Whiting's Pronghorn Sand Could Be Best Payzone in the Bakken -- The Williston Basin, North Dakota, USA

Link here to Mike Filloon.

In February of this year [2012], Whiting started identifying the Pronghorn Sands in its Lewis and Clark and Pronghorn prospects. Initially I had wondered why Whiting had changed the name of the pay zone. The reason is clear now, as the Pronghorn has a much different geology. Whiting's Lewis and Clark Prospect was once thought of as a lesser portion of the play as the middle Bakken thins and is not economic. Whiting, Continental, Occidental, Fidelity, and Chesapeake all have rigs in this area, and believe the Pronghorn could deliver very good returns.

For those who have been following this blog on a regular basis, you are very, very aware of the excitement surrounding Whiting's Lewis & Clark prospect and Whiting's Pronghorn prospect in southwestern North Dakota.

This is a huge story.

I am thrilled to see Mike post an article on the Pronghorn Sand. I do believe I was the first to start blogging on this formation and Whiting's activity on a regular basis. See links at sidebar at the right and labels/tags at the bottom of the blog.

For newbies, this is my world view of the progression of the Bakken boom in North Dakota:

• EOG in Parshall oil field
• Whiting in Sanish oil field, just to the west of the Parshall oil field
• KOG in the reservation; Senator Dorgan instrumental in removing some federal red tape
• BEXP northwest of Williston
• Whiting "testing the waters" in southwest North Dakota with Lewis & Clark prospect
• Oasis, multiple others to northeast McKenzie (current)
• Pronghorn Sand noted by Whiting; and Pronghorn prospect around Belfield (current) 

Some of the highest bonuses ever paid for Williston Basin acreage was paid in the Belfield area about a year ago. At that time, there was no mention of the Pronghorn Sand that I am aware of, though there was talk of the Tyler/Heath formation. It would be interesting to know when Whiting realized what they had in the Belfield area.