Whiting Announces Four New Wells

There is an incredible amount of information that is not included in a press release announcing results of newly completed wells. There just isn't enough space and it might overwhelm the casual reader. However, the big piece of news not mentioned in the press release discussed below is the fact that one of the wells is the fourth well in that one section. More on that later.

Whiting announces four new wells.

My comments and observations are limited due to the fact I'm still traveling, but I think these new wells are starting to show the potential of new wells drilling in a very established area.

For example, the newly reported Carkuff 12-24H, with a reported IP of 3,475 bopd, is the second of two wells in a 1,280-acre unit. The first well in that spacing unit was the Arndt 11-24H with an IP of 1,429. The Arndt was frakked with 10 stages; the Carkuff with 30.

The Carkuff, Fladeland 43-9H (3,027; 22 stages); and Littlefield 21-12H (2,591; 19 stages) are all middle Bakken wells.

The fourth well, the TTT Ranch 4-6TFH set an IP record for a Three Forks Sanish well in the Sanish field with an IP of 1,768 boepd. The previous record was the Whiting-operated Olson 11-14TFH with 1,640 boepd.

For future reference, the file numbers for these wells:
Carkuff - 18570
Fladeland - 18761
Littlefield - 18635
TTT Ranch - 18804
Arndt - 18055


Now,back to that fourth well in one section. The TTT Ranch 4-6TFH is the fourth well in section 6-153-91. The other three are file numbers 17603, 18804, 18297, and 18876. Although two of these are still on the confidential list, it appears that all four wells will be long laterals running from northwest to southeast.

The following is idle chatter but represents a disconnect that I've discussed before. The NDGS estimates the EUR for an individual section in the Bakken be in the range of 400,000 barrels (give or take a 100,000 barrels based on location). Meanwhile, the drillers "advertise" a EUR of 700,000 barrels per well (give or take a couple hundred thousand barrels based on location). So, here we have, so far, four wells in a 1,280-acre spacing unit and I doubt they will be the last.