Zavanna

 News

June 7, 2018: comment from reader about Zavanna's apparent lack of activity in the Bakken.

March 9, 2016: most production data updated below

December 10, 2015: a reader writes me --

I notice that my main oil producer (Zavanna) is mentioned in connection with the new concept of “gas credits” to encourage no flaring. Zavanna has converted most of their wells to gas pressure “pumping” only, thus re-pressurizing waste gas (after extracting the pipeline quality methane) and pumping it back into the well to maintain oil production by pressure only; ergo, no more mechanical pumpers. Zavanna co-owns a new gas processing plant “1804 LLC” designed and built for that purpose and applied to most of their wells.

January 10, 2015: Zavanna's natural gas processing plant given 60 days to start processing natural gas or flaring rules go into effect. 

November 21, 2014: Zavanna to build a 45-million cfd natural gas processing plant seven (7) miles northeast of Williston. 

September 30, 2014: update on several Zavanna multi-well pads east of Williston. 

January 30, 2011: Zavanna and USEG in partnership. This makes sense. If you scroll down to near the end of the original post, it is noteworthy that Zavanna has a lot of permits, but there has not been a lot of activity. I've wondered what has been going on with Zavanna. This partnership with USEG reminds me of the partnership with BEXP back in 2009; that partnership worked out very well for both. 

Original Post

This is a very long post.

Earlier this summer, I helped my two granddaughters with a real-grass-growing diorama placed in a huge roasting pan, and populated with toy animals found on the African savanna. Perhaps that's why Zavanna has always captured my interest, along with the fact that the company has a noticeable presence just east of my home town of Williston, North Dakota.

File this information under "coffee table talk." Much of it is factual, but there are opinions stated on this page, the kind of comments I might make sitting around the table having coffee at the Economart in Williston. Of course, no one would be listening to me; they would be talking about sports. 

But for folks interested in Zavanna LLC, here is the information I have in my database. The older data is not as good, but data continues to improve. I didn't really start following the Bakken until sometime in 2007; I forget when I first started blogging about it (I deleted my original site and started over in 2008 or thereabouts, maybe 2009). It seems like a long, long time ago.


Click here for Zavanna's website. From the website --

According to the website, "Zavanna LLC, was founded in August of 1994 to exploit its unique proprietary computer-based Technology for oil and gas exploration, development and acquisition in the United States. In 2001, Zavanna Canada Corp. was formed to explore for the significant remaining oil and gas reserves in the western sedimentary basin of Canada.

"Currently, Zavanna is guiding horizontal and conventional drilling in portions of East Texas, West Texas, the Anadarko Basin of Oklahoma, Florida, the Williston Basin of North Dakota, and Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada.

"Zavanna operates wells in North Dakota, Texas, Alberta and Saskatchewan. However we prefer to join with other operating companies."

Additional comments, facts, and opinions, based on review of my review of the limited data I have on Zavanna operations in the North Dakota Bakken:

• Zavanna has one rig in the North Dakota Bakken, Nabors 688; drilling Louise 1-35H, one mile south of Gene 1-22H, in Stockyard Creek
• Zavanna is currently focused on Stockyard Creek, east of Williston
• Its website says it prefers to join with other operating companies, and that data I do not have.
• In 2009, Zavanna was granted a number of permits; they gave these future wells names of feral cats found in the "Savanna" of Africa (lion, tiger, cheetah, serval, ocelot, etc). Most of these were associated with Stony Creek (northeast of Williston) and a few in Stockyard Creek. The two fields abut; Stony Creek is slightly more west and farther north than Stockyard Creek. Both are small fields: both roughly a township in size.
• Zavanna acquired a fair number of permits (about a dozen) from Zenergy in the 2007 time frame. 
• Zavanna was drilling Madison wells in 2006 and 2007 but moved to the Bakken in 2008 time frame.
• I haven't actually counted every last data point, but it appears that Zavanna has a fairly high percent of cancelel permits.
• In addition, there are a lot of permits that seem to be languishing
• Curiously, there is a "Jaguar" well in the Big Bend field, but it is not a Zavanna well; it is a Slawson well. Could Zavanna and Slawson partnered on this well? Zavanna does not list Slawson as one of its business partners at its website
• There are several IPs for Zavanna wells in 2006 and 2007, and then tapering off significantly to only two in 2008. Then back up to four in 2009, but only one in 2010. The past two years have been some of the most active years in North Dakota

Acreage in two townships in North Dakota: 72 sections x 640 acres = 46,000 acres
At $5,000 / acre = $230 million 

My data base does not go back that far, so I don't know, but looking at the November, 2010, docket, Zavanna might have additional significant acreage in the Foreman Butte oil field.


