Petro Harvester LLC Enters The Bakken -- North Dakota, USA -- CEO, Founder/Former CEO of Denbury

Petro Harvester was listed in today's NDIC daily activity report assuming Sagebrush wells in Renville County, North Dakota. It is my impression that the wells are all Madison wells.

Petro Harvester LLC was launched in October, 2010.

HOUSTON - October 13, 2010 - TPG Capital ("TPG"), a leading global private investment firm, said today it has formed a new venture, Petro Harvester Oil & Gas, LLC, to invest in oil and gas producing properties in North America. TPG expects the company will acquire substantial exploration and production ("E&P") assets over the next several years. Petro Harvester Oil & Gas ("Harvester") will initially focus on conventional E&P assets where it believes there are opportunities to drive increased production through operational focus.

In February, 2011, Petro Harvester LLC acquired Sagebrush assets in Renville County, North Dakota. Renville County is west of Bottineau County (think Spearfish formation) and north of Williams and Mountrail Counties; it borders the Canadian border.

HOUSTON - February 14, 2011 - Petro Harvester Oil & Gas, LLC, an exploration and production company formed by TPG Capital to acquire mature oil and gas producing assets, today announced that it has acquired long-life oil properties located in the Williston Basin of North Dakota from a private seller. The acquisition includes 170 wells in 24 producing fields and approximately 35,000 gross acres. Petro Harvester also announced it will open an office in Denver, Colorado.

Here are a few data points about Petro Harvester LLC:

• The CEO: Gareth Roberts, the former co-chairman and CEO of Denbury Resources, the firm he founded in 1990. Mr. Roberts has more than 30 years of experience in the exploration and development of oil and natural gas properties with Texaco, Inc., Murphy Oil Corporation and Coho Resources, Inc.
• COO: Jim Sinclair. Mr Sinclair served as Vice President of Exploration and Geosciences at Denbury Resources.
• Their operations are located in two regions: along the Gulf Coast (where they have most of their experience) and Williston Basin.

This is from their website regarding their operations in Williston Basin:

In January 2011, Petro Harvester acquired a package of producing properties in the Williston Basin. The assets include production and acreage in over 20 fields with most of the current value in four concentrated areas where we have high working interests and operational controls. The acquisition includes interest in 145 wells that produce from depths of 3,000 feet to 6,000 feet. Current production is approximately 2,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Identified opportunities include infill drilling, new water flood and enhancement of existing floods, and multilateral drilling. Additional upside potential includes deeper tests, enhanced fracturing techniques, and field extension through 3-D seismic.

The Sagebrush acquisition appears to be all Madison wells in Renville County.

Credo Petroleum Ups Its Working Interest in Bakken Wells -- North Dakota, USA

From its press release:

The Company has recently added five new horizontal Bakken wells to its growing list of Bakken producers on the Fort Berthold Reservation, bringing the total to eight wells.

• While Credo's working interests in the new wells are small, ranging from 1% to 3%, its share of initial production from the four wells is about 140 BOEPD (barrels of oil equivalent per day). 
• Three of the five wells have been completed and had excellent initial production rates of over 1,500 boepd. 
• The fourth new producer, the Enerplus Ethan Hall, reported an initial production rate of 3,732 boepd.
• This marks the highest initial rate of any Credo Bakken well drilled to date and ranks among the highest rates among all Bakken wells. In addition to the four new producers, one new well is in its final stages of completion for production.

Working interest will increase

Credo's 2011 North Dakota Bakken drilling schedule includes six wells where its interest will range from 12% to 20%.

These wells will be drilled in the same area as the Company's small working interest Bakken producers and are expected to achieve similar results. They will be operated by large independents and a major oil company.

[The major oil company in this part of the Bakken is XOM -- when it acquired XTO. KOG also calls XOM it's partner. Maybe the Bakken oil companies need a Facebook account to keep track of all their "friends." Smile.]

Investors Only: WMB Announces Significant Dividend Increase; CVX, XOM Raise Dividend

Williams Cos raises quarterly dividend 60% to $0.20 per share: This 60 percent increase in the quarterly dividend is consistent with the plan the company described on February 16, 2011, to increase shareholder value.

Williams is targeting an additional 10 percent to 15 percent increase for the quarterly dividends it will pay beginning in June 2012.

Along this same line, because of an "embarrassment" of riches when the major oil companies report their quarterly earnings starting tomorrow, there has been talk that the majors will want to return to shareholders as quickly as possible some of those profits in terms of increased dividends and/or stock re-purchases. We'll see.

FYI.

UPDATES

Update: 4:26 p.m., April 27, 2011:  3:36PM Chevron announces 8.3% increase in quarterly dividend to $0.78/share (CVX)

Update, 2:32 p.m., April 27, 2011: 1:43PM Exxon Mobil increased its qtrly dividend to $0.47/share from $0.44/share (XOM)

$150 Million State Project To Provide Water for Municipalities, Fracking Approved -- Williston Oil Basin, North Dakota, USA

This was a fairly "hot" issue pitting developers of a $150 million "state" project against independent water suppliers.

As far as I can tell, there were two issues for legislators to consider:

• The cost and how to pay for it, if passed
• Water management: whether it was needed (whether there was a problem that needed fixing)

The bill was overwhelmingly supported by the legislature and will be signed by the governor.

