Thursday, January 20, 2011

WLL Targeting Two Pools With One Well in SW Part of North Dakota, USA

Updates

Based on the file report, Whiting requested, in March, 2011, to temporarily abandon this well.

There must be a typo on the date on this one. The "snapshot" of the NDIC file shows the status of the well as of 9/16/11 (this is being posted 6/19/11). The spud date was 7/20/10; I assume the status was 9/16/10:


NDIC File No: 18005     API No: 33-033-00294-00-00
Well Type: OG     Well Status: IA     Status Date: 7/20/2010     Wellbore type: Vertical
Location: SESE 35-143-105     Footages: 690 FSL 810 FEL     Latitude: 47.155296     Longitude: -103.943133
Current Operator: WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION
Current Well Name: JONES 44-35
Elevation(s): 2563 KB   2538 GR     Total Depth: 12290     Field: WILDCAT
Spud Date(s):  7/20/2010
Casing String(s): 9.625" 2035'   5.5" 12277'  
Completion Data
   Pool: RED RIVER     Status: DRY     Date: 9/16/2011
   Pool: THREE FORKS     Status: SI     Date: 3/3/2011
Cumulative Production Data
   Pool: THREE FORKS     Cum Oil: 0     Cum MCF Gas: 0     Cum Water: 0
Monthly Production Data
PoolDateDaysBBLS OilRunsBBLS WaterMCF ProdMCF SoldVent/Flare
THREE FORKS4-20110000000
THREE FORKS3-20110000000

This is not the first time I have seen a well listed as "SI" (shut in) immediately after it was drilled.  The file does reveal a single-stage frac stimulation. In March, 2011, he company requested permission to temporarily abandon this well.

Original Post

NDIC is reporting an interesting well:
  • 18005, DRL, WLL, Jones 44-35, Wildcat, Red River and Three Forks (not a Bakken); no "H" designation; southwest corner of state; about 16 miles NNE of Beach, ND; absolutely no activity in immediate area.
Note that it is targeting two pools: the Red River (one of the more prolific formations in the Williston Basin targeted in previous booms) and the Three Forks. I don't know if it will be a combination vertical and horizontal or two horizontals. Or if it will simply end up in one formation.

Whiting seems to be the most aggressive right now in "pushing the edge of the envelope" to see what might be at the margins of the Williston Basin, or the margins of the Bakken, in the southwest part of the state.

11 comments:

  1. All of the current Red River formation wells in Bowman and Slope county are drilled Horizonal. The older wells that were verticle have been recompleted as Horizonal wells. The thickness of this prolific formation is less than 20 ft in many spots.

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  2. Thank you. I was not aware of that. Vertical wells are not fracked. I wonder if you know if Red River horizontal wells are fracked. I would doubt because they were drilling horizontal wells in the last boom and I don't remember them talking fracking. But I wasn't following the oil industry that closely then.

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  3. In the SW of ND .God fracced the Formation with what we call the cedar creek anticline.. Starts about 15 miles south of Glendive MT ( runs in a SE direction and end near Buffalo SD.

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  4. Thanks. Again, I don't know the geology like you do, but I learn more and more every day.

    I wonder if the EPA will subpoena "GOD" when they read this comment, wondering what that company used for hydraulic fracking. I couldn't find that ticker symbol anywhere.

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  5. Do you know when they might report production status for JONES 44-35?

    I have interest in T141N R105W, sections 13 and 24. I see that case no. 13791 from Dec dockets put in an application for an order to establish 8 1280 drilling units. Not sure what that actual means, but it sounds promising. Any info you know would be appreciated.

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  6. 1. The data from the linked site said they were drilling in July, and then approved to "recomplete" in November. Usually when I see these reports come out with a DRL designation, we should see results any time now. Whether "re-completing" re-sets the six-month confidential clock, I don't know. But I suspect sooner than later. The problem is, once the original file is posted, we won't necessarily see a new one. If you haven't heard anything in a month or so, ask the folks over on the Bakken Shale Discussion Group to see if anyone knows anything.

    2. When an oil field has been designated, the NDIC establishes rules including the spacing units. In this area, there is no designated field. A field won't be designated until they find oil there. So, for the time being, WLL had to ask NDIC for 1280-acre spacing in that area, so they could start putting in wells and know how to determine who owned mineral rights.

    If the Jones is significantly productive, the next step will be for WLL to ask NDIC to establish an oil field in that area, and at that time establish rules which will include spacing.

    As a rule of thumb, when this boom began, 640-acre spacing was the norm. But some time ago, the NDIC "ruled" that 1280-acre spacing will now be the norm in the Bakken. Spacing units larger than 1280 acres require NDIC permission, as far as I know.

    Yes, this is great news, but it will be even greater news if WLL is successful. Case number 13791 said WLL wanted to drill a horizontal well into the Lodgepole formation.

    I don't think the Bakken extends this far. The Three Forks might, and the Lodgepole does.

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  7. Is there any new info on 18005 Jones 44-35...

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  8. You may have to ask the folks over at the Bakken Shale Discussion Group if anyone knows anything. I will keep an eye out for the Jones well on the daily activity reports.

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  9. I see that 18005 just went back on the confidential list. Is that a good thing? If it were dry wouldn't they just say so?

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  10. That is very, very interesting. I did not catch that but you are correct. It came off the confidential list on January 20, 2011. My understanding is this: when it came off the confidential list it had reached the Red River formation, at a total depth 12,000 feet (rounding). The producer then requested confidentiality to test the Lower Lodgepole and the Three Forks formation. Once they have completed those tests, they will release it from confidentiality. I don't know when the clock started on this "second" time on the confidentiality list.

    Wouldn't it be interesting if Whiting hit three payzones with one well? Again, I have been very impressed with Whiting pushing the edge of the envelope.

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  11. March 7, 2011: Whiting requests that they be allowed to temporarily abandon this well, effectively April 1, 2011. Something tells me we have not heard the last of this well, but it may be awhile before there is any good news.

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