2016
None (as of March 9, 2016)

2015 (list is complete) (when I checked June 7, 2018, these wells were still on conf list)
31929, conf, Zavanna, Mastiff 16-21 4TFH, Stony Creek,
31928, conf, Zavanna, Mastiff 16-21 3H, Stony Creek,
31927, conf, Zavanna, Mastiff 16-21 2TFH, Stony Creek,
31926, conf, Zavanna, Mastiff 16-21 1H, Stony Creek,
31866, conf, Zavanna, Hunter 29-32 5TFH, Foreman Butte,
31865, conf, Zavanna, Hunter 29-32 3H, Foreman Butte,
31864, conf, Zavanna, Hunter 29-32 1TFH, Foreman Butte,
31863, conf, Zavanna, Hunter 29-17 2H, Foreman Butte,
31862, conf, Zavanna, Hunter 29-17 4TFH, Foreman Butte,
31861, conf, Zavanna, Hunter 29-17 6H, Foreman Butte,
31860, conf, Zavanna, Hunter 29-17 8TFH, Foreman Butte,
31411, PNC, Zavanna, Rover 9-21 1TFH, Stony Creek,
31410, PNC, Zavanna, Rover 9-21 2H, Stony Creek,

2014 (list is complete)
29800, 301, Zavanna, George 19-30 3TFH, Stockyard Creek, t4/19, cum 85K 5/20;
29799, 218, Zavanna,George 19-30 4H, Stockyard Creek, t4/19; cum 156K 4/20; a 37K month;
29784, conf, Zavanna, Galloway 19-30 4H, Stockyard Creek, 
29783, conf, Zavanna,
29782, conf, Zavanna,
29781, conf, Zavanna,
29510, 48, Zavanna, Shepherd 3-11 4TFH, Stony Creek, t1/17; cum 98K 3/20;
29509, 125, Zavanna, Shepherd 3-11 3H, Stony Creek, t1/17; cum 228K 3/20;
29508, 129, Zavanna, Shepherd 3-11 2TFH, Stony Creek, t12/16; cum 307K 4/20;
29386, PNC, Zavanna, Sakakawea 2-21H, Stony Creek,
29255, 294, Zavanna, Sigurd 32-29 8TFH, Stockyard Creek, t294, cum 259K 3/20;
29254, 881, Zavanna, Sigurd 32-29 6H, Stockyard Creek, t9/17; cum 317K 3/20;
29253, S1,685, Zavanna, Sigurd 32-29 4TFH, Stockyard Creek, t10/17; cum 204K 3/20;
29252, 548, Zavanna, Sigurd 32-29 2H, Stockyard Creek, t8/17; cum 211K 3/20;
29251, 557, Zavanna, Sigurd 5-8 7H, Crazy Man Creek, t8/17; cum 317K 3/20;
29250, 540, Zavanna, Sigurd 5-8 5TFH, Crazy Man Creek, t8/17; cum 223K 3/20;
29249, 350, Zavanna, Sigurd 5-8 3H, Crazy Man Creek, t8/17; cum 159K 4/18;
29248, 784, Zavanna, Sigurd 5-8 1TFH, Crazy Man Creek, t8/17; cum 131K 4/18;
29184, PNC, Zavanna, 
28997, PNC, Zavanna, 
28996, PNC, Zavanna, 
28995, PNC, Zavanna, 
28896, SI/NC, Zavanna, 
28895, 1,135, Zavanna, Blackjack 24-13 2TFH, t1/16; cum 222K 2/20;
28894, 623, Zavanna, Blackjack 24-13 3H, t1/16; cum 283K 3/20;
28886, 2,342, Zavanna, Gust 2-11 2H, Long Creek, t5/16; cum 334K 4/18;
28885, 1,360, Zavanna, Gust 2-11 3TFH, Long Creek, t4/16; cum 104K 5/20;
28869, PNC, Zavanna, Labrador 27-35 5TFH,
28868, PNC, Zavanna, 
28867, PNC, Zavanna, 
28866, PNC, Zavanna, 
28865, PNC, Zavanna, 
28594, 1,676, Zavanna, Simmental 2-11 4TFH, Long Creek, t5/15; cum 409K 3/20;
28593, 564, Zavanna, Simmental 2-11 3H, Long Creek, t5/15; cum 359K 3/20;
28592, 2,024, Zavanna, Simmental 2-11 2TFH, Long Creek, t5/15; cum 322K 5/20; 
28591, 726, Zavanna, Simmental 2-11 1H, Long Creek, t6/15; cum386K 3/20;
28438, 747, Zavanna, Arrowhead 10-3 1H, East Fork, t12/15; cum 408K 4/20;
28437, 388, Zavanna, Arrowhead 10-3 2TFH, East Fork, t12/15; cum 227K 3/20;
28436, 274, Zavanna, Arrowhead 10-3 3H, East Fork, t11/15; cum 337K 4/20;
28433, 1,930, Zavanna, Tomahawk 10-3 4TFH, East Fork, t11/15; cum 323K 4/20;
28432,  1,734, Zavanna, Tomahawk 10-3 3H, East Fork, t11/15; cum 300K 3/20;
28431, 293, Zavanna, Tomahawk 10-3 2TFH, East Fork, t11/15; cum 171K 3/20;