Data points:

• $150 million project
• Financed by a "patchwork" of state government loans (3 loans, including one from Bank of North Dakota)
• Project to be overseen by a 11-member state board
• If the project fails/defaults, the project will be taken over by the state Water Commission and will be responsible for paying back the loan

Water will be piped from the Missouri River near Williston, North Dakota

The project will expand the Williston water treatment plan to handle 21 million gallons per day, up from the current capacity of 10 million gallons. The pipeline will extend to Grenora to the northwest, Ray to the northeast and Alexander and Watford City to the south.

Smaller lines will bring water to individual properties that don't currently have access to river water, said, David Johnson, the project's chief engineer. Those pipes should be carrying water by the end of 2012, he said.

FYI.

Grail Oil Field -- A Three Forks Well: 129,000 Bbls In Less Than 6 Months

News

December 14, 2018: thoughts on the "Helis Grail."

December 14, 2018: the "Helis Grail" -- a case study.


November 7, 2018: announced -- QEP will exit the Bakken; Vantage Energy Acquisition Corporation.

July 30, 2018: comment -- my 2 cents worth -- I know the bankers, financial advisors, etc. -- those making money off fees/transactions -- disagree with me, but the biggest mistake the mineral owners in Grail oil field made several years ago was failing to vote in favor of unitizing the field. It was common sense but advisors had personal interests in recommending not unitizing the field; and mineral owners who voted against the proposal were simply either ignorant, or did not trust QEP. Opinion only and I'm probably in the minority. 

July 30, 2018: evidence that QEP is beginning major re-frack program in the Bakken; many wells fracked in Grail (and Deep Water Creek Bay) in late 2017 and early 2018; production updated below for early Grail wells; and re-fracks noted; many wells coming off-line suggesting re-fracks coming; 

November 30, 2014: some huge Grail wells are being reported.

October 23, 2014: the Grail wells have been updated.

March 24, 2014: since my last update, I noted QEP canceled seven permits in the Grail oil field. Graphic at link.

March 3, 2014: QEP withdraws proposal to unitize the Grail oil field. Scroll to bottom of this post to see level of activity in the Grail oil field at time the proposal was withdrawn.

March 1, 2014: Fargo attorney representing a mineral owner out of Bismarck trying to thwart QEP's plans to unitize the Grail; on the dockets next week. 

October 12, 2013: QEP to request unitization of the Grail-Bakken oil field. 

Permits

Issued in 2016
32554, PNC, QEP, Moberg 2-18T2HD, Grail,
32553, PNC, QEP, Moberg 1-18T3HD, Grail,
32552, PNC, QEP, Moberg 5-18BHD, Grail,
32551, PNC, QEP, Moberg 1-18T2HD, Grail,

Issued in 2015 (list is complete)
32345, 618, QEP, KDM 3-7-6T3HD, Grail, t10/16; cum 171K 5/20;
32344, 2,251, QEP, KDM 3-7-3T2HD, Grail, t10/16; cum 206K 5/20;
32191, PNC, QEP,
32190, PNC, QEP,
32189, PNC, QEP,
32188, PNC, QEP,
32108, PNC, QEP,
32107, 1,541, QEP, KDM 1-7-6T2HD, Grail, t10/16; cum 237K 5/20;
32106, PNC, QEP,
32105, 1,763, QEP, KDM 5-7-6BHD, Grail, t10/16; cum 233K 5/20;
32104, PNC, QEP,
32103, PNC, QEP,
32102, PNC, QEP,
32101, PNC, QEP,
32087, 2,133, QEP, KDM 6-7-2BHD, Grail, t9/16; cum 200K 5/20;
32086, 2,153, QEP, KDM 4-7-6T2HD, Grail, t9/16; cum 214K 5/20;
32085, 1,459, QEP, KDM 7-7-6BHD, Grail, t9/16; cum 232K 5/20;
32084, PNC, QEP,
32083, 772, QEP, KDM 2-7-6T3HD, Grail, t9/16; cum 182K 5/20;
32082, PNC, QEP,
32081, PNC, QEP,
32080, 1,213, QEP, KDM 5-7-6TDH, Grail, t916; cum 168K 5/20;
32057, loc, QEP,
32056, loc, QEP,
32055, PNC, QEP,
32054, loc, QEP,
31918, loc, QEP,
31917, loc, QEP,
31916, loc, QEP,
31915, loc, QEP,
31914, loc, QEP,
31913, loc, QEP,
31912, loc, QEP,
31829, 1,470, QEP, TAT4-33-28T2HDR, Grail, 12/16; cum 130K 5/20;
31696, drl-->conf-->1,042, QEP,Ernie3-10-2-11BHD, Grail, t4/16; cum 237K 5/20;
31695, drl-->conf, QEP,
31694, drl-->conf, QEP,
31693, drl-->conf, QEP,
31692, drl-->conf, QEP,
31691, drl-->conf, QEP,
31577, 1,800, QEP, TAT 7-33-28BHD, Grail, t12/16; cum 282K 5/2;
31576, loc, QEP,
31575, loc, QEP,
31574, loc, QEP,
31008, 2,725, QEP, Henderson 1-12-2-11T2H, Grail, t11/15; cum 199K 5/20;
31007, conf, QEP, producing as of 11/15;
31006, conf, QEP, producing as of 11/15;
31005, conf, QEP, producing as of 11/15;
30608, conf, QEP, Boggs 2-29-32T2HD, producing as of 10/15;
30607, conf, QEP, Boggs 8-29-32BHD, producing as of 10/15;
30606, 1,090, QEP, Boggs 6-29-32THD, Grail, t10/15; cum 320K 5/20;
30605, PNC, QEP, Boggs 5-29-32THD, 

