Carpe Diem: North Dakota's Higher Education Boom -- Somewhat Related to the Bakken

Link here.

Carpe Diem picked up a New York Times story that I would have missed.

Ms. Malinowski is evidence of an unlikely trend: the growing allure of higher education in North Dakota. The state ranks 48th in the U.S. at attracting tourists. Its young people routinely flee for warmer or more exciting places. The private sector here, struggling to lure sufficient numbers of workers from elsewhere, is wrestling with labor shortages even amid national unemployment around 9%.

But college students are flocking here in ever greater numbers. Out-of-state students account for about 55% of the 14,500 enrolled at North Dakota State University, as well as at similarly sized University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. Nonresident students at North Dakota's 11 public colleges constitute a higher ratio than in almost every other state.

I believe the UND aviation program is one of the top aviation programs in the country. Part of the reason, as I understand it, is the number of days year-round that weather is clear and great for flying. Cold in the winter, perhaps, but that doesn't stop flying. It's a lot colder at altitude than it is on the ground.

It is my understanding that the UND / NDSU geosciences departments are top notch, and with the Bakken play, are becoming increasingly sought after. Folks graduating with geology degrees from UND/NDSU will find jobs in the oil industry.

Williston State College has partnered with leading oil industry companies to train folks for jobs in the oil patch.

290 Rigs in the Bakken? Typo? Timeline? -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA

A big "thank you" to "anon 1" for finding this story.

Someone had tweeted the "290" but didn't supply a source or link. I looked for the story but couldn't find it.

The story is about how slowly the Niobrara seems to be developing.

[A spokesman] said there is too little information yet to determine how successful the play will be in the end.

This is because of the low number of commercial wells and rules that allow companies to keep their results confidential for up to six months.

"We just haven't seen enough drilling rigs and enough activity to really know if there is a play yet," he said.

Another reason for the oil play's slowdown could be because of increased activity in North Dakota, [the spokesman] said.

He said the Bakken oil play is gearing up to have 170 active drilling rigs and up to 290 by the end of the year. That could leave a shortage of equipment and workers for activity here.

"They claim that they are using many new rigs, so that may not be a problem," Doll said. "But my concern is: Where are you going to get the drillers, roughnecks and (fracking) crews who are trained to do the sophisticated work?"

In fact, North Dakota already has about 180 active rigs; I'm not sure what he meant by "gearing up to have 170 active drilling rigs." Is this an old story? 

The question is where will the Niobrara get those "drillers, roughnecks and (fracking) crews who are trained to do the sophisticated work" if they are all tied up in the Bakken? By the way, North Dakota as the same six-month confidentiality rule.

North Dakota Looking To Hire a Potash Geologist

PDF file.

In case link is lost/broken, key portion:

Position Number: 405-00028314
Starting Salary Range: $4,333 – $4,879/month plus benefits
Closing Date: August 22, 2011
Status: Full-time
Recruitment: Internal/External
Location: Bismarck, ND
The North Dakota Geological Survey is hiring for a newly created geology position. The successful candidate will manage the state’s subsurface mineral exploration and production program and will conduct stratigraphic studies of potash and other economic rocks and minerals in the Williston Basin of North Dakota.

The Silurian Formation -- Idle Rambling -- For My Own Benefit -- Others May Enjoy It -- North Dakota, USA

Like the Red Wing Creek wells, it is possible the Silurian formation is a relatively local phenomenon in North Dakota. More on that later, but for now, a look at some nice Silurian wells in the Charlson oil field. Some are still active, some are permanently abandoned.

• 10224, PA/1,560, Petro-Hunt, Devonian 10-1, vertical, AL, 614K (two formations) 2/15;
• 10498, 1,142, Phillip D. Armstrong, I. Thompson 8-34, vertical, abandoned, but Bakken in 1993 still flowing without pump; (two formations; Bakken still flowing); 198K 4/17;
• 10499, PA/368, Berco Resources, LLC, Federal 17-32, vertical, abandoned, 414,862; still significant production when well shut down
• 11064, DRY -- Birdbear, Madison (abandoned), Silurian, Petro-Hunt, CMSU C-421
• 11194, PA/1,200, Petro-Hunt, Silurian 37-1, abandoned, 457,803; 12 years of production; stripper well level of production at end of production
• 11353, 711, Petro-Hunt, Silurian 39-1, vertical, still producing, cum 559K 4/17;
• 11853, AB/869, XTO/Denbury Onshore, Silurian Unit 56-1, vertical, no production since 10/11, cum 354,168 10/11;
• 11897, 36 (not a typo), but the Madison, 312, Petro-Hunt, CMU B-108, vertical, still producing, cum 400K 4/17;
• 11948, PA/941, Prosper Energy, Prosper-Isaacson 1, vertical, abandoned, 196,553; abandoned after less than 3.5 years of production and still producing enough for a stripper well designation
• 12148, Dry -- but the Madison, PA/67 (not a typo), Petro-Hunt, CMSU A-421, vertical, last produced 1/13; cum 325,668 1/13;

