Update on 36 Wells in DRL Status in the North Dakota Oil Patch -- A Gusher Among Them? -- Dakota-3's Mandaree 30-31H -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA

From the NDIC website:

Of the 74 wells that have come off the confidential list so far this quarter (3Q11), 36 are in "DRL" status.

This means that they are waiting to be completed. In most cases, that means waiting to be fracked. Operators are allowed to keep wells on DRL status for 30 days after the wells have been completed.

Since my last update, similar subject, the following were reported in DRL status when they came off the confidential list, and have now reported IPs:

• 20026, 1,355, Zenergy, Nordeng 24-13H, Banks, Bakken
• 19403, 701, CLR, Vachal 1-27H, Alkali Creek, Bakken
• 20011, 949, Petro-Hunt, Sovig 150-100-22C-15-1H, Arnegard, Bakken
• 17979, 706, Zavanna, Lynx 1-27H, Stony Creek, Bakken 

What about some of the others?

Because they have come off the confidential list, some have provided production data. Again, these have probably been fracked (but not necessarily) and are still within the 30-day window.

• 19671, DRL, SM, Lampert 13-24H, West Ambrose, Bakken, 30K in first three months; this should be a nice well
• 19773, DRL, Petro-Hunt, Producer's Corporation 159-94-17C-8-2H, North Tioga, Bakken, cumulative, 8,000 bbls in first 23 days
• 19885, DRL, Hess, Tattu 19-1H, Elk, Bakken, 30K in about two months; this should be a good well
• 20224, DRL, Hess, Klose 24-1H, Glass Bluff, Bakken, 26K in first two months, including 14K in 29 days in May, 2011; this should be a great well
• 19345, DRL, Hess, AN-Brenna-153-94-3130H-1, Antelope, Bakken; 17K in 18 days in June, 2011; this should be a great well
• 19510, DRL, Hess, Helland 15-19H, Ray, Bakken; 13K in 9 days in June, 2011; a great well

But is this the big one? Is this a gusher? Is this going to be a great well?

• 19603, DRL, Dakota-3, Dakota-3 Mandaree 30-31H, Reunion Bay, Bakken. This is a WMB company. Remember them? Bought 7 percent of the mineral rights in the reservation. The operator reported .... drum roll ... 25,672 bbls of oil in 24 days in May, 2011.

By the way, for newbies, none of these wells are particularly exceptional for Bakken wells. In addition, they will have a significant decline rate. But if you want to see how "big" these wells are, listen to the 2Q11 WLL conference call to get an overview of the Bakken by extrapolating that company's results.