Issued in 2014 (the list is complete)

• 29831, 1,824, QEP, Thompson 1-29-32T2HD, t4/14; cum 300K 5/20;
• 29830, 807, QEP, Thompson 5-29-32BHD, t4/15; cum 101K 12/15;
• 29829, 1,358, QEP, Thompson 6-29-32BHD, t4/15; cum 130K 12/15;
• 29828, 1,657, QEP, Thompson 4-29-32THD, t4/15; cum 125K 12/15;
• 29827, c2,191, QEP, Thompson 7-29-32BHD, t4/15; cum 153K 9/15;
• 29786, 1,599, QEP, P. Levang 2-14-23TH, t8/15; cum 58K 9/15;
• 29749, 2,159, QEP, P. Levang 1-14TH, t5/15; cum 89K 9/15;
• 29520, 2,406, QEP, P. Levang 3-14-23BH, t8/15; cum 60K 9/15;
• 29519, 2,396, QEP, P. Levang 4-14-23BH, t8/15; cum 46K 9/15;
• 29394, 2,199, QEP, TAT 5-35-26TH, t7/15; cum 43K 9/15;
• 29393, 2,240, QEP, TAT 5-35-26BH, t7/15; cum 61K 9/15;
• 29360, 2,520, QEP, Jones 1-15-22BH, t8/15; cum 28K 9/15;
• 29359, 2,080, QEP, Jones 2-15-22BH, t8/15; cum 20K 9/15;
• 29358, 722, QEP, Jones 1-15-23TH, t9/15; cum 7K 9/15;
• 29357, 1,013, QEP, Jones 2-15-23TH, t9/15; cum 11K 9/15;
• 29329, 2,291, QEP, Jones 15-22-16-21LL, Grail, t9/15; cum 541K 5/20;
• 29328, drl, QEP, Jones 4-15-22BH, producing since 9/15
• 29327, drl, QEP, Jones 6-15-22TH, producing since 9/15
• 29326, drl, QEP, Jones 3-15-22BH, producing since 9/15
• 29325, drl, QEP, Jones 5-15-22TH, producing since 9/15
• 29324, drl, QEP, Jones 3-15-23TH, producing since 9/15
• 28689, 2,712, QEP, State 3-16-21TH, t3/15; cum 169K 9/15;
• 28688, 2,602, QEP, State 4-16-21BH, t3/15; cum 169K 9/15;
• 28667, 2,106, QEP, Johnson 8-5-9-4LL, t2/15 cum 169K 9/15;
• 28666, 2,341, QEP, Johnson 4-9-4BH, t2/15; cum 237K 9/15;
• 28665, 1,974, QEP, Johnson 3-9-4TH, t2/15; cum 177K 9/15;
• 28622, 2,545, QEP, Moberg 18-13LL, t8/14; cum 88K 12/14;
• 28490, 2,022, QEP, Severin 2-16-17BH, t9/14; cum 187K 9/15;
• 28489, 2,343, QEP, Severin 1-16-17BH, t9/14; cum 206K 9/15;
• 28488, 2,222, QEP, Severin 9-8-16-17LL, t9/14; cum 197K 9/15;
• 28265, 2,290, QEP, Kirkland 14-23-13-24LL, t10/14; cum 124K 9/15;
• 28261, 2,103, QEP, Linseth 16-21-15-22LL, t12/14; cum 141K 9/15;
• 28260, 2,424, QEP, Linseth 4-22-15BH, t12/14; cum 177K 9/15;
• 28259, 2,009, QEP, Linseth 3-22-15TFH, t12/14; cum 175K 9/15;
• 28258, 2,319, QEP, Linseth 3-22-15BH, t12/14; cum 163K 9/15;
• 28168, IA/649, QEP, State 3-16-21BH, Grail, t12/14; cum 7K 7/15;
• 28167, 2,761, QEP, State 2-16-21TH, Grail, t10/14; cum 270K 9/15;
• 28166, 2,204, QEP, State 2-16-21BH, Grail, t10/14; cum 204K 9/15;
• 28165, 1,444, QEP, State 1-16-21BH, Grail, t10/14; cum 96K 9/15;
• 28133, 2,341, QEP, Moberg 4-18BH, Grail, t8/14; cum 192K 12/15;
• 28132, 2,362, QEP, Moberg 3-18TH, Grail, t8/14; cum 161K 12/15;
• 28131, 1,546, QEP, Moberg 2-18BH, Grail, t8/14; cum 167K 12/15;
• 28130, 2,318, QEP, Moberg 1-18BH, Grail, t8/14; cum 233K 12/15;
• 28022, 2,566, QEP, Moberg 2-20-21TH, Grail, t11/14; cum 188K 9/15;
• 28021, 2,529, QEP, Moberg 3-20-21BH, Grail, t11/14; cum 198K 9/15;
• 28020, 2,325, QEP, Moberg 3-20-21TH, Grail, t11/14; cum 176K 9/15;
• 28019, 2,590, QEP, Moberg 4-20-21BH, Grail, t11/14; cum 225K 9/15;
• 28006, 2,188, QEP, Moberg 17-16-20-21LL, Grail, t7/14; cum 243K 12/15;
• 27993, 2,620, QEP, Moberg 1-20-21BH, Grail, t8/14; cum 267K 12/15;
• 27992, 2,320, QEP, Moberg 2-20-21BH, Grail, t8/14; cum 200K 12/15;
• 27816, 1,952, QEP, TAT 33-28-34-27LL, Grail, t8/14; cum 155K 12/15;
• 27792, 1,664, QEP, TAT 2-33-28-BH, Grail, t8/14; cum 191K 12/15;
• 27791, 2,096, QEP, TAT 1-33-28BH, Grail, t8/14; cum 188K 12/15;
• 27782, 2,045, QEP, TAT 1-35-26BH, Grail, t7/15; cum 57K 9/15;
• 27781, 2,055, QEP, TAT 1-35-26TH, Grail, t7/15; cum 45K 9/15;
• 27780, 2,244, QEP, TAT 2-35-26BH, Grail, t7/15; cum 51K 9/15;
• 27766, 1,205, QEP, Veeder 27-3426-35LL, Grail, t6/14; cum 98K 12/15;
• 27705, 2,163, QEP, Kirkland 22-15-23-14LL, Grail, t9/14; cum 147K 12/15;
• 27702, 1,562, QEP, Otis 28-29-33LL, Grail, t7/14; cum 233K 12/15;
• 27657, 2,539, QEP, Johnson 3-9-4BH, Grail, t2/15; cum 197K 9/15;
• 27649, 2,262, QEP, Moberg 2-17-16TH, Grail, t7/14; cum 237K 12/15;
• 27648, 2,543, QEP, Moberg 3-17-16BH, Grail, t7/14; cum 173K 12/15;
• 27647, 1,581, QEP, Moberg 4-17-16BH, Grail, t7/14; cum 457K 5/20;

