Really, Really Esoteric Post Regarding Depth Of Wells In The Bakken --- November 6, 2016

This is really, really getting into the weeds. I think I'm right on this but could be misinterpreting or reading things incorrectly, but folks who are really "into this," you might find this interesting. Again, I may be completely wrong but it makes sense to me.

First: go to the post and look at the graphics at that post and note how far away the "bottom hole" is from the surface hole horizontally. Horizontally, these wells are sited in section 26. They then traverse section 27, all of 34, and all of sections 3 and 10.

One would expect these wells to be incredibly "deep" -- going through three sections, traversing part of a fourth section, and being sited in a fifth section.

CLR and EOG have the "deepest" wells in the Bakken when they drill super-long-laterals (3-sections) either for a 1920-acre drilling unit, or to reach a drilling unit under the river (see the TDs of some of these previously reported long wells below the "fold" down below, "previous posts." The longest of these wells are running 25,000 to 26,555 feet.

One would expect the Brangus and the Charolais wells (at the link above) to be much longer (a far greater TD). In fact: these two wells are very, very long, but they do not set any records, both are less than 25,000 feet long.

• 32605, conf, CLR, Charolais North Federal 1-3H1, SWNW 26-154-94, 2200' FNL and 492' FWL, Elm Tree, 24,741', 9-5/8 inch, 46 stages, 10 million lbs; 24,741 feet; surface hole in section 26-154-94; bottom hole in section 10-153-94; the first bench of the Three Forks

• 32606, conf, CLR, Brangus Federal 1-2H1, SWNW 26-154-94, 2200' FNL and 537' FWL, Elm Tree, 24,628', 9-5/8 inch, 46 stages; 10 million lbs; 24,942 feet, the second bench of the Three Forks

Second: do the math. How did CLR do it? By starting the directional drilling at 2,000. The EOG Hawkeye wells in Clarks Creek, on the other hand, go horizontal after almost reaching the target formation at 10,000 feet.

It's too tedious to go through all the math but it's amazing how taking advantage of the Pythagorean theorem can really save some time and pipe. Instead of going vertical to 10,000 feet and then going horizontal, one can cut a fair amount of drilling out of the equation by going directional at 2,000 feet, well before hitting the target formation at 10,000.

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Previous Posts

A three-section-long middle Bakken -- August 2, 2014

• 25959, 732, CLR, Haffner 1-31H, Noonan, middle Bakken; 1920-acre; 50 stages; 7 million lbs, a true 3-section lateral (full sections 19/30/31 - 162-95); TD = 23,432 feet; background gases "poor"; t3/14; cum 134K 9/16;

Update on EOG LIberty LR 17-11H, deepest TD in the Bakken? -- January 12, 2012

• 20037, 790, EOG, Liberty LR 17-11H, Parshall, t6/11; cum 289K 9/16; 24,390 feet with extended long lateral under the river. 24,390 / 5,280 =  4.62 miles.  Vertical is about 10,000 feet, so the horizontal is about 15,000 feet, just under 3 miles. 
• 21002, 384, THunderbird Resources/GMX Resources, Wock 21-2-1H, New Hradec, Bakken Pool, s7/11; t10/11; cum 76K 9/16; 15 stages, 2.8 million lbs; Three Forks Formation; 21,151 feet;

Deepest well in North Dakota? -- June 28, 2011

• 23532, 527, CLR, Louisville 2-9H, Last Chance, t2/13; cum 191K 916; total depth: 26,555 feet; NWSW 10-153-100, runs east-to-west, sections 9/8/7-153-100 (it is sited just inside section 10); it runs under the river. Section 8 is entirely under the river. 44 stages; 3.65 million lbs, sand and ceramic.

EOG also has some super long laterals.

• 22484, 2,946, EOG, Hawkeye 102-2501H, Clarks Creek, 62 stages; 15 million lbs, t1/13; cum 534K 9/16; 25,451 feet;
• 22485, 1,926, EOG, Hawkeye 01-2501H, Clarks Creek, 64 stages; 15 million lbs, t1/13; cum 596K 9/16; 25,827 feet;
• 22486, 2,421, EOG, Hawkeye 100-2501H, Clarks Creek, t9/12; cum 713K 9/16; 25,101 feet;
• 22487, 67 (no typo), EOG, Hawkeye 02-2501H, Clarks Creek, 69 stages, 27million lbs, t12/13; cum 649K 9/16; 24,740 feet;

• 20753, 231, Hunt, Redwing 1-3-10H 1, Bear Butte t11/11; cum 72K 9/16; the Middle Bakken was encountered at 11,215 MD, or 11,017 TVD.   

Longest EOG well? -- November 29, 2011.

• 19721, 1,063, EOG, Liberty LR 19-23H, Van Hook, Bakken, s10/10; t3/11; cum 325K 9/16;, 31 stages, 5 million lbs, 22,385 feet; 
•  19231, 398, EOG, Liberty LR 13-14H, Parshall, t12/11; cum 278K 916; 22,757 feet

Update on three super-long-laterals -- February 12, 2011

• 18749, 502, Slawson, Osprey Federal 1-26-25-30H, Van Hook, t9/10; cum 305K 9/16; 21,910 feet
• 19720, 510, EOG, Liberty LR 14-23Hl, Parshall, t4/11; cum 238K 9/16; 22,212 feet
• 19433, 3,000, EOG, Liberty LR 17-11H, 24,496 feet