Tuesday, January 15, 2013

How Does One Get 34+ Wells On A 1280-Acre Spacing Unit in the Bakken?

From a Continental Resources exhibit. Sent in by a reader:


As long as that original well produces (and then, as long as any new well produces), no additional leasing is required for the proposed wells. However, the mineral rights owners will share in royalties from all the wells.
"TF1" through "TF4" are also known as the Three Forks benches. Such payzones do not exist in all areas of the Bakken.

A look at how one might place 14 wells on one pad:


Regardless of where one's ten acres of mineral rights are in any of these four sections, the mineral rights owner will share royalties in all 14 wells.

I remember doing a poll on small spacing units vs larger spacing units. Some of the comments spoke volumes about how folks understood the issue; hopefully "we've" come a long way over the past two years.

8 comments:

  1. This might have some interesting consequences/ramifications on people who go "unsigned". Has anyone
    gotten into this or is the answer obvious ?

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    1. Wow, I had not thought of that. Could be very, very interesting, couldn't it? Wow.

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    2. Where might I look to see the other Continental exhibit? My interests are located in a Continental 2560 with 14 wells.

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    3. I was sent these exhibits; I assume they were presented at the NDIC hearing. They might be available at the NDIC site; possibly requiring a subscription. I have not looked for them.

      I will post a screenshot of the 14 wells on 2560-acre spacing in a few minutes.

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    4. This might be just one of many examples.

      https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!topic/bakken-shale-discussion/rmGhF7FoBPI[1-25-false]

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  2. The fanlike spaced unit is the Atlanta Wells in the Baker Field. They are situated just west of the Hwy 85 Bridge S.W of Williston on the north side of the Missouri. There is also an dedicated SWD well located just next to the main wells. These wells are to be completed within two years. These 14 wells a currently targeting the MB and upper TF.

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    1. Very impressive. I remember early discussions on the importance of directing a horizontal in the best possible way to maximize natural fractures, or something to that effect, but it appears that may not be necessary.

      CLR will also learn a lot about how much neighboring wells affect each other. I've always maintained that the effectiveness of fracking is only about 500 feet radially. So, we'll see.

      Just imagine. For two years, the roughnecks will be going out to the same location, day in, day out, just as if they were mining or manufacturing, and thus the term.

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  3. I finally took some time to look at the GIS map server and these fourteen wells. It is really, really impressive.

    Three pads: one 6-well pad; one 4-well pad; one 4-well pad. In section 6-153-101.

    All three pads, all fourteen wells, are in one long line west to east, or east to west, in the northwest quadrant of the section. And as noted, just to the northwest of these fourteen wells, in the same section, is a dedicated salt-water disposal well.

    Think of the cost savings. One road out to the general area. One natural gas pipeline out to the general area. One rural electric power line out to the general area. Look at all the farmland that was not plowed under.

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