Issued in 2013 (list is complete)

• 27146, 2,172, QEP, Kirkland 3-23-14BH, Grail, t9/14; cum 275K 5/20;
• 27145, 2,213, QEP, Kirkland 4-23-14BH, Grail, t9/14; cum 75K 12/14;
• 27144, 2,256, QEP, Kirkland 2-23-14TH, Grail, t9/14; cum 69K 12/14;
• 27143, 1,417, QEP, Moberg 1-22-15BH, Grail, t7/14; cum 84K 12/14;
• 27142, 723, QEP, Moberg 2-22-15BH, Grail, t7/14; cum 86K 12/14;
• 27141, 1,137, QEP, Moberg 2-22-15TH, Grail, t7/14; cum 93K 12/14;
• 26957, 1,599, QEP, Veeder 1-27-34BH, Grail, t6/14; cum 90K 12/14;
• 26850, 1,861, QEP, Otis 4-28-33BHR, Grail, t7/14 cum 164K 12/14;
• 26849, dry, QEP, Otis 4-28-33BH, Grail, casing failure;
• 26848, 1,530, QEP, Otis 3-28-33TH, Grail, t7/14; cum 136K 12/14;
• 26847, 1,855, QEP, Otis 3-28-33BH, Grail, t7/14; cum 153K 12/14;
• 26524, 2,561, QEP, TAT 2-33-28TH, t5/14; cum 72K 8/14;
• 26523, 2,767, QEP, TAT 3-33-28BH, t5/14; cum 73K 8/14;
• 26522, 2,709, QEP, TAT 3-33-28TH, t5/14; cum 66K 8/14;
• 26521, 2,661, QEP, TAT 4-33-28BH, t5/14; cum 79K 8/14;
• 26329, 3,180, QEP, Poncho 5-3-10BH, t4/14; cum 71K 8/14;
• 26319, 2,183, QEP, Pogo 28-33-27-34LL, t3/14; cum 91K 8/14;
• 26304, 2,599, QEP, Veeder 4-27-34BH, t5/14; cum 55K 8/14;
• 26303, 2,170, QEP, Veeder 3-27-34TH, t6/14; cum 44K 8/14;
• 26302, 1,146, QEP, Veeder 3-27-34BH, t6/14; cum 55K 8/14;
• 26301, 1,411, QEP, Veeder 2-27-34TH, t6/14; cum 47K 8/14;
• 26300, 1,441, QEP, Veeder 2-27-34BH, t6/14; cum 46K 8/14;
• 26235, 2,270, QEP, Moberg 3-18BH, t11/13; cum 129K 8/14;
• 26234, 2,524, QEP, Moberg 3-18TH, t11/13; cum 111K 8/14;
• 26227, 2,383, QEP, Kirkland 2-23-14BH, t10/14; cum 135K 9/15;
• 26226, 2,364, QEP, Kirkland 1-23-14BH, t10/14; cum 101K 9/15;
• 26140, 2,496, QEP, TAT 4-35-26BH, t4/14; cum 58K 8/14;
• 26139, 2,232, QEP, TAT 3-35-26BH, t4/14; cum 58K 8/14;
• 26138, 2,080, QEP, TAT 2-35-26TH, t4/14; cum 52K 8/14;
• 26060, 2,323, QEP, Zorro 27-34-26-35LL, ICO, t1/14; cum 113K 9/15;
• 25947, 2,482, QEP, Poncho 2-3-10TH, t4/14; cum 97K 9/15;
• 25946, 297 (no typo), QEP, Poncho 2-3-10BH, t4/14; cum 138K 9/15;
• 25945, 2,656, QEP, Poncho 1-3-19TH, t4/14; cum 101K 9/15;
• 25944, 2,346, QEP, Poncho 1-3-10BH, t4/14; cum 153K 9/15;
• 25871, 2,322, QEP, Pogo 1-28-33BH, t3/14; cum 185K 9/15;
• 25870, 2,369, QEP, Pogo 2-28-33BH, t3/14; cum 170K 9/15;
• 25869, 2,938, QEP, Pogo 2-28-33TH, t3/14; cum 200K 9/15;
• 25868, PNC, QEP, Pogo 2-28-33TH,
• 25861, 2,655, QEP, Zorro 3-35-26BH, t1/14; cum 157K 9/15;
