the Williston Basin often took 15 to 20 years to hit 100,000 bbls; the Bakken wells below are reaching 500,000 in less than three years
  • Bakken wells pay for themselves at the wellhead at 100,000 bbls
  • these wells will go on to produce for 25 more years 
  • the average estimate for production from Bakken wells is 600,000 bbls  over lifetime of the well
  • there are "no" dry Bakken wells
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Wayzetta 11-08H, #17127, EOG
  • Spudded: August 27, 2008
  • Completed: November 9, 2008
  • IP: 1,714
  • Cumulative as of July 31, 2011: 437,394
  • Single section
  • Still producing 10,000 bbls/month; almost no water
State 1-16/21H, #18973, Helis
  • Spudded: July 4, 2010
  • Tested: October 25, 2010
  • IP: 2,579
  • Cumulative as of July, 2011 (9 months of production): 221,281, no pump
  • 17,000 bbls most recent month of reporting
  • Two sections
  • Three Forks formation
  • 40K in November, 2010
  • 20K in January, 2011
  • 58K in first 38 days!
Richardson Federal 11-9H, #17158, Whiting
  • Spudded: August 14, 2008
  • Tested: October 22, 2008
  • Cumulative as of July 31, 2011: 602,364 (at $50/bbl --> $30 million)
  • Long lateral
  • Sanish oil field
  • Middle Bakken
  • Currently 10K/month
  • Only on-line 10 days in July; probably taken off-line to put on a pump 
See more of these wells at "Monster Wells"

4 comments:

  1. I've noticed you post there are "no" dry Bakken wells. I've seen other sites that post similar claims. On the NDIC "daily activity report" I have found 5 dry hole postings within 2011; among them is a bakken well.
    2/22/11 #19711 Anshutz Exploration 143/96/32 Dunn County, Bakken

    3/14/11 #831 Ward Williston 164/80/36 Bottineau County, Madison

    3/16/11 #19608 Anshutz Exploration 143/95/2 Dunn County, Pierre

    4/8/11 #17538 Slawson Exploration 139/103/17 GoldenValley, Ratcliffe

    6/13/11 #19265 Samson Resources 162/97/13 Divide County, Three Forks

    also posted here as dry:
    NDIC File No: 19711 API No: 33-025-01181-00-00
    Well Type: OG Well Status: DRY Status Date: 2/4/2011 Wellbore type: Horizontal
    Location: SWSE 32-143-96 Footages: 300 FSL 1336 FEL Latitude: 47.155195 Longitude: -102.868170
    Current Operator: ANSCHUTZ EXPLORATION CORPORATION
    Current Well Name: RALPH TORMASCHY 1-5-8H-142-96
    Elevation(s): 2348 KB 2342 GL Total Depth: 2121 Field: MANNING
    Spud Date(s): 10/18/2010
    Casing String(s): 9.625" 2110'
    Completion Data
    Pool: BAKKEN Comp: 2/4/2011 Status: DRY Date: 2/4/2011

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's why I put the "no" in quotation marks.

    I guess "we" have six dry wells out of a couple thousand drilled.

    It's all relative.

    And in many cases, they will go back in and get a well. But compared to the old days in the legacy fields whey might drill 10 wells before hitting a "good" well, the Bakken is quite an exception.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I did check the GIS map, and noticed a 2nd number by some of the "dry" wells so it might be possible they ran into trouble and redrilled in a nearby location.
    Not sure what that #831 well was about, it looks like it was/is productive.

    As to the "no" dry holes, in comparison to years ago, it could be considered no dry holes. I just wondered if I was able to track down that many dry holes within a 4 months time period, there must have been a similar amount of dry holes each year for the past 5 years or so. I just know I'd hate to be "one" of the rare occasions that it happens.
    Thanks for your articles.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you for taking the time to write/comment.

    I apologize for waiting so long to publish your comments; I was so busy today, exploring the Bakken, I didnt' get a chance to blog.

    It is amazing how busy it is. Left turns at intersections without signal lights are impossible --- lines and lines of trucks.

    Yes, there is an occasional dry hole and occasional non-economic wells, but this is still one of the best areas in the world; I've blogged some great quotes by oil company CEOs how they cannot believe how good the Bakken is.

    Some of us have grown "numb" to it, taking it for granted. Some days I think there is nothing else to write, and think about giving up the blog, and then something is published, or something I see, and I am again blown away.

    Right now, the size of the Baker Hughes building west of Williston might very well be the 8th wonder of the world.

    ReplyDelete