Chateau Field -- The Williston Basin, North Dakota, USA

From the NDIC June, 2012, hearing dockets:

• Case 18021: Whiting, Chateau-Three Forks Pool, proper spacing for development of this field; Billings County

I recently commented on this case:

I don't understand this. It is my understanding that the Bakken Pool incorporates the three Bakken formations (upper, middle, and lower) and the multiple formations of the Three Forks. I don't know why NDIC is calling this the "Three Forks Pool." In this same hearing docket there is another case in which the NDIC refers to a "Sanish Pool."

The Chateau field is a small field, 12 sections, on the western edge of Billings County, pretty much in the center of the north-south boundary. I assume the field is in Whiting's Lewis & Clark prospect. The Billings County map is painful to look at, for two reasons: a) lack of roads; and, b) amount of federal land. It appears it is only a matter of time before the federal government imposes its own set of fracking rules.

There is currently one other Bakken boom well there:

• 20388, 572, Whiting, Demores Federal 31-10TFH, t9/11; cum 37K 4/12;