Operators

Locator: 8C.

Original Page, posted October 23, 2010, can be found here
Snapshot, Page 1 can be found here
Operating companies in the Bakken Shale
Top 50 producers, December, 2013 
Surge of new operators, late 2015; through 2016; many of these new operators I have placed in bold red below

Some Bakken operators are now tracked elsewhere:

Metrics

Net Acreage, Prospects, and Rigs in the Bakken, by Producer

PAGE 2: May 20, 2013 -->

AREAS OF INTEREST IN THE NORTH DAKOTA BAKKEN
Acreage Will Change Over Time 
As of 3Q12: no longer current; too much data to track; will update selectively and periodically; consider all information out of date.

31 Operating
Abraxas
  • Whiting in talks with Abraxas to acquire the latter; Reuters; see this post;
  • January, 2019, corporate presentation; looking to sell Bakken assets; EURs: middle Bakken, around 900K boe; Three Forks, around 800K boe;
  • Filloon on AXAS, May 8, 2017; 
  • November 6, 2013: sells 2,563 non-producing Bakken acres in its Fairview Prospect, Montana (Richland County) for $10.9 million ($4,250/acre)
  • August, 2013: sees 4,600 - 4,800 boepd December, 2013, exit rate;
  • sells 13,500 net acres; non-operated assets; to NRP; $35.5 million -- June 17, 2013
  • 4Q12e: 4,300 - 4,500 boepd
  • Operations in both the Bakken and Eagle Ford
  • 21,000 net acres in the Bakken (ND + MT); 20,853, SeekingAlpha, 2011
  • BEXP presentation says Abraxas has 20,853 net acres
  • Nesson: 2,600 net acres; nice acreage
  • Carter: 3,200 net acres; northeast of best Bakken; +/- value
  • North Fork: 3,200 net acres; nice acreage
  • Elkhorn Ranch: 2000 net acres; southwest North Dakota
  • Elm Coulee: 440 net acres; where it all started in 2000
  • Harding: 5,800 net acres; Williston area; nice area
  • Sheridan: 3,000 net acres; Montana northwest of Williston (quality?)
American Eagle
Anschutz
Ante5
  • as of January, 2013, no permits under either Ante5 or Black Ridge Oil name
  • new name for Ante5 --> Black Ridge Oil & Gas (proposed name change, 3/12)
  • 20,000 net acres
Aterra Exploration
  • as of January, 2013, no permits in North Dakota under the "Aterra" name
  • a privately held corporation operating in the Bakken and the Eagle Ford
  • 200,000 acres targeting the Red River formations
Bakken Hunter (a subsidiary of Magnum Hunter, see below)

 Ballard Petroleum, LLC
Ballantyne
Baytex

Bison Land & Minerals

  • first mention on blog, November 16, 2022: 
    • permit #39417; wildcat, West Dry Creek 1H, Renville County

Black Hills Corporation

  • See QEP, below, August 23, 2012 entry. 
Black Ridge Oil & Gas
Black Stone Minerals, LP
Blue Mountain (formerly Magnum Hunter)

Bowline (Nine Point Energy, Triangle)

BTA Oil Producers

Breitling
  • Considering IPO; controls ~ 200,000 acres in Bakken/Three Forks; drills as non-operating partner with Devon, Oasis, July 3, 2013
  • Enters the Bakken, December 28, 2011
  • Acquires nonoperated acreage in Sand Creek field, McKenzie County
  • The operator will be Denbury Resources
Brigham (BEXP) -->Statoil (STO) below

Brigham Resources, LLC
Bruin E&P Partners
Challenger Point Energy
  • perhaps first mention at the blog at this post
  • over at NDIC well search, April 3, 2018: five wells (file numbers); all active; two in Customs oil field; two in Flaxton oil field; and one in Stony Run oil field
  • possibly this address: 2549 Main Street, Suite 202, Littleton, CO 80120

Chord Energy: is now tracked here.

  • to merge with Enerplus, February 21, 2024 
    • after merger, a premier operator in the Williston basin in North Dakota, with about 1.3 million net acres and 287,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in production.
    • CLR: last Bakken data (2021 - 2022):
      • 825,000 acres; 6 rigs; #1 producer (1Q22)
      • Bakken, CY2021: 169,636 bopd
  • May 23, 2023: acquires some XOM/XTO assets in the Bakken. 
  • Oasis + Whiting, July 1, 2022.

