NDIC Dockets for March, 2010

For my use; I cannot verify accuracy.

March 8, 2010

12240: CLR, request for two 1280-acre spacing units, Little Knife; 2 wells
12241: EOG, this case likely to be dismissed; affects the Souris-Spearfish-Madison pool in Bottineau County
12242: EOG, request to pool the Burke 26-18H, one well (already drilled)
12243: Peak, request to extend the Heart Butte to establish two 640-acre units; 2 wells

March 23, 2010 (sweeping changes proposed by the Commission)

12244: Commission; 2560-acre spacing for all future BAKKEN POOL horizontal drilling

12245: Commission; 1280-acre spacing for standup and / or laydown horizontal drilling

12246: Commission; eliminate/reduce the setbacks currently established for heel and toe of horizontal wells in ND

March 24, 2010

11763, cont'd: confusion regarding Wanner 27-1, 27-139-95, Baleen
12247: Gregory Tank vs CLR, 22-151-96
12248: Gregory Tank vs CLR, 4-5-150-96
12249: Gregory Tank vs BR, 27-34-151-96
12250: Gregory Tank vs Murex, 34-151-96
12251: Gregory Tank vs Petro-Hunt, 3-10-151-96
12252: BR, proper spacing for Croff-Bakken Pool
12253: BR, revoke an XTO permit, Bernel Federal 44X-19
12254: BR, revoke a Tracker permit, Prairie Dog 7-1H
12255: BR, revoke a Tracker permit, McCarthy 9-1H
12256: BR, extending the Westberg, Banks, or Elidah-Bakken Pools to add 8 sections as 1280-acre spacing units
12257: BR, extending the Blue Buttes-Bakken Pool
12258: BR, extending the Clear Creek and Camel Butte-Bakken Pools to add 4 sections as 2560-acre spacing units
12259: BR, pooling in Sand Creek, 33 and 34
12260: BR, pooling in Clear Creek, 15 and 22
12261: BR, pooling in Johnson Corner, 3 and 10
12262: BR, pooling in North Fork, 1 and 12
12263: BR, pooling in Haystack, 14 and 23
12264: St Mary, designate MonDak, 2 sections as 1280-acre spacing
12265: KOG, section 15 and 22, 147-92, Twin Buttes as 1280-acre spacing
12266: Hess, revoke a BEXP permit, Bangs 32-5 1-H
12267: Hess, extend the Big Butte-Bakken Pool by 2 sections
12268: Hess, extend the Alger-Bakken Pool by 2 sections
12269: Hess, extend the Alger-Bakken Pool by 2 sections
12270: Hess, request to drill up to 6 horizontal wells in 2560-acre spacing, sections 31, 32, 33, and 34, 155-93
12271: Hess, two 1280-acre spaced units; 2 wells
12272: Hess, one 1280-acre spaced unit, 1 well
12273: Hess, flaring
12274: Hess, pooling in beaver Lodge-Bakken Pool, 25-36-156-96
12275: Hess, pooling in Hawkey-Bakken Pook 16-21-152-95
12094, cont'd: Hess, up to 3 horizontal wells in Tioga-Bakken Pool
12095, cont'd: Hess, pooling in Robinson Lake-Bakken Pool
12096, cont'd: Hess, pooling in Alger-Bakken Pool
12276: Murex, allow drilling of up to 6 horizontal wells in McGregor Bakken, in 4 sections
12277: Murex, pooling in Midway
12278: American Oil, to establish seven (7) 1280-acre units in Williams County
12279: Marathon, to create two (2) 1600-acre spaced units in Reunion-Bakken and Antelope-Sanish Pools
12280: Marathon, relief from the 1220 foot setback in Reunion Bay
12281: Marathon, flaring
12282: Marathon, pooling in Bailey-Bakken
12283: Marathon, establishing/altering spacing units in 152-93, McKenzie/Mountrail
12086, cont'd: Marathon, Tracker, proper spacing for the Lake Ilo-Bakken Pool
12284: Questar, extending the Heart Butte Field and creating 24 640-acre spacing units in Dunn, McLean and Mountrail Counties, with two horizontal wells in each (48 wells)
12285: North Plains, two 1280-acre units; one horizontal well each
12193, cont'd: North Plains, adding a section to the Truax-Bakken Pool
12194, cont'd: North Plains, a new 1280-acre spacing unit for the Truax-Bakken Pool
12286: Peak, 320-acre spacing, with two horizontal wells from same pad, Spotted Horn-Bakken Pool
12287: Peak, 640-acre spacing, with two horizontal wells from same pad, Heart Butte-Bakken Pool
12288: Peak, 640-acre spacing, with two horizontal wells from same pad, Heart Butte-Bakken Pool
12117, cont'd: Tracker, to designate seven (7) 1280-acre units with one horizontal well each in Bull Butte-Bakken Pool
12118, cont'd: Tracker, to designate seven (7) 1280-acre units with one horizontal well each in Stony Creek-Bakken Pool
12119, cont'd: Tracker, to designate two (2) 1280-acre units with one horizontal well each in Stockyard Creek-Bakken Pool