• 25860, 2,716, QEP, Zorro 4-35-26BH, t1/14; cum 160K 9/15;
• 25756, PNC, QEP, Otis 29-32-28-33LL, Grail,
• 25755, PNC, QEP, Otis 4-33-28BH, Grail,
• 25754, PNC, QEP, Otis 3-33-28TH, Grail,
• 25618, PNC, QEP, Johnson 3-4-9BH, Grail,
• 25617, PNC, QEP, Johnson 3-4-9TH, Grail,
• 25616, PNC, QEP, Johnson 4-4-9BH, Grail,
• 25615, PNC, QEP, Johnson 5-8-9LL, Grail,
• 25569, 2,642, QEP, Johnson 2-6-7TH, Grail, t11/13; cum 188K 9/15;
• 25568, 2,130, QEP, Dodge 3-6-7BH, Grail, t11/13; cum 189K 9/15;
• 25567, 2,307, QEP, Dodge 4-6-7BH, Grail, t11/13; cum 202K 9/15;
• 25493, 1,310, QEP, Johnson 4-9-3-10LL, Grail, t6/14; cum 176K 9/15;
• 25492, 1,106, QEP, Johnson 1-4-9BH, Grail, t6/14; cum 203K 9/15;
• 25491, 1,615, QEP, Johnson 2-4-9BH, Grail, t6/14; cum 246K 9/15;
• 25490, 2,262, QEP, Johnson 2-4-9TH, Grail, t6/14; cum 204K 9/15;
• 25442, 1,581, QEP, Kummer 2-6-7BH, Grail, t10/13; cum 202K 9/15;
• 25441, 2,988, QEP, Kummer 1-6-7BH, Grail, t11/13; cum228K 9/15;
• 25440, 2,661, QEP, Kummer 6-7-5-8LL, Grail, t11/13; cum 172K 9/15;
• 25306, 2,460, QEP, Paul 1-26-35BH, Grail, t12/13; cum 179K 9/15;
• 25305, 2,243, QEP, Paul 2-26-35BH, Grail, t12/13; cum 168K 9/15;
• 25304, 2,257, QEP, Paul 2-26-35TH, Grail, t12/13; cum 147K 9/15;
• 25192, 3,075, QEP, Poncho 4-3-10BH, Grail, t7/13; cum 163K 9/15;
• 25191, 1,863, QEP, Poncho 3-3-10BH, Grail, t7/13; cum 562K 5/20; huge jump in production;
• 25188, 2,132, QEP, Bert 2-2-11TH, Grail, t10/13; cum 148K 9/15;
• 25187, 2,175, QEP, Bert 2-2-11BH, Grail, t10/13; cum 179K 9/15;
• 25186, 2,170, QEP, Bert1-2-11BH, Grail, t10/13; cum 202K 9/15;
• 25041, 3,128, QEP, Lawlar 4-5-8BH, Grail, t4/14; cum 188K 9/15;
• 25040, 2,981, QEP, Lawlar 3-5-8TH, Grail, t4/14; cum 147K 9/15;
• 25039, 2,778, QEP, Lawlar 3-5-8BH, Grail, t4/14; cum 155K 9/15;
• 25038, 2,401, QEP, Lawlar 2-5-8TH, Grail, t3/14; cum 214K 5/20;
• 24949, 2,274, QEP, Patsy 2-29-32BH, Grail, t9/13; cum 419K 5/20; off-lien 5/18;
  
• 24948, 2,638, QEP, Patsy 1-29-32BH, Grail, t9/13; cum 311K 5/20; off-line 5/18;
• 24947, 2,586, QEP, Lawlar 2-5-8BH, Grail, t9/13; cum 658K 5/20; production drops way off 5/18; getting ready for re-frack?
• 24946, 1,823, QEP, Lawlar 1-5-8BH, Grail, t9/13; cum 643K 5/20; a great well with no evidence of a re-frack;
• 24827, 1,807, QEP, Hemi 2-27-34BH, t6/13; cum 286K 5/20;
• 24826, 1,936, QEP, Hemi 1-27-34BH, t6/13; cum 354K 5/20;

Helis Wells in the Grail (through December 31, 2012)