Cobra Oil and Gas

Continental Resources (CLR) -- as of October 30, 2019 (3Q19 results) CLR will be followed here;
  • CY18 and 4Q18 results; full year income at $1 billion;  4Q18 Bakken production: 186,934 bopd; 183,836 boepd; 2018 was "break out year" for debt reduction; cash build;
  • 3Q18 results; Bakken production, 167,643 boepd; added two rigs to the Bakken; now with eight; many records set; earnings beat expectations; presenation;
  • 2Q18 presentation: step change in well performance across the Bakken
  • May, 2018, presentation: 796,000 net acres in the Bakken; 161K boepd, up 48% over 1Q17; 1,100 mboe EUR type curves ($7.9 million) vs 980 mboe EUR type curves in 2017; see SeekingAlpha article;
  • March, 2018: 1.1 million-bbl EUR type curves; 
  • August, 2017: 806,000 net acres in the Bakken; 1.1 million boe EURs
  • CLR transfers 67 wells to Kraken Operating, October 27, 2016
  • August, 2016: sells 80,000 non-core Bakken assets; $222 million;
  • 2Q16 corporate presentation;
  • 1Q16 corporate presentation; 
  • 2015 corporate presentation: CAPEX cut 41% due to oil price slump
  • 2014 analyst day: 1,197,884 net acres (892,824 ND; 305,060 MT); 109,000 boepd; 8 wells in each MB and TF1, 4 wells in TF2; enhanced completion --> 25% uplift in EUR; long-stroke pumping units;
  • 2Q14:  ND Bakken - 95K boepd; MT Bakken - 14K;
  • 22 rigs beginning of 2013 in the Bakken; will reduce to 20 rigs due to efficiencies
  • Well cost: $8.3 million; goal - $8.2 million by year-end 2013
  • 1Q13: net Bakken production: 76,900 boepd; gross >100,000 boepd; 1.2 million acres;
  •  785 million boe proved reserves year-end 2012; 54% increase YOY
  • 2Q12: average production of 94,852 boepd
  • 4Q11: 901,098 net acres
  • 4Q11 production: 75,219 boepd
  • 2009 production: 14,000 boepd
  • EUR: 603K boe per well 
 COP (in the Bakken: wholly-owned subsidiary, Burlington Resources) -- is now followed here.
  • July 2, 2021: special call -- ten-year strategic plan following the acquisition of Concho
    • 620,000 net acres in the Bakken
    • currently no active rigs in the Bakken (link here)
  • 3Q20: earnings call;
  • CY2019, annual report; this link; 
  • 2Q18: incredible earnings report; with two rigs in the Bakken, 82,000 bpd
  • 1Q14: 620,000 net acres; 1,800 identified drilling locations based on 10-rig program
  • 3Q12 earnings call: 620,000 net acres; 26,000 boepd; ramped up from five to eight rigs; 
  • 626,000 net acres, COP/CEO at Houston conference, May 16, 2012
  • 460,000 net acres (Investopedia, March 29, 2011; Annual Report, 2010)
  • Looking to acquire more, Annual Report, 2010
  • 8 rigs (May, 2012); looking to ramp up to 9 - 10 rigs (same link)
Corinthian Exploration
  • Corinthian transfers about 83 wells to Legacy, May 3, 2016
  • sold 92 wells; noted December 29, 2015 
  • there are Corinthian wells in North Dakota/Spearfish, but it's all owned by Legacy, if I understand this correctly
  • Legacy bought all of Corinthian's acreage in North Dakota, June, 2014
  • Corinthian, earlier, was bought by Surge Energy in 2010/2011-time frame (or later); Corinthian "reorganized" as a private company (not publicly traded); Surge Energy may have bought 40% of the "new" private Corinthian
Cornerstone Natural Resources, LLC
  • see Trendwell Energy below
  • January, 2013: Director, NDIC, says Burke County is edge of the Bakken; said major operator in Burke likely to pull out (in Burke County: OXY USA, Oasis, CLR, Cornerstone)
  • website
  • an independent oil and gas company; headquarters in Denver
  • from website 1Q13: 
  • 89,000 net acres in ND (mostly Burke County); 21,000 net acres in Sheridan County, MT
  • 1,400 boepd; 40 operated/19 non-operated gross wells
CREDO
Crescent Point Energy
Cress Oil, Inc
  • Subsidiary of X-Change (Houston)
  • Press release, April 9, 2012 -- enters the Bakken; acquires 44,000 net acres @$700/acre
  • 2 - 4 wells/year for the first three years 
  • According to its website, Cress Oil was formed on March 14, 2012, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of X-Change Corporation; 
Crestview Partners: see this link (posted June 8, 2016)

Cynosure Energy

Dakota-3, LLC; and, Dakota-3 E&P, LLC: see WPX Williston Energy, LLC, below, this page

Denbury = EOR
  • October 29, 2018: acquires Penn Virginia assets in the Eagle Ford for $1.7 billion; 84,060 net acres in tight oil Eagle Ford; at one time DNR had 275,000 net acres in the Bakken; sold to XOM in 2012 time frame;
  • July 20, 2016: Denbury sells the remaining non-core Bakken assets for $58 million; buyer not identified; amount of acreage not identified;
  • October 2, 2013: corporate update; their production in North Dakota is their biggest 
  • September 20, 2012: XOM to buy all DNR acreage in the Williston Basin Bakken (North Dakota and Montana); $1.6 billion deal; 196,000 Bakken acres; but DNR gets XOM acreage in Wyoming and Texas; see XOM below;
  • August, 2012, corporate presentation (dynamic link)
  • ~ 200,000 acres (August, 2012, corporate presentation); according to "anonymous," DNR has 66,000 acres in Ward County, too far east for the Bakken; whether they still have the acres or not is unknown; but off the books, and the rig there will not be kept (will let contract expire)
  • Back to 266,000 net acres (Enercom Conference, August 16, 2011); note -- previously planned to add 7th rig by January, 2012; now by end of 2011 (not much difference, but moved up) -- nope, now down to 4 rigs  (1Q12 conference call); back to six (6) rigs through 2012; see below, 4Q11 -- 4 rigs ("wrote off" 66,000 acres in the Almond prospect)
  • 266,000 net acres (April, 2011; IPAA conference presentation)
  • 275,000 net acres in the Bakken (January, 2011; agrees with corporate presentation)
  • Cherry Prospect: Siverston field, 
  • Fields, SW of the river: Camp, Cherry, Lone Butte, Bear Creek, Charlson, and Murphy Creek
  • Field: NE Foothills in Burke (+/- value)
  • Field: Almond in Ward County (76,000 acres; almost no proven value yet) Update: 4Q11 -- removed from inventory; no value; removed the one rig that was there
  • Analyst's number: 300,000 net acres (December 31, 2010)
  • 4 rigs (1Q12 conference call); 5 rigs (1H11); increase to 7 by January, 2012; 4Q11 -- Filloon says they will let contract on one expire; go to only 4 rigs
  • Production (from the Bakken): 9,976 (3Q11); 11,892 (4Q11); target: 14,750  in 2012; actual: 15,114 boe/d (1Q12)
  • Production (from the Bakken): 8,788 boed (2011); target: 8,400 
  • Definition of IP: consecutive 24-hour test in boe/d
Devon
  • Devon is tracked here. 
  • In January 2021, the company merged with Devon Energy.
  • June 8, 2022: with the announced purchase of RimRock's assets in North Dakota, Devon is now officially an operator in the Bakken;
  • 2011: not in North Dakota yet (?), but Lynn Helms suggested Devon is coming

