Ten (10) New Permits -- The Bakken, North Dakota, USA

Daily activity report, first one for the new year, January 3, 2012 --

Operators: Whiting (4), OXY USA (2), Murex, BEXP, True Oil, Oasis

Fields: Manning, Sanish, Dutch Henry Butte, Dimond, Briar Creek, Gros Ventre

Murex has a wildcat in McKenzie; True Oil has a wildcat in McKenzie.

Thirteen (13) wells released from "tight status." Five of those not completed/not fracked.

The eight wells completed, included:

• 19876, 2,879, BEXP, Enderud 9-4 1H, McKenzie
• 20036, 2,331, XTO, FBIR Smith 11X-10, Dunn
• 20059, 1,357, Whiting, Waldock 14-4XH, Mountrail
• 20588, 1,492, BEXP, Mrachek Trust 22-15 1H, McKenzie
• 20629, 929, CLR, Patterson 1-13H, McKenzie

True Oil's wildcat is "in name" only a wildcat; only due to the strict definition of a wildcat is this permit for a wildcat. In fact, the permit is for a location one section away from all the rest of True Oil's huge wells in Red Wing Creek oil field. This permit is also for a location in Red Wing Creek oil field.

The Murex wildcat is on the Montana state line in the far southwest corner of Williams County. This is definitely a wildcat. This one looks like it will be a Bakken with 640-acre spacing.