No rhyme or reason to the wells I picked except for the fact they were in one small area in the Charlson that I could see quickly, and they were in the permit file range of 10,000 to 12,000, when there was activity in the Silurian. 

My hunch is that a lot of these wells were abandoned at a time when price of oil made them all not that economical, but with price of oil at $100, I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see some more vertical activity in these other formations.

With regard to the Silurian, from NDGS:

Oil is the most important hydrocarbon produced in the state, but oil was not discovered until 1951 when Amerada Hess Corporation completed the Clarence Iverson #1 on the Nesson anticline. Since then, oil exploration has been nearly continuous in the state. The discovery well was completed in the Silurian Interlake Formation but subsequent development on the anticline focused on the Mississippian Madison Group.

From that same link:

The upper Interlake Formation is productive along large structures (Fig. 15), but the controls on production are not well understood. Salt-plugged porosity degrades reservoir performance in some places whereas fracturing has enhanced performance in other areas. The middle Interlake Formation is productive in two fields in Stark County and the lower Interlake Formation produces from two porosity zones, informally named the Salsbury and the Putnam. These two porosity zones produce on major structures in North Dakota and production can be significant, like that at Stoneview Field on the Nesson anticline. Typically, oil with a significant volume of gas is produced from Interlake reservoirs.

The Charlson Field Has Been Updated -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA

I've updated a few IPs for the Charlson field.

I was curious how the Norby wells would turn out. They turned out quite well. They should hit 100,000 bbls cumulative by first year of production.

• 18814, 1,754, St Mary, Wilson 8-20H, 91k as of May, 2011; less than a year old
• 18815, 853, St Mary, Norby 9-20H, 81k as of May, 2011; less than a year old
• 18816, 1,415, St Mary, Norby 16-20H, 66k as of May, 2011; one year old

For newbies, the Charlson field is a great field.

While Russia Rushes For Arctic Oil, US Environmentalists Rush for Lawyers, Judges

This is not a new story; it has been published at various sites for the past six months or so, but today I see it is on the front page of CNN.com in a prominent spot at the very top of the page. The story is about the race between the US and Russia (for the most part, but others are involved) for oil and natural gas in the Arctic.

The recession of the sea ice and the reduction in permafrost -- combined with advances in technology -- have allowed access to oil, mineral and natural gas deposits that were previously trapped in the ice.

The abundance of these valuable resources and the opportunity to exploit them has created a gold rush-like scramble in the high north, with fierce competition to determine which countries have the right to access the riches of the Arctic.

Who is interested and claims rights?

The United States, Canada, Russia, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Finland all stake a claim to a portion of the Arctic. These countries make up the Arctic Council, a diplomatic forum designed to mediate disputes on Arctic issues.

The article mentions nothing about environmentalists, lawyers, etc., but this single line speaks volumes (I think most folks can connect the dots):

In secret diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks, Danish Foreign Minister Per Stieg Moeller was quoted as saying to the United States, "If you stay out, the rest of us will have more to carve up the Arctic."

My take on this: It appears that while Russia is serious about developing these energy resources, it is likely that environmentalists will prevent the US from doing so. Sounds a lot like what is going on in the Gulf of Mexico. Good news for Bakken investors.

Dimond Oil Field Has Been Updated -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA

Link here.

Extremely Esoteric -- Water Flooding -- Unitization Spacing -- Red River -- Encore -- North Dakota, USA

Other Examples/Updates

After the original post, "Brian" sent me another example of a well that benefited from water flooding.

• 14212, 4,331, Denbury Onshore, Heart River 1-4, Lodgepole well

This well was spudded in 1996. Based on the well file it looks like water flooding began in late 2000/early 2001. Prior to November, 2000, this well produced no water. The spacing for this well is "U" (unitized).

The well has produced a total of 2,130,700 bbls of oil to date and is still producing anywhere from 1,500 to 2,000 bbls/month. It has produced a total of 2,330,113 bbls of water during this period. (A side note: an entry into the Three Forks with this same well was DRY.)