Diamondback (FANG) buys QEP

  • deal announced December 21, 2021

DW Slate

Eagle Energy Partners
Eagle Mountain Energy Partners
Earthstone
  • Very, very small company; like NOG, a non-operating partner
  • Tends to partner with BEXP
Emerald Oil (VOG acquires Emerald Oil, announced July 11, 2012)

Empire North Dakota, LLC:

Encana:

  • Re-branded as Ovintiv Production, Inc, see below; won't be tracked any more as Encana, October 31, 2019;
  • Encana/Newfield: from a press release, February 13, 2019:
    • CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Encana Corporation (Encana) (TSX, NYSE: ECA) announced today that it has completed its acquisition of Newfield Exploration Company (Newfield) (NYSE: NFX) in an all-stock transaction.
Enduro Operating LLC
  • March 6, 2019: about 180 wells transferred from Enduro to Cobra; see this post;
  • February 7, 2019: files for bankruptcy in May, 2018; North Dakota assets acquired by Cobra Oil & Gas. 
  • Enduro Operating LLC of San Antonio, TX sold four wells to Resource Energy Can-Am LLC; December 9, 2015, NDIC briefing;
EOG
ERF (Enerplus) -- is now tracked here.
  • to merge with Enerplus, February 21, 2024 
  • January, 25, 2021: Enerplus agrees to acquire Bruin for $3,000 / acre; Bruin said to have 151,000 net acres;
  • December 13, 2016, press release: to sell 5,800 net acres; $292 million; 8% non-operated interest; now with 65,500 net acres in North Dakota; averages 23,700 boe (90% liquids) in 3Q16 in North Dakota
  • July 3, 2015: a reader writes -- ERF also added  a 2nd drilling rig today. They have never had more than 2 rigs running. 
  • 215,000 + net acres in the Bakken (ND, Montana, and Saskatchewan)
  • BEXP presentation says ERF has 230,000 net acres
  • Saskatchewan: Daly, Taylorton, Oungre, Neptune, Freda Lake
  • Montana: Sleeping Giant (mature asset; possibly EOR; west of Williston; small amount in ND)
  • North Dakota: Fort Berthold
Equinor: Statoil (see BEXP at the original page) -- changed name to Equinor in 2018 timeframe 
  • acquired by Grayson Mill, February 10, 20021
Eternal Energy (EERG.OB)
  • Merging with American Eagle Energy (AMZG.OB) --> together, a $37 million company
  • Focused on Divide County (north of Williston; borders Canada)
  • Participates as working partner in 18 wells to date
  • Spyglass Project: 14,700 acres
  • First permits in North Dakota in October, 2011

Evolution Petroleum: webpage.

Link here to Williston Basin deal, January 21, 2022:

  • NYSE: EPM
  • oil-weighted, non-operated oil and natural gas assets
  • 50% of certain interests held by privately-owned Foundation Energy Management in North Dakota
  • Billings, Golden Valley, and McKenzie counties
  • purchase price: $25.9 million
    • 2.3 million boe; 80% oil, 9% natural gas
    • 39% in 73 producing wells;
    • 47,500 net acres (85% held by production)
    • over 400 gross potential drilling opportunities
  • incremental cash flow will support quarterly dividend
  • will increase Evolution's net daily production by approximately 10% or 596 boe per day
    • $25.9 million for 600 flowing boepd = $45,000 / flowing boepd
    • $25.9 million / 47,500 acres = $545 / acre
    • working backwards:
      • x * 0.10 = 596
    • total production = 5,960 +596 = 6,556 boepd (?)
  • Evolution now has relationship with Foundation: Evolution may propose and fund drilling locations within the asset footprint

FANG (see Diamondback)

Fidelity (see MDU below) 

Five States Operating

Formentera: 