2013 -- 29 permits (list is complete)
27303, 1,373, Zavanna, Husky 33-28 2H, Williston, t12/14; cum 143K 10/15;
27302, 1,764, Zavanna, Husky 33-28 4TFH, Williston, t1/15; cum 124K 1/16;
27301, 1,265, Zavanna, Husky 33-28 6H, Williston, t1/15; cum 117K 1/16;
27300, 825, Zavanna, Husky 33-28 8TFH, Williston, t1/15; cum 106K 1/16
26774, 419, Zavanna, Double Down 24-13 4TFH, East Fork, t1/16; cum 1K 4 days;
26773, 687, Zavanna, Double Down 24-13 3TFH, East Fork, t1/16; cum 4K 6 days;
26772, 2,058, Zavanna, Double Down 24-113 2H, East Fork, t1/16; cum 7K 8 days;
26687, 1210, Zavanna, Angus 3-10 7H, t4/15 cum 306K 5/20;
26686, 548, Zavanna, Angus 34-27 4TFH,  t9/15; cum 24K 10/15;
26685, 1,543, Zavanna, Angus 3-10 5H, t3/15; cum 276K 3/20; sporadic days on line;
26684, 567, Zavanna, Angus 3-10 3TFH, t9/15; cum 22K 10/15;
26683, 2,950, Zavanna, Angus 34-27 2H, t9/15; cum 46K 10/15;
26682, 2,770, Zavanna, Angus 3-10 1H, t9/15 cum 39K 10/15;
26677, 695, Zavanna, Nelson 3-10 2TFH, Long Creek, t12/15; cum 34K 1/16;
26676, 630, Zavanna, Nelson 3-10 3TFH, Long Creek, t12/15; cum 29K 1/16;
26200, 772, Zavanna, Beagle 32-29 3H, Springbrook, t12/14; cum 32K10/15;
26199, 380, Zavanna, Beagle 32-29 2TFH, Springbrook, t12/14; cum 46K 10/15;
26198, 409, Zavanna, Beagle 32-29 1H, t12/14; cum 136K 10/15;
***26105, conf, Zavanna,
25914, 1,060, Zavanna, Bills 5-8 1H, Crazy Man Creek, t8/14; cum 409K 5/20;
25913, 929, Zavanna, Bills 32-29 2H, Stockyard Creek, t8/14; cum 180K 10/15;
25912, 1,162, Zavanna, Bills 5-8 3TFH, Crazy Man Creek, t8/14; cum 65K 10/15;
25911, 468, Zavanna, Bills 32-29 4TFH, Stockyard Creek, t8/14; cum 72K 10/15;
25553, 1,802, Zavanna, Bear Cat 33-28 2H, Williston, t9/14; cum 117K 10/15;
25552, 616, Zavanna, Bear Cat 33-28 3TFH, Williston, t9/14; cum 115K 10/15;
25530, 1,383, Zavanna, Sylvester 32-39 2H, Springbrook, t11/14; cum 177K 10/15;
25529, 1,108, Zavanna, Sylvester 32-29 4TFH, Springbrook, t11/14; cum 117K 10/15;
25528, 683, Zavanna, Sylvester 32-29 1H, Springbrook, t12/14; cum 137K 10/15;
25527, 1,525, Zavanna, Sylvester 32-29 3TFH, Springbrook, t12/14; cum 98K 10/15;


