Fracking Backlog -- As Usual, BEXP Reports Another Great Well -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA

Of the nine wells that came off the confidential list over the weekend as posted elsewhere, five were placed in DRL status, which generally means that they are waiting to be completed, or have recently (within the last 30 days of the most recent report) been completed. Five out of nine means greater than 50 percent of recently drilled Bakken wells are awaiting fracking. It was either WLL or CLR that said they would be "caught up" with fracking by November, meaning that they would have the "more normal" number of wells waiting to be fracked.

I think the fracking backlog will continue to be a problem for quite some time; the competition from the Utica, the Marcellus, the Niobrara, and the Eagle Ford cannot be underestimated.

A sixth well was shut in.

Of the three that did report, again BEXP reported a very nice well (fracked within the six months which BEXP tends to do):

• 20214, 2,004, BEXP, Field Trust 7-6 1H, Todd, Bakken 

In addition, EOG reported a nice well for the Clear Water field; it's IP not all that great, but production in the early months looks great:

• 19400, 527, EOG, Sidonia 37-2932H, Clear Water, Bakken (nice well; 42K in four months)

CLR has a Red River in DRL status:

• 19717, DRL, CLR, Wallman 42-9H, Medicine Pole Hills, West Red River (not a Bakken)

Prima reports a wildcat, in Burke County, far north of the core Bakken; this is the area of chicken scratch (when you see the GIS map, you will see why it is called this). The wells are not all that great in this area, but with $100 oil over time, Prima must feel they are economical:

• 20268, DRL, Prima, Fortification 31-25H, Wildcat, Bakken.

SM reports another well in the West Ambrose. Is it just me or does it seem that the West Ambrose and Ambrose fields are getting a bit interesting?

• 20179, DRL, SM, Riede 4-14H, West Ambrose, Bakken

It's too bad so many wells remain in DRL status.