• 24687, 2,740, QEP, G. Levang 4-32-29BH, Grail, t8/13; cum 343K 5/20;
• 24686, 2,207, QEP, G. Levang 13-32/29H, Grail, t8/13; cum 284K 5/20;
• 24685, IA/2,994, QEP, G. Levang 3-32-29BH, Grail, t8/13; cum 387K 8/19;
• 24684, 2,805, QEP, G. Levang 2-32-29TH, Grail, t8/13; cum 430K 5/20;
• 24616, 2,389, QEP, Hemi 2-34-27TH, Grail, t5/13; cum 410K 5/20; off-line as of 4/18;
• 24615, 3,167, QEP, Hemi 3-34-27BH, Grail, t5/13; cum 513K 5/20; off-line as of 4/18;
• 24614, 2,729, QEP, Hemi 3-24-27TH, Grail, t5/13; cum 385K 5/20; off-line as of 4/18;
• 19894, PA/794, QEP/Helis, Gabbert 4-2/11H, Grail, t2/12; cum 7K 2/13; 6 stages; 560K lbs;
• 22879, 1,873, QEP/Helis, Gabbert 4-2/11HR, t9/12; cum 306K 5/20; a candidate for a re-frack?
• 22880, IA/1,834, QEP/Helis, Bert 2-2/11H, Grail, t7/12; cum 373K 9/19; 30 stages; 3.6 million pounds; all ceramic?
• 19898, 2,421, QEP/Helis, Gabbert 3-3/10H, Grail, t10/11; cum 486K 5/20; re-fracked late January, 2018;
• 19680, 2,246, QEP/Helis, Johnson 1-4/9H; Grail, t9/11; cum 449K 5/20;
• 17267, PNC, Helis,
• 16689, PA/142 QEP/Helis, Linseth 4-8H, Grail, t6/08; cum 78K 8/12;
• 21437, 2,256, QEP/Helis, Lawlar 16-8/5H, Grail, t4/12; cum 433K 5/20;
• 16856, PA, last produced 12/11; 185, Peterson 15-15H, Grail, t6/08; cum 83K 7/13;
• 18448, 2,429, QEP/Helis, Andrecovich 5-17/16H, Grail, t9/10; cum 552K 3/20;
• 22194, 1,248, Helis, Moberg 13-17/16H, Grail, s4/12; t2/13; cum 499K 5/20;
• 20226, 1,598, QEP/Helis, Moberg 4-20/21H, Grail, t12/11; cum 533K 5/20;
• 21052, PA/1,684, QEP/Helis, Moberg 15-22/15H, Grail, t12/11; cum 304K 5/18; just came off-line 4/18;
• 19379, 1,379, QEP/Helis, Kirkland 13-23/14H, Grail, t8/11; cum 383K 5/20;
• 22363, 2,108, QEP/Helis, Kirkland 15E-23/14H, Grail, t10/14; cum 261K 5/20;
• 21054, 1,601, QEP/Helis, Veeder 1-27/34H, Grail, t2/12; cum 389K 5/20;
• 21465, 1,907, QEP/Helis, TAT 15-33/28H, Grail, t5/12; cum 550K 5/20;
• 21456, 2,014, QEP/Helis, TAT 13-35/26H, Grail, t7/12; cum 485K 5/20;
• 17722, 2,068, QEP/Helis, Henderson Federal 4-26/35H, Grail, t1/11; cum 383K 5/20;
• 23278, 2,143, QEP/Helis, Paul 1-26/35H, Grail, t1/14; cum 314K 4/20; huge jump; re-fracked February, 2018;
• 16929, SWD/517, QEP/Helis, Levang 4-28H, Grail, t8/08; cum 55K 9/15; pre-perf line; 600,000 lbs; short lateral, was TA, now a SWD;
• 20780, 2,190, QEP/Helis, Henderson 1-28/33H, Grail, t6/12; cum 574K 5/20;; no evidence of a re-frack;
  
• 17894, PNC, 
• 19323, 2,521, QEP/Helis, Thompson 1-29/32H, Grail, t8/11; cum 582K 5/20; no evidence of a re-frack; appears to be a candidate for re-frack;
• 22378, PNC, Helis,
• 23626, PNC, Helis,
• 19104, 1,203, QEP/Helis, Henderson 16-34/27H, Grail, t5/11; cum 435K 2/20; no evidence of a re-frack;
• 22371, 3,668, QEP, Hazel 13-34/27H, Grail, t5/13; cum 684K 5/20; came off-line in 4/18; 

Original Post

Grail oil field is an irregularly-shaped 30-section oil field just west of the reservation; the field currently has two rigs on site. It is just south of the bull's eye of the Bakken, and shares its eastern border with the reservation. It looks like Helis is targeting the TFS.

June 25, 2012:

• 20780, 2,190, QEP/Helis, Henderson 1-28/33H, Grail, Bakken, t6/12; cum 510K 5/18; Three Forks, gas shows as high as 5,000 units; frack data not yet posted as far as I could see; no evidence of a re-frack;

Back on March 3, 2011, this was reported:

• 17722, 2,068, Helis Oil and Gas, LLC, Henderson Federal 4-26/35H, Grail, Bakken; TFS, 35K in 41 days; ~ 24-stage frac; t1/11; cum 345K 5/18;

But this is the "biggie" in Grail, section 17-149-95:

• 18448, 2,429, Helis Oil and Gas, LLC, Andrecovich 5-17/16H, 24-stage frac; TFS, tested, 9/10; 129K in 4.5 months; 20K/month; t9/10; cum 520K 5/18;no evidence of a re-frack;

Helis was awarded another permit in Grail oil field today (April 26, 2011); and, two more permits on May 3, 2012. This is going to be an interesting field/interesting company to follow.