2012 -- as of June 5, 2012
Thirteen file numbers
24543, 1,086, Zavanna, Bear Cat 33-28 1H, t4/13; cum 451K 5/20;
23901, 628, Zavanna, Young 31-30 1H, 8/13; cum 89K 11/14;
23125, 603, Zavanna, Double Down 24-13 1H, East Fork, t11/12; cum 349K 3/20;
23115, 773, Zavanna, Tomahawk 10-3 1H, East Fork, t9/12 cum 223K 11/14;
23007, PNC, Zavanna, Double Down 24-13 1H, East Fork,
22958, 972, Zavanna, NSI 23-24H, Stockyard Creek, t7/13; cum 160K 11/14;
22957, PNC, Zavanna, NSI 14-15H, Stockyard Creek,
22813, 646, Zavanna, Sylvester 1-32H, Springbrook, t9/12; cum 129K 11/14;
22760, 412, Zavanna, Rogers 1-12 1H, Foreman Butte, t6/13; cum 72K 11/14;
22759, 594, Zavanna, Martinez 36-25 1H, Foreman Butte, t2/13; cum 102K 11/14;
22553, 527, Zavanna, Sabertooth 1-24H, Stony Creek, t8/12; cum 194K 11/14;
22458, 454, Zavanna, Witt 34-27 1H, Foreman Butte, t11/12; cum 109K 11/14;
22314, 864, Zavanna, Browning 28-22 1H, Foreman Butte, t2/13; cum 107K 11/14;

2011
Eighteen file numbers
20370, PNC, Zavanna, SS 20-17 1H, East Fork,
20375, 1,011, Zavanna, Niels 32-29 1H, Stockyard Creek, t4/12; cum 26K 4/12;
20414, 682, Zavanna, Larsen 32-29 1H, Foreman Butte, t6/12; cum 129K 11/14;
20439, 706, Zavanna, Thelma 1-21H, Stockyard Creek, t6/12; cum 217K 11/14;
20478, 674, Zavanna, Koufax 3-10 1H, Foreman Butte, t11/11; cum 49K 4/12;
20484, 1,126, Zavanna, Thunderbird 25-36 1H, Long Creek, t3/12; cum 54K 4/12;
20510, 705, Zavanna, Everett 1-15H, Stockyard Creek, t1/12; cum 40K 4/12;
20590, 493, Zavanna, Skogen 17-20 1H, Glass Bluff, t7/12; cum 147K 11/14;
20868, PNC, Hunter 2-11 1 H, Foreman Butte,
21226, 996, Zavanna, Panther 16-21 1H, Stony Creek, t4/12; cum 449K 5/20;
21227, IA/909, Zavanna, Leopard 20-17 1H, Stony Creek, t7/12; cum 341K 9/19;
21372, 742, Zavanna, Bunning 35-26 1H, Foreman Butte, t1/13; cum 112K 11/14;
21739, 633, Zavanna, Kepner 9-4 1H, Glass Bluff, t7/12; cum 142K 11/14;
21864, 561, Zavanna, Wells 6-7 1H, Foreman Butte, t7/12; cum 114K 11/14;
21868, 957, Zavanna, Barker 24-13 1H, Boxcar Butte, t12/12; cum 163K 11/14; 
21873, 640, Zavanna, Bengal 1-2H, Stony Creek, t7/12; cum 163K 11/14;
21874, 540, Zavanna, Tony 1-3H, Stony Creek, t8/12; cum 186K 11/14;
22044, 700, Zavanna, George 19-30 1H, Stockyard Creek, t10/12; cum 474K 3/20;


