If you want to see a really incredible conventional Lodgepole well, look at Dinsdale 2-4. This well was a conventional well spudded in 1996 with an initial production of 3,357 barrels of oil per day. In 1996, we had not even heard of horizontal drilling, much less fracture stimulation. That conventional well, still in production, has produced a total of 4,634,619 barrels to date and its daily production remains significant.
Also, be sure to check out an Anschutz well that might be targeting the Lodgepole.
Finally, Armstrong has reported on a Lodgepole well inside the city limits of Dickinson and will be applying for another permit for the Lodgepole in the immediate area on October 29, 2009.
*****
NEWS
September 17, 2010: Halek announces plan to target the Lodgepole near Dickinson.
March 9, 2010: Update on a conventional well, the Laurine Engel 1.
December 10, 2009: Armstrong has Dickinson city permission to drill another Lodgepole well.
Like this site, but a little perspective is in order here. First, the Lodgepole being the "third production zone in the Williston Basin" is not accurate; at least 15 different geological horizons are, or have been, oil-productive in the Williston Basin and a few more have been gas-productive. The statement "in 1996, we had not even heard of horizontal drilling" is entirely wrong. The first horizontal well in North Dakota was actually drilled in 1987, in the upper Bakken shale by Meridian Oil. The results were good enough the start the first Bakken "boom", which lasted until about 1992. Drilling took place primarily in Billings, McKenzie, and Golden Valley counties. By the end of that "boom", horizontal drilling was being utilized in several different horizons with variable results, including, but not limited to the Ratcliffe, Midale, Mission Canyon, Nisku, Interlake, and Red River. By 1996, Bowman County was in the midst of a Red River "B" porosity zone horizontal "boom" with hundreds of wells drilled by Burlington Resources and Continental Resources. And as for the Lodgepole by Dickinson; it features some very localized geological structures that would not benefit significantly from horizontal drilling. The porosity and permeability of the rock within these structures is good enough that excellent oil production generally results when these structures are found. The hard part is finding these "mounds" in the Lodgepole; they are very elusive.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate the perspective. You are so correct about the number of oil-producing formations. I remember growing up hearing about the Red River, for example.
ReplyDeleteI also remember -- wow, this takes me back, I had forgotten -- Meridian Oil pioneering horizontal drilling. I visited my childhood in the late 80's and remember the excitement of horizontal drilling, Meridian, and the boom. I had forgotten all about that.
I've lost track of Meridian; I believe it was a subsidiary of Burlington Resources at one time; I don't know if it is still a separate entity. I don't see/hear it mentioned any more.
Your other comments are also absolutely correct. With regard to my "we had not even heard of horizontal drilling comment," that was a figure of speech, hyperbole. Relative to what is going on now, I think almost everyone (that is interested) has heard of horizontal drilling; back in the 80-90's I don't know. Regardless, it was hyperbole.
As I update my postings, I will correct these statements. Thank you for stopping by. I am not an expert in the oil industry; the only formal geology course I have taken was that related to middle school/high school science. I just find the Williston Oil Basin very, very exciting and hope to use this site as educational only.
My "welcome" page does remind folks that no one should base any investment decisions on this amateur blog.