Top Ten: Producers -- 2010 -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA

Top ten producers in the Bakken, North Dakota, 2010. For full list and source, click here.

Producer: barrels of oil in 1000s; barrels of water in 1000s; number of wells; average production/well

• 1. EOG: 17,132; 4,896; 259; 66,146
• 2. WLL: 13,706; 10,291; 341; 30,278
• 3. CLR: 12,148; 11,156; 415; 29,272
• 4. BR: 9,420; 23,419; 221; 42,624 (see note at bottom of page to help explain production)
• 5. Hess: 6,970; 16,878; 445; 15,663
• 6. Marathon: 5,389; 1,586; 175; 30,794
• 7. Slawson: 4,604; 1,320, 84; 54,810
• 8. BEXP: 3,317; 2,867; 58; 57,190
• 9. Encore: 3,274; 21,564; 297; 11,023
• 10. XTO: 2,166; 1,632; 152; 14,250

VERY IMPORTANT -- VERY IMPORTANT -- EXPLANATION FOR ENCORE "WATER PRODUCTION"

The majority of Encore's production was from wells drilled during the1970's and 1980's. Encore purchased old wells which were drilled into the Madison or other formations (not the Bakken). 

In addition, many (if not most) of those were being produced with enhanced recovery (EOR). In other words, these were water flooded units using vast volumes of water pushed through the formation to drive the oil out. 

So Encore's (now Denbury's) low oil production and high water production are distorting whatever results they've had over the past few years as they drilled into the Bakken formation.

Burlington Resources, as another longtime ND producer, may have their results also skewed by these same factors. 

The above information/explanation was provided by a reader.  This makes all kind of sense. DNR is perhaps the #1 operator in the oil patch for enhanced oil recovery (water-flooding and CO2 injection). It now makes more sense why DNR was interested in Encore.

A huge "thank you" to the reader who sent me this information.