March 25, 2010

12289: Hank Louis D'Vorak vs Anschutz, Kathleen Stroh 1-20-17H-143-95, Murphy Creek
12290: Flatirons, extending Lake Darling-Madison Pool, for horizontal drilling
12291: Tracker, proper spacing for Saxon-Bakken
12292: Tracker, to revoke a BR permit, Franklin 24-36H
12293: Tracker, to revoke a BR permit, Keene 14-35H
12294: Hess, BEXP, proper spacing for Kittleson Slough-Bakken
12295: BEXP, to revoke a Hess permit, EN-Skabo Trust-155-93 0631H-1
12296: BEXP, to revoke a Hess permit for wells in Alger-Bakken Pool
12297: BEXP, to extend the Alger-Bakken pool by two 1280-acre units
12298: BEXP, to revoke a Hess permit to drill the RS-Panzer Farms-155-92 3229H-1
12299: BEXP, to revoke a Hess permit to drill the RS-Panzer Farms-155-92 3229H-1
12158, cont'd: BEXP, to create three 1280-acre units with one horizontal well each
12300: Slawson, to create a 1280-acre unit in the Van Hook-Bakken
11925, cont'd: Slawon, pooling for the Coyote 1-32H in Big Bend
12301: Anschutz, proper spacing for Simon Butte-Bakken Pool
12302: Panther, extending the Banks-Bakken Pool to create sixteen (16) 1280-acre units with one horizontal each
12303: XTO, to create a 1280-acre unit for one horizontal
12175, cont'd: to create two 1280-acre units in Bear Creek and/or Corral Creek-Bakken for one horizontal well on each
12304: Samson, to create three 1280-acre units in Foothills-Bakken Pool; one horizontal well each
12148, cont'd: proper spacing for the Foothills-Bakken
12305: Newfield, to create three 1280-acre units in Siverston-Bakken Pool; one hz well each
12306: Newfield, to create 25 1280-acre units in Williams County; one hz well each
12307: Newfield, two 1280-acre units in McKenzie; one hz well each
12068, cont'd: Newfield, develop an oil pool for Chanel 1-33H
12308: Encore, a 1280-acre unit for one hz well
12009, cont'd: BR, proper spacing for Bear Creek-Bakken
12140, cont'd: BR, proper spacing for Oakdale-Bakken
12309: Viersen vs EOG for working interest in a well
12310: EOG, about 14 wells in NE Landa-Spearfish/Madison Pools
12311: CLR, extending Upland-Bakken by three 1280-acre spacing with one hz well eliminating the minimum setbacks from the "heel and toe" of the well
12312: CLR, extending Hamlet-Bakken Pool by three 1280-acre spacing with one hz well each
12313: CLR, extending Dolphin-Bakken Pool to establish a 1280-acre field with one hz well
12314: CLR, extending Temple-Bakken Pool to establish twelve 1280-acre units with one well each
12315: CLR, extending Camp-Bakken Pool to create fourteen 1600-acre units with one hz well in each
12316: CLR, Eco-Pad, for two 1280-acre units in the Big Gulch-Bakken Pool, four wells from each pad
12014, cont'd: CLR, to develop an oil pool for Traxel 1-31H
12200, cont'd: CLR, temporary spacing for Ole 1-29H
12202, cont'd: CLR, Eco-Pad, to create 2560-acre units in Sauk, Lindahl, and North Tioga-Bakken Pools, four hz wells on each pad
12203, cont'd: CLR, Eco-Pad, to create 2560-acre units in Stoneview-Bakken Pools, four hz wells on each pad
12204, cont'd: CLR, Eco-Pad, to create 2560-acre units in Hamlet-Bakken Pools, four hz wells on each pad
12205, cont'd: CLR, Eco-Pad, to create 2560-acre units in NW McGregor and Temple-Bakken Pools, four hz wells on each pad
12207, cont'd: CLR, Eco-Pad, to create 2560-acre units in ALkali Creek and /or Elm Tree-Bakken Pools, four hz wells on each pad