2010
Seventeen file numbers
18824, 855, Zavanna, Gary 1-24H, Stockyard Creek, t10/10; cum 242K 4/18;
19032, PA/604, Zavanna, Hanson 28-33 1H, Stockyard Creek, t11/10; cum 146K 4/18;
19123, 112, Zavanna, Marlin 27-34 1H, Stockyard Creek, t7/11; cum 123K 4/18;
19328, 853, Zavanna, Earl 1-13H, Stockyard Creek, t6/11; cum 355K 4/18; big jump in production in 4/15;
19436, 930, Zavanna, Louise 1-35 H, Stockyard Creek, t6/11; cum 275K 4/18;
19813, 977, Zavanna, Olson 8-5 1H, Glass Bluff; t12/11; cum 242K 4/18;
19821, 983, Zavanna, Cheryl 14-23 1H, Glass Bluff, t11/11; cum 216K 4/18;
19849, PNC, Zavanna, Kepner 9-4 1H OLD, Glass Bluff,
19895, PNC, Zavanna, Lassey 16-21 1H,
19981, 1,003, Zavanna, Gust 2-11 1H, Long Greek, t3/12; cum 519K 2/20; huge jump in production in 10/16;
19982, 1,197, Zavanna, Bruce 5-8 1H, Crazy Man Creek, t1/12; cum 443K 5/20;
20000, 573, Zavanna, CDK 15-22 1H, Glass Bluff, Bakken, t6/12; cum 209K 4/18;
20085, 825, Zavanna, Nelson 3-10 1H, Long Creek, t8/12; cum 474K 3/20; had a huge jump in production back in 2016;
20093, 638, Zavanna, Skorpil 11-2 1H, Glass Bluff, Bakken, t5/12; cum 242K 4/18;
20094, 867, Zavanna, Wang 10-3 1H, Glass Bluff, Bakken, t3/12; cum 257K 4/18;
20105, 737, Zavanna, Crescent Farm 7-6 1H, Glass Bluff, Bakken, t3/12; cum 289K 4/18;
20111, 718, Zavanna, Wildcat 1-11H, Stony Creek, Bakken, t8/11; cum 172K 11/14; cum 279K 4/18;


2009
Sixteen file numbers
17979, 706, Zavanna, Lynx 1-27H, Stony Creek, Bakken, t7/11; cum 236
K 4/18;18009, 1,128, Zavanna, Gene 1-22H, Stockyard Creek, Bakken, t4/10; cum 233K 4/18;
18014, 1,075, Zavanna, Bobcat 1-25H, Stony Creek, Bakken, t1/10; Bakken; cum 186K 4/18;
18015, 1,267, Zavanna, Grasser 1-26H, Stockyard Creek, Bakken, t5/10; cum 292K 4/18;
18016, PNC, Hanson 1-28H
18021, 851, Zavanna, Marty 1-20H, Stockyard Creek, t8/10; cum 201K 4/18;
18054, 489, Zavanna, Rodney 1-14H, Stockyard Creek, Bakken, t6/11; cum 212K 4/18;
18063, 1,034, Zavanna, Ocelot 1-15H, Stony Creek, Bakken, t4/12; cum 284K 4/18;
18064, 1,085, Zavanna, Cougar 1-35H, Stony Creek, Bakken, t7/11; cum 269K 4/18;
18067, 803, Zavanna, Lion 1-14H, Stony Creek, t5/12; cum 169K 11/14;
18069, 783, Zavanna, Tiger 1-23H, Stony Creek, Bakken, t6/10; cum 219K 4/18;
18070, PNC, Leopard 1-20H,
18071, 527, Zavanna, Cheetah 1-10H, Stony Creek, Bakken, t5/12; cum 240K 4/18;
18075, 764, Zavanna, Jaguar 1-22H, Stony Creek, Bakken, t3/12; cum 291K 4/18;
18092, PNC, Zavanna, Serval 1-9H, Stony Creek, Bakken,
18133, PNC, Panther 1-16H,