Foundation Energy Management, LLC

Freedom Energy Operating, LLC
Future Acquisition Company, LLC
G3 Operating
GEOI
    GMX Resources
    • update/conclusion of bankruptcy plan, Feb 3, 2014; now Thunderbird Resources
    • files for bankruptcy protection, April 1, 2013
    • for investors, a reverse stock split in January, 2013
    • 34,918 acres (June, 2012, corporate presentation)
    • 35,524 (Enercom Conference, August 16, 2011) (new acreage at $2,500/acre)
    • Previously: 26,087 net acres (North Dakota and Montana)
    • New acreage a bit more southwest of original acreage, Billings County 
    • Bakken avg: 1,390 boepd; McKenzie County avg: 1,660 boepd
    • Planning to sell some Niobrara acreage; all CAPEX directed to Bakken;
    • Spud-to-spud 35 days; spud-to-sales: 56 days
    • Entered the Bakken in early 2011; first rig scheduled for Sept 2011; second rig, Mar 2012
    • For investors, note: an $83 stock in 2008; now a $2 stock; a natural gas company trying to re-orient to liquid
    • This may be a more interesting company than I first gave credit; it was mostly a natural gas company; then said it was coming into the Bakken; to me it looked like GMXR was using the "Bakken" to attract venture capital; in fact GMXR has been very, very aggressive new permits, activity; I am pleasantly surprised.
    Grayson Mill
    • Devon completes acquisition of Grayson Mill, effective September 27, 2024. Link here.
    • to be bought by Devon, announced July 8, 2024.
    • acquired Equinor assets in the Bakken, February 10, 2021.
    Halcon (HRC is its wholly owned operating subsidiary)
    • Halcon is no longer an operator in the Bakken; information has been archived here;
      Helis, LLC
      • See QEP, below, August 23, 2012 entry. 
      Hess is now tracked at this post -- as of December, 2019 --
      • 2021: Hess to sell 79,000 net acres in Little Knife and Murphy Creek to Enerplus. Not part of Hess' core in the Bakken; will use proceeds to help pay for Guyana play.
      • 2019: Bakken: 126K boepd, p 15% from 110,000 boepd one year ago; earnings here;
      • Bakken's rig count could increase by 6 rigs with Hess' 2017 drilling plans; Hess production in the Bakken could surge in CY17
      • highlights of 3Q16 earnings call;
      • November 10, 2015: recent well completions suggest Hess is using RockPile Energy Services, a subsidiary of Triangle Petroleum to complete their wells
      • 3Q14; 59 new wells; 86,000 boepd. 
      • 1Q14: May, 2014, investors' conference; 640,000 net Bakken acres; 17-rig program; CAPEX $2.2 billion; 2014 production forecast, 85,000 boepd; 125,000 boepd; 150,000 boepd; > 3,000 total operated drilling locations; 2013 30-day IPs, 750 - 900 boepd; 2013 EURs, 550K  - 600K boe; estimated recoverable resource: 1.2 billion boe
      • 4Q13: January 29, 2014, corporate earnings: 645,000 acres in the Bakken: to ramp up in the Bakken. CAPEX will stay flat at $2.2 billion in 2014 (same as 2013) but will drill 225 operated wells vs 168; 17 rigs (2014) vs 14 rigs (2013). Will focus on unconventional shale. 4Q13: average well cost, $8 million vs $11 million (2012); forecasts 80K to 90K boepd in 2014; 9 wells for typical 1280-acre unit; will test tighter well spacing; Tioga Plant expansion to be complete 1Q14; forecast 150K boepd (2018) -- represents an increase from guidance of 120,000 boepd (2016).
      • Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC: the Hess operator for Rocky Mountain assets in North Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado; founded in 2009; Tracker Energy (TRZ) formally changed to Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC, in 2013;
      • November, 2012, NOG says Hess has 800,000 acres
      • September (2012) Power Conference presentation: 900,000 acres; 16 rigs
      • Total ND Bakken acreage: > 750,000 net acres
      • BEXP presentation says Hess has 900,000 net acres 
      • 18 rigs (1Q11; after AEZ, TRZ acquisitions)
      • American Oil and Gas deal adds 85,000 acres (closed Dec 20, 2010)
      • TRZ acquisition: 167,000 acres
      • Total acreage: 500+85+167 = 752,000 net acres (2010)
      • East Nesson (EN)
      • Impact (IM)
      • Red Sky (RS)
      • Passport
      • Stampede
      • Avalanche (AV)
      • Goliath Prospect (GO) -- American Oil & Gas
      • Stony Creek
      • Buffalo Wallow (BW)
      • Little Knife
      • West Nesson
      • Nesson Anticline (Tioga, Beaver Lodge, Capa, Hawkeye, Antelope, Blue Buttes)
      • Newburg -- Bottineau County -- removed since last presentation
      • Fryburg -- west of Dickinson -- removed since last presentation
      • During 2011 Hess transitioned from 18-22 stage to 38 stage fracking. Results are incredible.
      HRC (see Halcon above)