12208, cont'd: CLR, Eco-Pad, to create 2560-acre units in Siverston or Elidah-Bakken Pools, four hz wells on each pad
12209, cont'd: CLR, Eco-Pad, to create 2560-acre units in North Fork-Bakken and Pershing-Bakken Pools, four hz wells on each pad
12210: CLR, Eco-Pad, to create 2560-acre units in Cedar Culee-Bakken Pools, four hz wells on each pad
12211, cont'd: CLR, Eco-Pad, to create 2560-acre units in Rattlesnake Point and Jim Creek-Bakken Pools, four hz wells on each pad
12212: CLR, Eco-Pad, to create 2560-acre units in Chimney Butte-Bakken Pools, four hz wells on each pad
12317: Sagebrush, temporary spacing for Heller 6-31
12318: Zavanna, to extend Stockyard Creek-Bakken to create seven 1280-acre units and one hz in each
12164, cont'd: Golden Eye, to create a 1280-acre unit for one hz well
12082, cont'd: Prima, temporary spacing for MacTavish 32-30
11764, cont'd: Eagle, injection
11965, cont'd: Ward Williston, unitization for the Little Deep Creek-Madison ARea
12319: Cirque, re: Red Lady 36-4H
12320: Tracker, pooling the Werre Trust 29-1H
12321: BEXP, pooling Jackson 35-34
12322: BEXP, pooling State 36-1 1H
11921, cont'd: Slawson, pooling Bazooka 1-20H
11922, cont'd: Slawson, pooling Zephyr 1-36H
11928, cont'd: Slawon, pooling Wombat 1-25H
12323: Anschutz, pooling Emerson 1-24-25H-143-96
12324: XTO, pooling Carol Federal 24X-6
12325: Samson, pooling Ness 29-32-163-98H
12326: Samson, pooling the Almost Farms 01-12-162-99H
12327: EOG, pooling all interests in Kittleson Slough-Bakken Pool
12328: EOG, pooling interests in Clearwater 14-31H
12329: CLR, pooling all interests in an unnamed Bakken Pool, 5-8-159-96
12330: CLR, pooling all interests in Lee 1-20H
12023: CLR, pooling for all interests in Sadler-Bakken Pool
12237: CLR, pooling all interests in Dvirnak 14-6H
12331: Fidelity, pooling all interests in Harstad 44-9H
12332: Baytex, pooling all interests for the Haugenoe 15-162-99H
12333: Baytex, pooling for all interests for the Sorenson 14-162-99H
12334: Baytex, pooling, Larson 3-162-99H
12335: Baytex, pooling, Egge 22-161-98H
12336, Baytex, pooling Olson 5-161-98H
12337: Baytex, pooling, Lindsey 4-161-98H
12338: Baytex, pooling, Hall 3-161-98H
12145, cont'd: Zenergy, pooling, Dakota-3 Pennington 16-15H
12339: BEXP, two additional increase density wells on a1280-acre unit in Stony Creek-Bakken Pool
12340: BEXP, two additional increase density wells on a1280-acre unit in Painted Woods-Bakken Pool
12341: XTO,  two additional increase density wells on a1280-acre unit in Alkali Creek-Bakken Pool
12342: XTO,  two additional increase density wells on a1280-acre unit in Capa-Bakken Pool
12343: XTO,  two additional increase density wells on a1280-acre unit in Grinnel-Bakken Pool
12344: XTO,  two additional increase density wells on a1280-acre unit in Hofflund-Bakken Pool
12345: XTO, two additional increase density wells on a1280-acre unit in Bear Den-Bakken Pool
12346: XTO,  two additional increase density wells on a1280-acre unit in Lost Bridge-Bakken Pool
12347: Newfield,  one additional increase density well on each 640-acre unit in Lost Bridge-Bakken Pool
12348: EOG,  one additional increase density well on each 1280-acre unit in Lost Bridge-Bakken Pool
12349: RM Resources, Masters Enterprises 1 --> salt water disposal
12350: Newfield, re: Wisness Federal 1-4H