Original Post

The question is this: are there any companies using water flooding as an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technique in North Dakota? The answer is "yes." Water flooding has been used in formations other than the Bakken. In addition, air injection has also been used, but that's another story for another time, perhaps.

For those interested in additional details regarding water flooding and Encore wells mentioned earlier, the following may be an example.

This is an older well targeting the Red River formation in Horse Creek oil field in Bowman County. 

If I understand it correctly, the spacing is "U" -- unitized.

Note the amount of water: 867,648 bbls which suggests water flooding.

In addition, in the well file itself, there is a comment to the effect that "flooding will continue." It does not state specifically that it was water flooding, but I can't imagine anything else.

This was the first (and only such) well I've looked at so far to see how it matches a possible explanation for "water production" by Encore wells.

NDIC File No: 14703     API No: 33-011-00897-00-00     CTB No: 405200
Well Type: OG     Well Status: A     Status Date: 3/9/1998     Wellbore type: Horizontal
Location: NESE 31-129-104     Footages: 1400 FSL 1100 FEL     Latitude: 45.949042     Longitude: -103.726155
Current Operator: ENCORE ENERGY PARTNERS OPERATING LLC
Current Well Name: HILTON 3-31
Elevation(s): 3179 KB     Total Depth: 11939     Field: HORSE CREEK
Spud Date(s):  12/27/1997
Casing String(s): 9.625" 2232'   7" 9411'  
Completion Data
   Pool: RED RIVER     Perfs: 9411-11939OH     Comp: 3/9/1998     Status: AL     Date: 3/9/1998     Spacing: U
Cumulative Production Data
   Pool: RED RIVER     Cum Oil: 115828     Cum MCF Gas: 519394     Cum Water: 867658
Production Test Data
   IP Test Date: 3/9/1998     Pool: RED RIVER     IP Oil: 10     IP MCF: 0     IP Water: 420