      Iron Oil: first mentioned on the blog, July 18, 2017
      Kaiser-Francis
      KODA Resources Operating, LLC
      Kodiak (KOG)
      Kraken Development III, LLC (Kraken Development is now tracked here)
      Kraken Oil & Gas (Kraken Development is now tracked here) Kraken Operating, LLC (Kraken Development is now tracked here) Latium Enterprises, UK
      Legacy
      Liberty Resources LLC
      Liberty Resources II LLC (1200 17th Street, Suite 2200, Denver, CO (same address as Liberty Resources Management Company)
      • January 31, 2024: Silver Hill Energy acquires Liberty Resources assetts in Bakken. Link here.
      • Liberty Resources II LLC has one file permit in North Dakota; all the rest are under Liberty Resources Management (see below)
      • January 30, 2014: re-enters the Bakken; 53,000 acres, $455 million; see Liberty Resources LLC above
      • Liberty Resources II LLC is a Denver-based oil and gas company founded in 2013 and led by Chairman and CEO, Chris Wright, President, Mark Pearson and CFO, Paul Vitek.  Liberty was funded through equity investments from funds managed by energy private equity firm, Riverstone Holdings LLC ("Riverstone"), including Riverstone Global Energy and Power Fund V and Riverstone Energy Limited. 
        About Riverstone Holdings LLC
        Riverstone is an energy and power-focused private investment firm founded in 2000 by David M. Leuschen and Pierre F. Lapeyre, Jr. with approximately $27 billion of equity capital raised. Riverstone conducts buyout and growth capital investments in the exploration & production, midstream, oilfield services, power and renewable sectors of the energy industry. With offices in New York, London, Houston and Mexico City, the firm has committed approximately $26.1 billion to 108 investments in North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
      Liberty Resources Management Company, LLC (same company as Liberty Resources II LLC)
      Lime Rock Resources (website)
      Lincoln Energy Partners
      LINN Energy
      Magnum Hunter Resources (MHR) (Bakken Hunter is the subsidiary working the Bakken;)
      Marlo Operating
      MDU Resources (Fidelity)
      • will close on sale of Fidelity by end of 2015; sold 162 wells to five different companies;
      • November, 2014: in its 3Q14 earnings statement, MDU said it was "marketing" Fidelity
      • July, 2014: to sell 4,363 acres in Mountrail County for $200 million. 
      • 124,000 net acres (MT and ND); acquired 27K acres in Richland County, MT; announced 1Q12; production record set: 3,500 bopd 
      • 5 rigs operating in the Bakken (2Q12); MDU has a total of 9 rigs (down from 10 in previous conference call); 5 is significant increase from 2 rigs 1Q12
      • 95,000 net acres -- CEO, 2011 earnings report
      • BEXP presentation says MDU has 66,000 net acres; about a month later, up to 90,000 net acres
      • June 25, 2011: MDU acquires 20,000 additional Bakken acres in Montana; MDU says they now have "90,000" net acres in the Williston Basin Bakken 
      • MDU: WBI
      • Of all the operators, the most disappointing; HQ in Bismarck, ND; seemed to have missed the Bakken right in their backyard; "discovered Cottonwood oil field; sold it to Oasis after some disappointing wells; Oasis became "overnight" success with this purchase; MDU re-entering the Bakken in 2011; doing better; MDU (utility) focused on natural gas; waited a bit too long to shift to oil
      MRO (Marathon Oil)
      • September, 2014: announces higher density pilots in Myrmidon, Hector, and Ajax prospects;
      • Company presentation, December 2013:  370,000 net acres; 1,300 net wells inventory; cost target, $7 - $7.8 million; testing 320-acre spacing (4MB, 4TF1/1280); 6 TF2 wells in forward planning; added a second frack spread; will increase rig count by 20% each in Bakken and Eagle Ford
      • November, 2012: NOG says 410,000 acres
      • Early 2012: 406,000 acres in the Bakken
      • 2011: 391,000 acres in the Bakken
      • 375,000 acres in the Bakken (SeekingAlpha, June 27, 2011) 
      • Operating 8 rigs; original plan -- up to 7 rigs in 2Q12 
      • 30-stage fractures
      • Odysseus: north, Divide County (no longer shows up on presentation)
      • Cassandra: east of Williston (no longer shows up on presentation)
      • Cazador: just north of the reservation in the Nesson anticline
      • Myrmidon: northwest corner of the reservation
      • Marfa: MRO's largest area; southwest of the reservation; borders the reservation, Dunn County -- Marfa DOES NOT show up on most recent presentation
      • Hector: eastern area of Marfa, just outside of the reservation, Dunn Cunty
