Nine (9) New Permits in North Dakota, USA

Producers: Whiting (3), EOG (3), XTO (2), and SM.

Fields: Bicentennial, Parshall, Clear Water, Baker, Mondak, Ash Coulee, and two wildcats.

The Whiting wildcat is in a very desolate area: it appears that there is no activity in this area, about 9 miles southwest of Watford City, about a mile west of US Highway 85 at 8.5 miles south of  Watford City.  The other two Whiting permits are in the southwest part of the state, again targeting the Three Forks formation, I would assume (Bicentennial and Ash Coulee fields).

The XTO wildcat is also out in the middle of nowhere, toward the southwest part of the state, but not quite as far south as the Whiting play. 

When I see these permits in areas of "little activity," it tells me two things: a) producers are eager to see what they might have in other areas; and, b) it's a preview of the future, as these "new" areas start to fill in.

EOG is "attacking" the Clear Water field, which has been relatively quiet. EOG was issued two more permits in Clear Water; their third new permit was in Parshall, its cash cow.

SM's new permit already shows up on the confidential list and is directly south of Williston, about two miles south of the river.  Again, very little activity.

In addition to the wells that came off the confidential list and which I reported elsewhere earlier today, there was another well that was reported on today's daily activity report:
19082, 697, Brehm 12-27H, a long lateral in the Sanish oil field.