2008
Ten file numbers
17446, 49, Zavanna, Leonard 1-23H, Stockyard Creek, Bakken, t12/08; cum 157K 4/18; was off-line as of 7/17, and didn't come back on line until 4/18;
17453, 225, Zavanna, Puma 1-26H, Stony Creek, Bakken, t2/09; cum 121K 4/18;
17846, PNC,
17857, PNC,
17882, PNC,
17904, PNC,
17905, PNC,
17915, PNC,
17384, AB/150, Zavanna/Zenergy, Jean Baptiste 1-11H, Buford, Madison, t9/08; cum 127K 11/14;


2007
Eight file numbers (Madison wells)
16705, PNC, Zavanna, Lone Tree 1-19H, Stockyard Creek, Madison,
16723, IA/140-->SWD, Zavanna, Corral 1 SWD/Brushy Bill 1-19H, Stockyard Creek, Madison, t9/07; cum 50K 4/15;
16866, IA/78, Zavanna, Brunelle 1-29H, Stockyard Creek, Madison, t2/08; cum 46K 4/15; 
16569, AB/108, Zavanna/Zenergy, Pvt Frazier 1-34H, Briar Creek, Madison, t6/07; cum 95K 3/14;
16601, AB/32, Zavanna/Zenergy, Sakakawea 1-21H, Briar Creek, Madison, t2/008; cum 20K 10/13;
16638, 143, Zavanna/Zenergy, Charbonneau 1-14H, Briar Creek, Madison, t9/07; cum 305K 10/15;
16738, 125, Zavanna/Zenergy, Ft Buford 1-16H, Briar Creek, Madison, t10/07; cum 123K 10/15;
16889, 48, Zavanna/Zenergy, Pompey 17-18H, Briar Creek, Madison, t3/08; cum 56K 10/15;

2006
Nine file numbers
According to my data base, all nine permits/file numbers/wells were originally Zenergy's but in the summer of 2007, they were acquired by Zavanna (I could be wrong on this, but that's what my database suggests; I was just starting to follow the Bakken in late 2006, so it was all new to me, and I was not sure how best to store data for later retrieval; it's still a problem). Except for the two most recent file numbers, all were in McKenzie County

• 16107, Jan 23, 2006, 385, Madison, Zavanna, Lewis 1-36H, Briar Creek, t5/06; cum 130K 11/14;
• 16175, Nov 20, 2006, 267, Madison, Zavanna, Clark 1-35H, Briar Creek, t6/06; cum 168K 11/14;
• 16212, Apr 10, 2007, 170, Madison, Zavanna, Ordway 1-26H, Briar Creek, t11/06; cum 125K 11/14;
• 16258, May 24, 2007, 199, Madison, Zavanna, Gass 1-25H, Briar Creek, t1/07; cum 87K 11/14; 
• 16264, Jun 1, 2006, 66, Madison, Zavanna, Pryor 1-1H, Briar Creek, t1/07; cum 35K 11/14;
• 16414, Jun 7, 2007, 135, Madison, Zavanna, Pvt Hall 1-23H, Briar Creek, t2/07; cum 178K 11/14;
• 16417, Aug 7, 2007, 217, Madison, Zavanna, Pvt Goodrich 1-22H, Briar Creek, t3/07; cum 212K 11/14;
• 16418, PA, Jun 7, 2007, 50, Madison, Zavanna, Pvt Gibson 1-27H, Briar Creek, t2/07; cum 40K 11/14;
• 16455, Aug 7, 2007, 130, York 1-2H, Briar Creek, short lateral, t3/07; cum 126K 5/20;
• 16481, PA, Feb 10, 2009, Stockyard Creek, 58, Madison, Zavanna, Harstad 1-15H, Stockyard Creek, t3/07; cum 114K 11/14;

NDIC Hearing Dockets

February, 2012

• 17093 - 17133, Zavanna, pooling (~41 wells)

December, 2012

• 16426, Zavanna, amend Stockyard Creek-Bakken, establish 4 1280-acre units; 1 well each, Williams

Start with December 2010