      • Ajax: continuation of Marfa, southwest of Marfa, Dunn County
      • Blacktail: very, very small area west of Ajax (no longer shows up in presentation)
      • Paris: west of Marfa, in Williams County, about same size as Ajax
      • Diomedes: northwest Williams and eastern Montana (Sheridan County) (new)
      • Menelaus: very small prospect in west central McKenzie (new)
      • Aeneas: northwest corner of McLean, east of river (new)
      • Helen: very small, scattered acres north of Hector (Helen)
      • Elk Creek: very small, scattered acres west of Helen (new)
      • Analyst's number: 365,000 net acres (December 31, 2010) 
      • 2016 average boepd, est: 38,000 (15% increase from previous 33,000 est)
      • 2012 average boepd, est: 27,500
      • 2011 average boepd: 24,000
      • 2010 average boepd: 10,000
      Maroon Bells Partners:
      Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc
      Missouri River Resources, LLC: website
      Mountainview Energy
      • Corporate presentation;
      • May, 2012: acquires ~ 13,000 acres in Divide County; total ~ 36,000 net acres
      • 11,000 net acres in Williston Basin; strategic goal -- to acquire 30,000 net acres in the Williston Basin
      • Divide, Williams Counties (ND) and Sheridan (MT) -- far north
      Murex
      • 46th largest privately held oil and gas company
      • 23rd largest operator in North Dakota
      • 37th largest operator in the Rocky Mountain Region
      • 84,000 net mineral acres in the central corridor from North Dakota to Texas

      Murfin Drilling:

      Neptune Operating 

      • These are the first permits in North Dakota for Neptune Operating.
        • website;
        • Bowline assets acquired by Kraken; a few Bowline wells acquired by Neptune Operating.  October 18, 2021. Official date for Kay Arnson well from Bowline to Neptune Operating: February 21, 2023.
        • NEPTUNE OPERATING COMPANY LLC was registered on 06/14/2018 as a limited liability company type with the address 4402 13TH ST NW LOT 28 GARRISON, ND 58540-9422. The agent name for this entity is: KELSEY MITCHELL.
        • The first permits in North Dakota for Neptune Operating: January 6, 2023. 

      Newfield (NFX)

      • Encana re-branded as Ovintiv; see below; Encana/Newfield won't be tracked here any more; will be tracked as Ovintiv -- October 31, 2019;
      • Encana/Newfield: from a press release, February 13, 2019: 
        CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Encana Corporation (Encana) (TSX, NYSE: ECA) announced today that it has completed its acquisition of Newfield Exploration Company (Newfield) (NYSE: NFX) in an all-stock transaction. 
      • April 18, 2018: Newfield may be the best producer in the Bakken -- Filloon.
      • 4Q12/2012: 10,500 boepd;
      • July presentation: yes, NFX is down to 100K net acres in the Bakken; 2 - 4 rig program; 
      • 4Q11: CEO mentions only 60,000 net acres in core Bakken (Nesson anticline) and 40,000 acres in Elm Coulee -- so is NFX down to about 100,000 acres in the Bakken?
      • 4Q11: sold 23K acres to CLR; Filloon says this was their Catwalk Prospect they sold
      • October, 2011 presentation: ~ 140,000 net acres -- did NFX sell some Bakken acreage?
      • Older presentations: 271,000 net acres in Williston Basin (ND and MT) 
      • BEXP presentation says NFX has 174,000 net acres (significant decrease from earlier number) 
      • Filloon: 174,000 net acres, July, 2011
      • According to SeekingAlpha, May 3, 2011: 174,000 net acres (significant decrease)
      • (Elm Coulee: Montana, southwest of Williston), 55k net acres
      • Big Valley: north of Williston; Divide/Williams County border, 48k net acres
      • Catwalk: east of Williston; middle of Williams County, 29k net acres; sold to CLR in 2011?
      • Westberg Prospect Area: Nesson Anticline, McKenzie Cty on Mountrail border, 10k net acres
      • Lost Bear: Northwest Dunn County. 7k net acres
      • Aquarium/Watford: McKenzie County, near Watford City, 22k net acres
      • July, 2012: 8,500 boepd; 2012 production expected to increase by 35%;
      • Filloon: Newfield has some of the best IPs in the Bakken
      Nine Point Energy (formerly Triangle USA)
      Noah Energy
      North Plains Energy, LLC
      • KOG to buyout North Plains Energy, LLC; 50,000 net acres; 30,000 of those acres contiguous with KOG's core Bakken; 20,000 net acres in the exciting Divide County area at the border with Williams County
      • Denver-based
      • 40,000 net acres (2010; corporate webpage)
      • 2 rigs
      North Range Resources, LLC
      NOG: tracked here.

