Not a Good Report: Of the Four Wells That Came Off Confidential List Today, Three Were Not Completed -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA

The number of active drilling rigs in North Dakota is still at 194, down from a record 201 not too long ago.

There is not enough drilling in Montana to account for that difference, especially when just weeks ago, NDIC suggested that 225 was in sight.

I assume it is just an anomaly, "one of those things," but one has to wonder.

Today, four wells came off the confidential list, and three of them were placed on DRL status, meaning that they were not completed with the six-month time frame. Again, until I see a change (up) in the number of active drilling rigs, I can't help thinking about the huge backlog of wells waiting to be fracked.

Here are the wells that came off the confidential list today (the list is linked at the sidebar on the right, near the top):

• 19376, DRL, XTO ENERGY INC. DAKOTA 42X-36 SENE 36-T149N-R96W 9/21/2011
• 19501, DRL, HUNT OIL COMPANY CLEARWATER 1-24-25H 1 NWNW 24-T157N-R90W 9/21/2011
• 19986, 172, CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC. UXBRIDGE 2-9H SWSW 9-T160N-R95W 9/21/2011
•  20287, DRL, MARATHON OIL COMPANY JOHNSON 44-32H SESE 32-T151N-R93W 9/21/2011