Monthly Production Data

Pool	Date	Days	BBLS Oil	Runs	BBLS Water	MCF Prod	MCF Sold	Vent/Flare
RED RIVER	5-2011	30	645	648	3989	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	4-2011	28	847	863	3785	1120	0	1120
RED RIVER	3-2011	2	40	0	303	80	0	80
RED RIVER	2-2011	28	11	0	0	1120	0	1120
RED RIVER	1-2011	28	509	444	3666	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	12-2010	31	588	699	2528	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	11-2010	30	541	444	2434	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	10-2010	31	580	683	2542	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	9-2010	30	577	452	2404	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	8-2010	31	628	680	2832	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	7-2010	31	613	670	2942	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	6-2010	29	593	674	3976	1160	0	1160
RED RIVER	5-2010	31	571	433	4658	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	4-2010	30	615	669	4653	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	3-2010	31	659	658	4726	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	2-2010	26	530	455	4112	1040	0	1040
RED RIVER	1-2010	22	459	459	2486	880	0	880
RED RIVER	12-2009	30	432	450	2654	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	11-2009	30	539	442	3562	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	10-2009	31	592	666	3777	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	9-2009	30	579	661	3402	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	8-2009	31	629	674	3448	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	7-2009	31	595	465	3468	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	6-2009	30	587	703	3379	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	5-2009	31	493	686	3494	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	4-2009	30	815	455	3426	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	3-2009	31	315	491	3694	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	2-2009	28	561	471	3431	1120	0	1120
RED RIVER	1-2009	31	415	701	3922	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	12-2008	20	522	454	2214	800	0	800
RED RIVER	11-2008	30	592	467	3139	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	10-2008	31	614	689	3246	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	9-2008	30	593	473	3385	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	8-2008	31	624	678	3509	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	7-2008	27	416	459	3382	1080	0	1080
RED RIVER	6-2008	30	647	677	3440	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	5-2008	29	533	424	3037	1160	0	1160
RED RIVER	4-2008	30	339	429	3178	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	3-2008	29	663	648	2465	1160	0	1160
RED RIVER	2-2008	29	584	451	3099	1160	0	1160
RED RIVER	1-2008	31	630	655	3558	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	12-2007	31	601	686	3540	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	11-2007	30	619	695	3780	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	10-2007	31	793	841	3794	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	9-2007	30	596	646	3943	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	8-2007	31	640	655	3943	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	7-2007	31	607	422	4135	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	6-2007	30	521	629	4030	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	5-2007	31	733	635	4086	1240	0	1240
RED RIVER	4-2007	30	492	641	2432	1200	0	1200
RED RIVER	3-2007	31	749	430	2164	1295	0	1224
RED RIVER	2-2007	28	588	647	2279	1196	0	1132
RED RIVER	1-2007	31	598	663	2510	1325	0	1254
RED RIVER	12-2006	31	640	662	2619	1325	0	1254
RED RIVER	11-2006	30	623	661	2712	1265	0	1196
RED RIVER	10-2006	31	654	459	3023	1338	0	1267
RED RIVER	9-2006	30	637	652	2715	1305	0	1236
RED RIVER	8-2006	31	656	876	3138	1349	0	1278
RED RIVER	7-2006	31	666	651	3720	1371	0	1300
RED RIVER	6-2006	30	563	430	3673	1001	0	1001
RED RIVER	5-2006	31	683	872	4087	1242	0	1242
RED RIVER	4-2006	28	666	644	4188	1292	0	1292
RED RIVER	3-2006	25	567	642	3931	1203	0	1203
RED RIVER	2-2006	17	426	431	2385	831	0	831
RED RIVER	1-2006	31	707	650	4278	1407	0	1407
RED RIVER	12-2005	31	715	435	4505	1493	0	1493
RED RIVER	11-2005	30	682	646	4499	1649	0	1649
RED RIVER	10-2005	30	680	853	4561	2003	0	2003
RED RIVER	9-2005	29	677	652	4417	2425	0	2425
RED RIVER	8-2005	31	688	643	4862	2718	0	2718
RED RIVER	7-2005	31	698	866	4623	2896	0	2896
RED RIVER	6-2005	30	660	647	4323	2811	0	2811
RED RIVER	5-2005	31	673	634	4716	2899	0	2899
RED RIVER	4-2005	30	662	641	4595	3172	0	3172
RED RIVER	3-2005	20	507	431	3272	2427	0	2427
RED RIVER	2-2005	28	705	648	4679	3240	0	3240