      NP Resources, LLC
      NRP (National Resource Partners)

      Oasis, the new Oasis-Whiting will be tracked here, March 7, 2022.

      Oasis -- is now tracked here, as of December, 2019. See Chord Energy above, July 1, 2022.

      • Oasis' plays in the Bakken; November, 2019;
      • 4Q18/full year: 414,000 net acres; 83,000 boepd; free cash flow from the Bakken is being used to develop the Permian
      • 3Q18: revenue -- $547 million; production, 65,900 bopd; 77% oil; Williston Basin -- 110 gross operated wells; Permian: 6 - 8 gross operated wells;
      • September 17, 2018: #4 producer (has been for quite some time; not sure when it became the #4 producer)
      • contributor at SeekingAlpha says Whiting bought 55,000 net acres for $130 million from Oasis; not mentioned in the Oasis August, 2018, corporate presentation;
      • not exiting the Bakken; but will enter the Permian; not all investors happy with this;
      • January, 2018, presentation; 72,000 boepd (Williston); EURs of 1.6 million boe type curves; incredibly important presentation; also here;
      • enters the Permian; announces that it will buy 20,000 acres there; December 12, 2017
        • expects to raise $500 million by selling non-core Bakken assets 
        • had 517.8 thousand net acres in the Bakken prior to the announcement
      • announces interest in spinning off an MLP, May 19, 2017
      • Daily activity report: 156 SM Energy wells transferred to Oasis
      • Record two-month production for Oasis? February 2, 2017.
      • January, 2017: Motley Fool update; very, very bullish; SM Energy deal a big, big deal
      • November, 2016: with SM Energy deal closing December 1, 2016, Oasis should have 540,000 net acres
      • Oasis - SM Energy deal, October, 2016: SM Energy sells 55,000 non-Divide County acres to Oasis; $785 million deal
      • final estimates for full year 2016: 485,000 net acres; 45,000 to 49,000 boepd estimated; budget about $400 million; drilling and completion budget, about $200 million; 83 DUCs
      • 1Q16: 485,000 net acres; 2 rigs; core Bakken, EUR slightly more than 1 million boe; TFS1: about 810,000 boe;
      • 2Q14 earnings: 43,668 boepd, a 45% increase y/y; started operating a second frack fleet (Oasis Wells Services); LOE ballooned from $6.65 (one year ago) to $10.21/boe (due to delayed workovers on wells affected by severe winter;
      • 1Q14 earnings; sold some non-core assets; acreage should change; sold Sanish non-core for $183.4 million; August presentation: 505,960 acres; 16 rigs (includes 2 in Montana); 44K boepd; 
      • March 31, 2014: 506,960 net acres; 
      • Summary, calendar year, 2013: 515,314 net acres; 34,000 boepd; 150 wells in 2014
      • September, 2013: announces acquisition of 161,000 net acres for $1.515 billion; brings total total Williston Bakken acreage to 492,000 net acres; 42K bopd;
      • 1Q13: formed Oasis Midstream Services (SWD and other activities; cost savings of $0.3 million/well); says well costs are down to $8.4 million excluding OMS savings; inventory: 14 years @ 145 wells/year (gross operated; compare to 2012 below); 10 rigs: 5 west Williston; 5 east Nesson
      • 2012 Summary: avg daily production (doubled previous year) to 22,469 boepd; 93 net wells; net proved boe at 143 million bbls (82% increase over 2012); 335,383 net acres; 264,595 HBP; launched Oasis Well Services (internal frack provider); decrease well cost from $105. million to $8.8 million; goal for 2013 -- 30,000 to 34,000 boepd
      • January, 2013: Director, NDIC, says Burke County is edge of the Bakken; said major operator in Burke likely to pull out (in Burke County: OXY USA, Oasis, CLR, Cornerstone) 
      • November, 2012: NOG says 333,000
      • 320,000 September corporate presentation
      • 320,000 (2Q12 earnings call)
      • 307,430 (June 2012 presentation)
      • 303,231 (3Q11) (ND and Montana Bakken acreage)
      • (10,000 acres acquired in late 2010, Elm Coulee, Richland County, Montana)
      • Analyst's figure: 292,000 net acres (December 31, 2010)
      • 10 rigs [prev 9 rigs];  prev plan 12 in 2012 (3 contracted); 3 frack crews; 11 yrs of drilling if 120 wells/yr; now plan to exit 2012 with 10 rigs
      • Oasis Well Services, fracking company, 1H12; save $1 million on 20 net wells;
      • Drilling days: 29 days, avg, 2010; 26 days, avg 2011; Feb, 2012: 23 days; fastest: 18 days
      • West Williston: 208,000 net acres [previously - 201,265] [prev191,716 net acres (up slightly from 191,552, last report)]
      • East Nesson: 108,000 net acres [previously 97,956 net acres] [prev 102,786] net acres
      • Sanish: 8,000 [ previously 8,409] [prev 8,729] net acres
      • Prospects: Red Bank (north of Williston, 68K), Indian Hills (south of Williston, other side of river, deepest of the formation, Heart of the Bakken, 25K), Mondak/Other (southwest of Williston, mostly McKenzie County, 28); Hebron (Montana, directly west of Williston, Richland County, Montana, 49K); Target (Montana, northwest of Williston, west of the Red Bank prospect, 20K); St Croix (north of Cottonwood, 13K); North Cottonwood, 55K; South Cottonwood, 50K (north of Parshall); Missouri (Montana, west of Hebron, 17K);
      • Three Forks:  South Cottonwood, Indian Hills, Sanish
      • Has its own fracking company 
      • 36 stage frack: $10 million for sand/ceramic mix; $9.2 million for all sand
      • 4Q12 (est): 22,000 boepd (Feb 3, 2012 presentation)
      • 4Q11: 15,182 boepd (December: 16,200 boepd)
      • 3Q11: 14,300 boepd 
      • 4Q10: 5,206 boepd
      • Proved reserves increase 98%, 4Q11 vs 4Q10
      • See MDU above
      Open Range Energy, Inc
      • 7,700 acres, June 27, 2011
      • 70% operated interest in 11,000 acre; Burke County; Bakken and Three Forks
      • First two permits issue June 27, 2011
      Ovintiv Production, Inc (see Encana above) (Ovintiv is now followed here):
      Ovintiv Inc. will update investors Wednesday on its progress for the shale oil assets in Oklahoma it amassed after the $5.5 billion acquisition of Newfield Exploration Co. in 2018. The Stack and Scoop fields in the Anadarko Basin have faced investor scrutiny and operational challenges that sent a handful of small explorers into bankruptcy. -- January 30, 2020
      Occidental (OXY -- alphabetized as "OXY") (OXY is now tracked here)
      OXY Little Knife LLC
      • first seen/blogged about January 6, 2012
      • entered the Bakken by acquiring five very old Madison wells in the Little Knife oil field from Citation
      • as of January 6, 2012, these were the only Oxy Little Knife wells
      • my hunch: a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oxy USA
      • January 5, 2012: a reader sent in a comment that said Oxy USA owns (not rents) facilities in only three cities: Houston, Los Angeles, and Dickinson
      Peregrine Petroleum Partners, LTD: website; 
      • June 7, 2019: has a single permit for a Larson wells in Covered Bridge oil field; link here;
      • acquires producing and non-producing property in the heart of the Bakken; to include 22 producing wells, March 9, 2019;
      • acquiring royalty property in Divide County, press release, March 3,  2018
      • May 6, 2016: a permit for a well in Hay Draw field, McKenize County
      • April 16, 2015: Peregrine Petroleum: has six permits in North Dakota; the previous five were back in the early 1990's; this is the first new permit in North Dakota in two decades for Peregrine:
        • 23920, Peregrine Petroleum, Covered Bridge-Bakken, establish a 1280-acre unit; 4 wells, McKenzie; Covered Bridge is a 3-section field in south central McKenzie County, far from the sweet spots in McKenzie; Peregrine did have some Bakken wells back in the 1990's; there is a huge Birdbear well in this little section that has produced almost 500,000 bbls since 1983; a stripper well now
      • March 13, 2015: Peregrine drilled five (5) Bakken wells many years ago; all very short horizontal wells in the far south-central/west McKenzie County (currently not much activity); they are all still active and producing, albeit very, very little; this is the company's first permit in North Dakota since 1993
      PetroBakken
      • Renamed Lightstream Resources
      • The company’s main interests are light-oil properties in the Bakken play of Saskatchewan and Cardium play of Alberta.
      Petro Harvester
      • update, May 30, 2018
      • acquired Sagebrush Resources in North Dakota in 2011 (see Sagebrush Resources, this page)
      • An oil-focused E&P company formed by TPG Capital to acquire mature producing assets in North America
      Petrogulf
      Petro-Hunt
      Petroshale (USA) -- company's website
      Phoenix Capital Group / Phoenix Operating, LLC
      Prairie Hills LLC
      Prairie Horizon Land Development LLC
      QEP
      Raisa
      • about 640 acres under the river along McKenzie/Williams county line
      • non-operating working interest
      • founded in October, 2014 (the month the Saudis said "no cutback on production")
      • appears to have begun in the DJ basin
      • first mentioned in the blog in August, 2016