********************************************

Grail Oil Field Activity February 6, 2015

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Grail Oil Field Activity November 28, 2014

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Grail Oil Field Activity October 23, 2014

 

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Grail Oil Field Activity September 4, 2014

Three (3) Rigs

 *******************************************

Grail Oil Field Activity The Day QEP Withdrew Request to Unitize The Field, March, 2014

Seven (7) Rigs

Oil Company CEO Donates $110 Million To USC -- Undergraduate Scholarships

Link here.

USC engineering school alumnus John Mork, 63, and his wife will donate $110 million to the University of Southern California to set up a fund to cover tuition and expenses for about 100 academically-gifted USC undergraduates annually.

The scholarships will be set aside for graduates of high schools near the USC campus south of downtown. Each scholarship will be worth about $47,000: $42,000 for annual tuition and $5,000 for expenses.

John Mork is the chief executive of Denver-based Energy Corp of America (privately held) which "controls vast lease acreage and thousands of wells in Appalachia, the Texas coast, the Rockies and New Zealand."

The scholarships will be awarded on academic promise, and not financial need. The high schools around the USC campus are located in some of the poorest neighborhoods in southern California attended by students of low-income families.

Joint Venture to Build Pipeline From Cushing, Oklahoma, to the Gulf Coast -- Will Rival TransCanada's Keystone XL

The administration continues to delay the decision on granting permits for TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline that would bring oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast refineries, taking pressure off the storage facilities at Cushing, Oklahoma, and bringing more crude to American refineries.

I have always maintained that TransCanada should work the problem in parallel. While waiting for the decision from the US government, it should go ahead and lay that portion of the pipeline from Cushing to Texas/Louisiana.

It appears someone is doing just that.

Two companies are joining forces to build an oil pipeline from Oklahoma to the Gulf Coast, creating a rival to TransCanada Corp.'s controversial plan to boost Canadian oil flows through the U.S.

Enterprise Products Partners LP and Energy Transfer Partners LP said Tuesday they are forming a joint venture to build a 400,000-barrel-a-day oil pipeline from Cushing—a major U.S. trading and storage hub for crude oil—to Houston, near the heart of the U.S. refining industry. 

It will be interesting to see how much support this joint venture will get from the states and the federal government, and how serious folks are about solving the energy problem the US faces. I'm not holding my breath.

Reuters is also carrying the story.

The Reason Everyone's Talking About OXY -- For OXY, It's Not Just the Bakken

Several times in the past couple of days there has been talk about what OXY has in California.

Here's the background story. The story was published in November, 2009.

Eight (8) New Permits -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA

Operators: Petro Harvester (3), Whiting, CLR, BR, OXY, Helis.

Fields: Renville, Sanish, Sand Creek, Alkali Creek, Dimond, Grail.

****************

Of course the Dimond oil field permit belongs to OXY.

****************

The Sanish permit, of course, belongs to Whiting.

****************

The Grail field permit belongs to Helis. Back on March 3, 2011, this was reported:

• 17722, 2,068, Helis, Henderson Federal 4-26/35H, Grail, Bakken; TFS, 35K in 41 days; ~ 24-stage frac

Grail oil field is a 30-section oil field just west of the reservation; it currently has two rigs on site
But this is the "biggie" in Grail, section 17-149-95:

• 18448, 2,429, Helis, Andrecovich 5-17/16H, 24-stage frac; TFS, tested, 9/10; 129K in 4.5 months; 20K/month

****************

The three Renville permits belong to Petro Harvester. In today's daily activity report, Petro Harvester is also acquiring 26 (+/-) wells from Sagebrush, all in Bottineau County.

I don't know much about Petro Harvester yet, but here are a few data points:

• The CEO: Gareth Roberts, the former co-chairman and CEO of Denbury Resources, the firm he founded in 1990. Mr. Roberts has more than 30 years of experience in the exploration and developmen
  Publish Post
  t of oil and natural gas properties with Texaco, Inc., Murphy Oil Corporation and Coho Resources, Inc.
• COO: Jim Sinclair. Mr Sinclair served as Vice President of Exploration and Geosciences at Denbury Resources.
• Their operations are located in two regions: along the Gulf Coast (where they have most of their experience) and Williston Basin.

This is from their website regarding their operations in Williston Basin:

In January 2011, Petro Harvester acquired a package of producing properties in the Williston Basin. The assets include production and acreage in over 20 fields with most of the current value in four concentrated areas where we have high working interests and operational controls. The acquisition includes interest in 145 wells that produce from depths of 3,000 feet to 6,000 feet. Current production is approximately 2,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Identified opportunities include infill drilling, new water flood and enhancement of existing floods, and multilateral drilling. Additional upside potential includes deeper tests, enhanced fracturing techniques, and field extension through 3-D seismic.

The Sagebrush acquisition appears to be all Madison wells in Renville County.

Motley Fool on the Bakken: CLR, GEOI, and BEXP -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA

Link here.

Not much new.

Bicentennial - Beaver Creek - Roosevelt Corridor: A Birdbear Update

I sound like a broken record, but of all the companies drilling in the Bakken, the one I keep coming back to is Whiting. [Someone else agrees with me. At the link, scroll down to "David's posting on April 28, 2011.] What initially got me excited about Whiting was all their activity in the Belfield area. I now refer to Whiting's operations around Williston as "Whiting North" and Whiting's operations around Belfield as "Whiting South."