FAQs 20 - 25

I have added six new questions and answers to my FAQs page.  Here they are:

20. How many active oil wells are there in North Dakota?

For me, this question is irrelevant, but I see it is often asked, so, without attributing the source, or confirming the accuracy, I will answer that my understanding is that there are in excess of 4,000 active wells in North Dakota. How many permits  are being granted on an annual basis in North Dakota (and how many wells were drilled from these permits)? In 2006: 422 (195); in 2007: 493 (336); in 2008: 916 (645);, and, in 2009 626 (168). Obviously the numbers inside the parentheses (wells drilled) will increase over time (as the wells are drilled). The number of permits for past years obviously can't change. Posted Feb 3, 2010.

21. How soon does a company stimulate a well after completion of drilling?

This varies. Buried deep in this site one learns that EOG spudded a well on January 19, 2009, but did not plan to fracture stimulate it until July, 2009. I assume that most wells are fractured within a month of when drilling is completed but I do not know. I will watch for more examples.

22. What is meant by a "top lease"?

I have no idea, but "Teegue's clarification" deep in that thread is enlightening.

23. Is there a "basic analysis of the current Bakken boom"?

Yup: right here. I couldn't find a date on this document but it looks current. I downloaded it February 13, 2010, and the document itself suggests that it was published in 2010.

24. What is the difference between "boepd" and "bopd"?

Barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) includes natural gas.  "Bopd" is only the oil.  Generally speaking, one can divide the number of cubic feet of natural gas by 6,001 to get the equivalent of oil. Note that there are different grades of oil: sweet oil is most expensive. North Dakota oil is sweet oil. Likewise, natural gas has different amounts of energy and much more difficult for me to understand. Natural gas quality is defined in British thermal units (BTU).

25. Can you talk about the confusion between the Bakken formation and the Three Forks Sanish formation as it relates to the "Bakken pool"? Definition of "Bakken pool": See this posting.

West Ambrose - Ambrose - Blooming Prairie Fields Update

NEWS

May 19, 2012: Samson Resources a nice Three Forks well in Ambrose field. 

PERMITS

January 2, 2012: Abbreviated update (ND = no data; my database has no data here; I assume most of these are confidential)

2015 (list not complete)
32237,
32236,
32204,
32203,
32202,
31952,
31951,
31716,
31652,
31651,
31550,
31513,
31469,
31407,
31367,
31366,
31324,
31321,
31320,
31244,
31243,
31103,
31102
31101,
31075,
31974,
31073,
30786,
30623,
30622,
30568,
30567,
30475,
30437,
30436,
30435,
30434,
30418,
30409,
30408,
30407,
30406,
30405,
30393,
30389,
30388,
30387,
30383,
30382,
30381,
30380,


I need to update permits from 2011 to 2014, inclusive, some day.


2011 Permits

• 20018, ND, Samson Res
• 20285, 32, Baytex, Three Forks, 16 stages; 1.4 million lbs sand;
• 20340, ND, Samson  Res
• 20341, ND, Samson Res
• 20474, ND, Samson Res
• 20525, ND, SM
• 20569, 68, Baytex, Three Forks,  completion data not found
• 20608, ND, SM
• 20646, ND, Samson Res
• 20801, ND, Samson Res
• 20802, ND, Samson Res
• 20837, 725, Samson Resources, Thomte 8-5-163-99H, Ambrose; t1/12; cum 67K 3/12;
• 20958, ND, SM
• 21352, ND, Samson Res
• 21353, ND, Samson Res
• 21363, ND, Samson Res
• 21850, DRL, Baytex, Three Forks;
• 20020, ND, Baytex (permit # incorrect; I need to correct this one)
• 20869, ND, Samson Res
• 20870, ND, Samson Res
• 21107, ND, Samson Res
• 21108, ND, Samson Res
• 20486, ND, SM
• 20492, ND, SM
• 21147, ND, Baytex
• 21256, ND, Baytex
• 21571, ND, Baytex
• 21579, ND, Samson Res
• 21996, ND, Samson Res
  

2010 Permits

• 18659, 28, Baytex; Three Forks; cased hole, 2 million lbs
• 18728, 32, Baytex; Three Forks; did not see completion data
• 18854, 76, Baytex; Three Forks; open hole, 400K lbs
• 18900, 32, Baytex; Three Forks; 16 stages. 1.5 million lbs
• 18978, 75, Baytex
• 18982, 27, Baytex
• 19162, 37, Baytex
• 19266, 38, Baytex
• 19461, 28, Baytex
• 19489, 21, Baytex
• 19633, 53, Baytex
• 19644, PNC, Baytex
• 19653, 95, Baytex
• 19754, conf, Baytex
• 18895, 632, Samson Res
• 20231, 758, Samson Res
• 20232, 304, Samson Res
• 19149, 279, Samson Res
• 19334, 145, Samson Res
• 19335, 585, Samson Res
• 19524, DRL, Samson Res
• 19595, 234, Samson Res
• 19596, 219, Samson Res
• 19965, 642, Samson Res
• 18757, 235, SM
• 20179, DRL, SM
  
• 18663, 627, SM
• 19151, 245, SM
• 19564, 305, SM
• 19575, 574, SM
• 19671, 523, SM
• 20216, DRL, SM
• 18874, 263, SM

November 18, 2010:  NDIC dockets, Case 13574: SM, amend, West Ambrose to field include 8 additional sections and create three 1,280-acre spacing units.