      Ragnar Exploration, LLC

      • November 21, 2021
        • exception to the "Bakken exploration" rule
        • this company's initial foray into North Dakota targeted not on the Bakken but on the Madison
        • new company; filed for incorporation in late 2021
        • headquartered in eastern Minnesotal in small hamlet of Lake Elmo

      Rampart Energy Company 

      • November 17, 2022: 
        • Rampart's wildcat, Coteau 5, filee #39418, will be sited in NESE 12-145-88, Mercer County, 1408 FSL and 1138 FEL
      • June 16, 2021:
        • Rampart's wildcat, Coteau 1, file #38379, will be sited in SWSW 1-145-99, Mercer County, 555 FSL and 460 FWL; the oil field is also a wildcat; 
        • Rampart has about 50 permits in North Dakota; it has been active in North Dakota since 1959; 
        • Rampart's previous well in North Dakota, #27081, Craig Allen 10-3H, Stanley oil field; SESW 11-155-91; a Bakken well that was drilled in 2015 and has reported a respectable 228K bbls crude oil cumulative;

      Red Trail Energy, LLC

      • first mentioned on the blog, December 2, 2019; link here;
      Renegade Petroleum Limited
      Resolute Energy
      • BEXP presentation says Resolute has 33,415 net acres
      • New Home: 23,528
      • Paris:  8,425
      • Shep: 1,423
      Resonance Exploration (North Dakota) 
      • North Dakota wells acquired by Formentera, closed November 1, 2021; wells transferred June 11, 2022; link here.
      • update at shalexp
      • NDIC hearing dockets, June 12, 2018: three cases (#26690 - #26692, inclusive); unitized management of the Westhope-Spearfish/Madison Unit area, Bottineau County, ND 
      • has two wells coming off confidential list week of October 27, 2019
      • has about 15 oil and gas permits in North Dakota; three on confidential list, October 27, 2019
      • Hart Energy: horizontal trilateral test, Bottineau County, ND, flowing 552 bopd from three lateral in Spearfish; 3-32H Resonance-Lodoen in section 32-163-80, see below;
      • foreign limited liability company, branch office in Bismarck, ND
      • incorporated October 17, 2013 
      Resource Energy Can-Am, LLC
      RimRock Oil & Gas
      Rockport Energy Solutions LLC
      Sagebrush Resources
      Rockport Energy Solutions LLC
      St Croix Operating

      Samson Oil & Gas (SSN)
      Samson Resources
      Scout Energy Management LLC
      Sedalia Energy, LLC

      SEG Williston, LLC

      Sequel Energy, LLC

      Serka Services, a subsidiary of Adali
      • < 400 acres, mostly in McKenzie County, small holding in Billings County
      • entered the Bakken in July, 2012
      • based out of Istanbul, Turkey; a construction company
      SHD (Spotted Hawk Development), LLC
      • moved to this page on September 30, 2014, after reporting 2nd huge well in the Bakken
      • first mentioned in blog as stand-alone post, April 27, 2014
      • 39,090 net acres (January, 2013)
      • small privately held company; active in the Bakken for several years; appears to have moved to a "new level" in January, 2013, when it raised $100 million in revolving credit
      Silver Hill Energy: enters the Bakken, January 31, 2024
      Slawson Energy
      Slawson Exploration Company Incorporated (SECI) (the original Slawson family oil company)
      • appears to be a subsidiary of Slawson; both share same address in Wichita, Kansas
      SM (previously St Mary Land and Exploration)
      Statoil (see BEXP at the original page) -- changed name to Equinor in 2018 timeframe -- now tracked here.

      Southwestern Production Corp: targets the Tyler formation in Billings County
      Thunderbird Resources
      • See GMX Resources above
      US Energy Corp:
      Vantage Energy
      VEAC
      Veren, Inc
      Wave Petroleum Operating, LLC
      White Butte Oil Operations, LLC
      • first note, June 13, 2015:
        • 21387, 2,502 White Butte Oil Operations, LLC, Panzer 4-20MLH, original permit for a Three Forks well but name change suggesting a middle Bakken well; in January, 2014, along with the name change (from TF to middle Bakken), Slawson also requested a revision "to allow for an additional lateral, would submit a revised plan for a single lateral plan"; in July, 2014, the thee Panzer wells were transferred to White Butte Oil from Slawson; the business address for Slawson and White Butte were identical, 1675 Broadway, Suite 1600, Denver, CO.; and that connects the last dot. 
      White Rock Oil and Gas, LLC
      • Plano, TX: press release; personnel; September 9, 2019;
      • appears to be "building" an asset base in the Bakken based on SM Energy acreage and MDU (Fidelity) acreage, noted January 25, 2017
      • SM Energy transfers about 92 wells to White Rock Oil & Gas, LLC, January 25, 2017
      • MDU (fidelity) transfers about 78 wells to White Rock Oil & Gas, LLC, January 28, 2016
      • MDU (Fidelity) transfers 331 wells to five other companies, noted December 29, 2015; companies include Foundation Energy Management, LLC; Cobra Oil and Gas Corp; and, White Rock Oil and Gas LLC;  December 9, 2015, briefing by NDIC
      Whiting (WLL): tracked here. See Chord Energy above, July 1, 2022.
        WPX Williston Energy, LLC: Williams (WPX) (Dakota-3) --> WMB (January 3, 2012)
        • In January 2021, the company merged with Devon Energy.
        • WMB remains the pipeline company; WPX is the E&P company in the Bakken
        • Eric Fox, Investopedia says WMB has 85,800 net acres
        • Same source says: 6,400 boepd from the Bakken, January, 2012 
        • 5 rigs; plans to add a 6th in 2012; 
        • WPX Williston Energy acquired Dakota-3 E&P in December, 2010; 89,420 acres  
        • Bought 7 percent of Fort Berthold Indian Reservation; that's how it entered the Bakken, back in 2010 (if I recall correctly)
        • Natural gas heavy; 4Q11 -- 83% gas; 17% oil
        Williston Exploration, LLC
        • November 25, 2012: 10,000 acres ("3,000 acres prior to our purchase of Upton Resources assets [7,000 acres ] for a total of 10,000 acres" -- company e-mail)
        • Private; targeting the Tyler in Billings County
        Windridge Oil & Gas; Windridge Operating LLC
        • it appears Windridge is an operator; over at "well search," Windridge is listed, as of August 24, 2018, has about ten permits, north of Williston, up in Portal oil field, in Burke County
        • first post here, June 30, 2017 
        XOM (XTO)
        Zavanna
        Zenergy 
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        USGA Assessment Units

        USGS Assessment Units: The five assessment units (AU) of the Bakken as denoted by the USGS, amount of estimated recoverable oil, and percent (in terms of acreage) in Montana/North Dakota:
        • Northwest Expulsion Threshold AU, 868 million barrels, 80/20 (MT/ND)
        • Eastern Expulsion Threshold AU, 973 million barrels, 100 (ND)
        • Nesson-Little Knife Structural AU, 909 million barrels, 100 (ND)
        • Elm Coulee-Billings Nose AU, 410 million barrels, 55/45 (MT/ND)
        • Central Basin-Poplar Dome AU, 485, 45/55 (MT/ND)
        Note: most information, including net acreage, comes from corporate presentations. Occasionally I receive information from analysts who might have more up-to-date information than I  have; in those cases I note it with "Analyst's number" along with the corporate presentation information.   


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