[This is how "Whiting North" and "Whiting South" would align with Whiting's prospects:

Whiting North (all Middle Bakken, Three Forks)

• Starbuck (Montana) 
• Cassandra 
• Sanish 
• Parshall

Whiting South (various formations)

• Hidden Bench: Middle Bakken "C" Objective
• Lewis and Clark: Three Forks
• Big Island: Multiple Objectives

I am particularly intrigued by "multiple objectives" in the Big Island: Red River, Birdbear, Bakken, Tyler, Lodgepole]

Right now, the drillers are focused on the middle Bakken and the Three Forks, but there are other formations that continue to be just as exciting in the big scheme of things.

It turns out Whiting is also in the Bicentennial-Beaver Creek-Roosevelt (BBCR) trend which is where the drillers have been most successful targeting the Birdbear formation over the years. So, I thought a quick review of the Birdbear activity was in order.

• In 2009 there were 171 wells targeting the Birdbear formation in North Dakota.
• In 2010 there were 171 wells targeting the Birdbear formation in North Dakota.
• The cumulative total of oil produced from the Birdbear through the end of 2009: 18,138,718.
• The cumulative total of oil produced from the Birdbear through the end of 2010: 18,715,505.
• The delta, 2010 to 2009: 576,787.
• Divided by 171 --> 3,373 bbls/well/year --> x $50/bbl --> $170,000/well/this past year.

I was curious to see what some of the Birdbear wells in this corridor looked like. I simply went to the GIS map server, and looked for a well in the BBCR trend that was still producing. The process after that was simply random, looking for active wells in the three fields. First ones I looked at:

• 15752, 227, Whiting, State 41-16H, tested 12/05; cumulative, 104K (Birdbear)
• 11422, 81, Encore, Mesa Federal 1-9 (vertical), tested 7/1997, 114K (Birdbear)
• (By the way, 11422 also drawing oil from the Red River, 104, tested 6/1985; 92K)
• 15412, two pay zones (the third pay zone, the Red River, dry, though it had an IP of 129):
• 15412, ---, Whiting, Federal 32-4HBKCE, tested ---; 53K (Birdbear)
• 15412, 192, Whiting, Federal 32-4HBKCE, tested 2/05; Dry (Red River)
• 15412, 1,835, Whiting Federal 32-4HBKCE, tested 11/09; 112K (Bakken)
• 14976, 662, BTA Oil, 20002 JV-P Agate 1, tested 2000; 800K (Birdbear)
• 6973, two pay zones:
• 6973, 249, Wesco, Hall Federal 2-12 (vertical), tested, 11/79, 484K (Red River)
• 6973, 401, Wesco, Hall Federal 2-12 (vertical), tested 10/00, 267K (Birdbear)

That's where I stopped. I had enough to get a feeling of the potential in the Bicentennial-Beaver Creek-Roosevelt trend.

Note, none of the above are Three Forks wells. So, I went a bit southeast to see who was drilling the new wells in the area. It turned out to be Whiting, and I believe the following will all be Three Forks wells. [Update, August 27, 2011: I was wrong: note #18650 is a Madison well.]

• 19687, 1,919, Whiting, Clemens 34-9TFH, Elkhorn Ranch, just a few miles to the northwest of the BBCR trend; t7/11; cum 88K 6/12;
• 20763, 829, Pride Energy, Beaver Creek State 1-36H, t11/11; cum 70K 6/12;
• 19050, 752, Whiting, Teddy 21-24TFH, Big Stick, t4/11; cum 39K 6/12;
• 19294, Conf, Whiting, BSMU 3605, Big Stick 
• 19370, 17 (no typo), Whiting, BSMU 2905, Big Stick; t4/12; cum 227 bbls (no typo) 6/12; a Madison well
• 18650, 258, Whiting, BSMU 3203v, Big Stick, spacing: U; Madison pool; t3/11; cum 62K 6/12;
• 18652, drl, Whiting, BSMU 3107, Big Stick,

The Big Stick field is a very active field (historically) and now Whiting has new interest with these wells. One can make a case that the Big Stick is continuation of the BBCR trend. In between is Ash Coulee oilfield.

• 12937, 546, Zenergy, Debra Rauch 1-1(H), tested, 11/90; cum 120K 6/12; Ash Coulee, Bakken; it is still producing 80 bbls/month

Note: This is how Whiting breaks down its resource potential in the continental US (slide 14, April, 2011 corporate presentation):

Williston Basin (MB and TF): 127 million bbls oil
Big Tex - TX: 37 million bbls oil
Redtail - CO: 38 million bbls oil
Sulphur Creek - CO: natural gas (which I don't follow)
Other Areas -- CO, MI, ND, TX, UT, WY: 25 million bbls oil

With Whiting breaking out MB and TF separate from other pay zones, my hunch is that the 25 million bbls in "other areas" is significantly understated.

For Julie LeFever's analysis of the Birdbear in North Dakota, July, 2009, click here (same link as above).

Chinese To Build Steel Plant in America -- Corpus Christi, Texas

Link here.

More evidence that the onshore oil boom on non-Federal land is here to stay (as long as the federal government doesn't shut it down).