April 30, 2010: Baytex, Haugenoe 15-162-99H, new permit 30 Apr 10

April 26, 2010: now there are ten (10) wells on the confidential list (not including the two with rigs on site. Up from eight (8) when originally posted.

April 26, 2010: Two rigs on site 

18728, Baytex, Hansen 13-162-99H
18757, St Mary Land, Enerson 4-29H, new permit 26 Feb 10

March 27, 2010: Two rigs on site (moved off site before April 26, 2010)

18429, Samson, Ness 29-32-163-98H
18659, Baytex, Myers 2-162-99H

West Ambrose - Ambrose - Blooming Prairie Fields

These three oil fields are all contiguous fields, north of Williston. They are all small fields; the three sections total about 78 sections.  The West Ambrose is only five sections, and Blooming Prairie is only 23 sections. That leaves Ambrose with about 50 sections.

Recently there has been a bit of new activity, and currently there are 8 wells in these three fields on the confidential list. There are about 14 producing wells, many of them with permits that suggest they were drilled several years ago. Of these, there appears to be one well of consequence, a CLR well with an IP of around 900 bopd, which targeted the Three Forks Sanish. The other few wells that I have data for had very low IPs. Two companies, Samson and Baytex, appear to have most of the permits (with the exception of the aforementioned CLR well).

The town of Ambrose sits at the north end of the Ambrose field, and Crosby sits just to the east of the Blooming Prairie field. The population of these two towns, according to Wikipedia, were 23, and 1,089 hardy souls, respectively, in the 2000 census. (There is a Crosby field that sits northeast of the town of Crosby, and is not contiguous to these three fields.)

New Data Points since original update first posted:

18757, St Mary Land, Enerson 4-29H, new permit 26 Feb 10
18854, Baytex, Sorenson 14-162N-99H
18874, St Mary Land, Bulbranson 4-26H, new permit 30 Mar 10
18895, Samson, Almos Farms 1-12-162-99HOR, new permit 8 Apr 10
18900, Baytex, Sinclair 24-162-99H, new permit 9 Apr 10
18982, Baytex, Larson 3-162N-99H, new permit 3 May 10


New since original posting:
SM has a series of wells running east - west from Ambrose to West Ambrose oil fields

• 18663, almost complete, long lateral
• 18757, almost complete, long lateral
• 18328, producing, long lateral
• 18285, producing, long lateral
• 19671
• 90140, rig on site (note file number)
• 18874
• 19151
• 19575
• 19564, DRL, SM, Wolter 13-21H, West Ambrose, Bakken (as of 3/28/11)

Note: file number 90140 probably isn't too far from --

• November 6, 2009: More evidence that the oil/gas industry continues to expand: Denver company to expand gas plant; sees continued development of the Williston Basin. This regards a facility in Divide County, the Ambrose Gas Plant southwest of Ambrose.

Updated: November 28, 2010

Five "Hot" Areas in "The Bakken"

I posted the following a few weeks ago, but it was buried in a very long post, so I am bringing this forward:

Five areas of significant drilling activity or results: a) Parshall-Sanish oil fields north of the reservation; b) the Van Hook / Big Bend areas inside the reservation, especially Slawson; c) the area immediately around Williston, especially to the west, to include eastern Montana; d) the Highway 50 Corridor: on either side of Highway 50 southeast of Kenmare, and north of Parshall, the Clearwater oil field, especially EOG; and e) Ambrose, a ways north of Williston. [Update: Slawson hit a great well in Van Hook: IP of 1,208 bopd and 42,000 bbls in first 59 days -- Fox 1-28H. Also, EOG announced a great Van Hook well, the Van Hook 100-15H, with a 1,390 bopd, and this targeted the Three Forks Sanish. February 9, 2010.]

Since posting that, I might move the Ambrose field off the list and replace it with the Elm Tree. No new permits for the Elm Tree have been granted so far this year (2010) but CLR has just reported three wells, each with IPs over 1,000 bodp and one approaching 2,000 bopd, and that may change things.

I also might drop the area around Williston off the list for the time-being. It remains my sentimental favorite (my hometown) but it has had some spectacular BEXP wells, and EOG has since moved into the area.

See sidebar to the right if you are interested in more information on some of these fields.

94

Number of active rigs in the Williston Basin: 94. Up one more from yesterday.

The all-time high during the current boom (since 2006) was 95, back in 2008.

Most folks think there will be 100 active rigs in North Dakota by mid-2010.