RED RIVER	1-2005	31	770	900	5291	3723	0	3723
RED RIVER	12-2004	31	787	648	5404	3955	0	3955
RED RIVER	11-2004	26	739	643	4708	4044	0	4044
RED RIVER	10-2004	24	624	859	4218	3283	0	3283
RED RIVER	9-2004	30	768	673	5336	4115	0	4115
RED RIVER	8-2004	31	817	881	7068	4270	0	4270
RED RIVER	7-2004	31	831	875	5465	4387	0	4387
RED RIVER	6-2004	30	779	665	5662	4272	0	4272
RED RIVER	5-2004	31	777	881	5556	4333	0	4333
RED RIVER	4-2004	30	837	869	5586	3842	0	3842
RED RIVER	3-2004	31	866	873	5709	3712	0	3712
RED RIVER	2-2004	29	806	669	5479	3368	0	3368
RED RIVER	1-2004	30	868	890	5808	3788	0	3788
RED RIVER	12-2003	30	959	886	6061	4978	0	4978
RED RIVER	11-2003	30	863	877	5424	5720	0	5720
RED RIVER	10-2003	31	852	879	5604	6705	0	6705
RED RIVER	9-2003	30	850	891	5455	6827	0	6827
RED RIVER	8-2003	31	886	885	5669	7457	0	7457
RED RIVER	7-2003	30	893	1103	5842	8115	0	8115
RED RIVER	6-2003	30	986	652	6024	8973	0	8973
RED RIVER	5-2003	30	996	1105	5755	9484	0	9484
RED RIVER	4-2003	14	373	223	2407	5437	0	5437
RED RIVER	3-2003	24	702	866	4376	7250	0	7250
RED RIVER	2-2003	28	903	1095	5211	9217	0	9217
RED RIVER	1-2003	31	1014	895	5831	10208	0	10208
RED RIVER	12-2002	31	1036	1110	5815	10410	0	10410
RED RIVER	11-2002	30	975	873	6445	10212	0	10212
RED RIVER	10-2002	31	1053	1099	6427	10660	0	10660
RED RIVER	9-2002	30	1004	873	5780	9632	0	9632
RED RIVER	8-2002	31	1010	1101	6010	9508	0	9508
RED RIVER	7-2002	31	1007	1097	5751	9523	0	9523
RED RIVER	6-2002	29	957	885	5370	8208	0	8208
RED RIVER	5-2002	31	1017	1097	5697	8633	0	8633
RED RIVER	4-2002	30	978	881	5670	9248	0	9248
RED RIVER	3-2002	31	1066	1125	5786	8635	0	8635
RED RIVER	2-2002	28	951	891	5321	6882	0	6882
RED RIVER	1-2002	31	1055	1098	5779	6761	0	6761
RED RIVER	12-2001	31	1017	887	5289	5905	0	5905
RED RIVER	11-2001	30	895	1108	5513	5430	0	5430
RED RIVER	10-2001	31	954	662	5799	4937	0	4937
RED RIVER	9-2001	30	891	1090	5148	3367	0	3367
RED RIVER	8-2001	31	908	873	5583	3145	0	3145
RED RIVER	7-2001	31	888	873	5563	3173	0	3173
RED RIVER	6-2001	29	855	874	5175	2919	0	2919
RED RIVER	5-2001	31	899	885	5692	3100	0	3100
RED RIVER	4-2001	30	823	881	5878	2950	0	2950
RED RIVER	3-2001	31	929	884	5210	3364	0	3364
RED RIVER	2-2001	28	837	882	4485	3689	0	3689
RED RIVER	1-2001	31	942	884	5151	5335	0	5335
RED RIVER	12-2000	29	1013	1103	6299	7466	0	7466
RED RIVER	11-2000	29	962	917	6197	7180	0	7180
RED RIVER	10-2000	30	948	885	7632	7463	0	7463
RED RIVER	9-2000	30	978	885	8303	7470	0	7470
RED RIVER	8-2000	29	944	1132	8397	7656	0	7656
RED RIVER	7-2000	31	1017	894	8853	7485	0	7485
RED RIVER	6-2000	30	960	1114	8809	7645	0	7645
RED RIVER	5-2000	31	1077	1119	9431	7983	0	7983
RED RIVER	4-2000	30	934	899	9595	6951	0	6951
RED RIVER	3-2000	30	883	670	10022	7485	0	7485
RED RIVER	2-2000	27	823	898	8107	6062	0	6062
RED RIVER	1-2000	31	845	891	9625	5801	0	5801
RED RIVER	12-1999	31	916	896	10136	6084	0	6084
RED RIVER	11-1999	30	916	889	9961	5265	0	5265
RED RIVER	10-1999	31	891	884	10306	4821	0	4821
RED RIVER	9-1999	30	873	893	10108	4323	0	4323
RED RIVER	8-1999	31	828	881	10618	5031	0	5031
RED RIVER	7-1999	31	1005	868	10715	3872	0	3872
RED RIVER	6-1999	30	934	1121	9881	908	0	908
RED RIVER	5-1999	31	892	883	10281	11	0	11
RED RIVER	4-1999	30	888	858	10265	104	0	104
RED RIVER	3-1999	31	888	867	10643	54	0	54
RED RIVER	2-1999	25	605	660	8786	108	0	108
RED RIVER	1-1999	30	750	657	10623	40	0	40
RED RIVER	12-1998	31	749	650	10839	91	0	91
RED RIVER	11-1998	30	730	907	10277	59	0	59
RED RIVER	10-1998	31	719	670	11046	61	0	61
RED RIVER	9-1998	30	717	667	11004	28	0	28
RED RIVER	8-1998	31	711	888	11363	0	0	0
RED RIVER	7-1998	31	708	671	11544	0	0	0
RED RIVER	6-1998	30	649	448	11707	0	0	0
RED RIVER	5-1998	31	523	671	12817	0	0	0
RED RIVER	4-1998	30	372	0	12626	0	0	0
RED RIVER	3-1998	23	0	0	10054	0	0	0

This is the second well I looked at, file number 10512, and it is very similar. Again, note the amount of water "produced," suggesting water flooding. The well file has the same comment regarding "flooding" to continue. 

NDIC File No: 10512 API No: 33-011-00409-00-00 CTB No: 405200
Well Type: OG Well Status: A Status Date: 4/24/1984 Wellbore type: Vertical
Location: SWNW 32-129-104 Footages: 1460 FNL 1180 FWL Latitude: 45.95567 Longitude: -103.717229
Current Operator: ENCORE ENERGY PARTNERS OPERATING LLC
Current Well Name: BREHM 1-32
Elevation(s): 3141 KB Total Depth: 9318 Field: HORSE CREEK
Spud Date(s): 3/16/1984
Casing String(s): 8.625" 2002' 5.5" 9318'
Completion Data
Pool: RED RIVER Perfs: 9179-9205 G Comp: 4/24/1984 Status: AL Date: 4/24/1984 Spacing: U
Cumulative Production Data
Pool: RED RIVER Cum Oil: 142641 Cum MCF Gas: 397986 Cum Water: 904,644
Production Test Data
IP Test Date: 4/24/1984 Pool: RED RIVER IP Oil: 40 IP MCF: 0 IP Water: 181