How Exciting Is the Bakken? How About This: Ten (10) Wells on One Pad? -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA

They just went on the confidential list today:

• 21551 QEP ENERGY COMPANY MHA 3-31-25H-150-92 SESE 31-T150N-R91W
• 21552 QEP ENERGY COMPANY MHA 2-31-25H-150-92 SESE 31-T150N-R91W  
• 21553 QEP ENERGY COMPANY MHA 4-31-25H-150-92 SESE 31-T150N-R91W  
• 21554 QEP ENERGY COMPANY MHA 1-31-30H-150-91 SESE 31-T150N-R91W  
• 21556 QEP ENERGY COMPANY MHA 3-31-30H-150-91 SESE 31-T150N-R91W  
• 21557 QEP ENERGY COMPANY MHA 1-31-36H-150-92 SESE 31-T150N-R91W
• 21558 QEP ENERGY COMPANY MHA 3-31-36H-150-92 SESE 31-T150N-R91W
• 21559 QEP ENERGY COMPANY MHA 5-31-25H-150-92 SESE 31-T150N-R91W
• 21560 QEP ENERGY COMPANY MHA 7-31-25H-150-92 SESE 31-T150N-R91W
• 21561 QEP ENERGY COMPANY MHA 1-31-25H-150-92 SESE 31-T150N-R91W

When I started blogging about the Bakken three years go, the general consensus was "we" would see one Bakken well on each section.

Then it was noted that the fracking was effective only about 500 feet from the well bore, meaning that at least 5 wells could be placed in one section targeting one formation.

Earlier this month, I noted that Denbury Onshore would be requesting permission to drill up to seven wells on 640-acre spacing units and 1280-acre spacing units.

And now today, "anonymous" alerted me to this: ten wells in one section, although the horizontals will play out in adjoining sections.

They are all located in the SESE corner of section 31, so I assume they are on one pad, or very nearly all together. I would assume that the horizontals will go into adjoining sections, so "we" aren't going to see 10 horizontals in one section. The names of the wells suggest horizontals going adjoining townships (150-91 and 150-92).

The location is in Heart Butte oil field very near the water.  Here is what I wrote earlier about the Heart Butte field:

• February 9, 2011: With more permits in the Heart Butte field, this is a good time to remind folks that the Arrow pipeline is in the Heart Butte field.
• February 5, 2011: The Heart Butte field is getting a bit more active, perhaps after the report of the two nice Questar wells each reported IPs of 1,300 bbls. Two more Heart Butte permits were granted on February 4, 2011 -- these to XTO, now owned by XOM.
• August 1, 2010: Spotted Hawk Development bringing excitement to the Van Hook.
• April 18, 2010: Arrow Midstream has signed an agreement to provide pipeline support for XTO in the Heart Butte oil field.
• April 18, 2010: Questar has a pair of snake eyes in the north, #18665 and #18666, MHA 1-06-01H-149-92 and MHA 2-06-01H-149-92, respectively. #18665 reports an IP of 1,271 barrels with a cumulative of 63K barrels in the first five months. Meanwhile, #18666 reports an IP of 1,309 barrels with a cumulative of 31K barrels in the first three months.  

You can see the new permits on today's daily activity report.