Three Forks Potential In Burke County; Three TF Benches Are Discernable -- A Reader

I did not listen to the April NDIC hearings, so I appreciated this note from a reader who did:

In other news from Burke County, Oasis appears to be gearing up for development with 4, 6 and 8 wells on its spacing units. See # 22252 in S15/16 - 160 - 93, for example. [See below.]

The rather typical docket item for Wednesday, March 26th, 2014, was Case No. 21914;

Oasis request for proper spacing units and redefining of field limits for the Black Slough Field. The audio of the hearing, however, made mention of an exhibit which illustrated a potential 10-well development plan for units of the Black Slough-Bakken Pool that included three wells in each of the first and 2nd TF benches and the MB.

The lower TF benches were not included, at this time. It should be noted that NDIC Orders in this matter are pending and, even if approved, development probably wouldn't begin until sometime in 2015.

One might add, "if at all," because many of the spacing units are yet to be secured by an initial well.

For me, the biggest take-away from the hearing, in this case, was testimony that differentiated the benches of the Three Forks so far from the core areas to the west and southwest, where pilots are testing commercial productivity levels for at least three (3) Three Forks benches and trying to get the read on optimum well densities, including both vertical and horizontal spacing.

It may be old hat to everybody else, but this is the strongest confirmation I have come across that the benches of the Three Forks are discernible and being differentiated for drilling and development purposes that far from the deepest areas of the Bakken and half way into Burke County, from south to north, as well as diagonally.

The reader noted 10-well density in 15/16-160-93, Gros Ventre, Burke County:

The Delta 6093 34-15 H is on a single well pad. To the north are two multiple-well pads (one with a rig on site; one pad with 3 wells; one pad with 4 wells) and to the south, another three-well pad: a total of 11 wells in this section / drilling unit.

These are the wells:

• 27530, drl, Oasis, Delta 6093 14-15 11B, middle Bakken, Gros Ventre,
• 27531, drl, Oasis, Delta 6093 14-15 10T, Three Forks B1, Gros Ventre,
• 28146, drl, Oasis, Delta 6093 14-15 9B, middle Bakken, Gros Ventre,

• 26897, conf, Oasis, Delta 6093 24-15 2T, Three Forks B1, Gros Ventre, well file is available;
• 26898, conf, Oasis, Delta 6093 24-15 3B, middle Bakken, Gros Ventre, well file is available,
• 27157, ros, Oasis, Delta 6093 24-15 4T2, Three Forks B2, Gros Ventre, well file is available,
• 26899, drl, Oasis, Delta 6093 24-15 5T, Three Forks B1, Gros Ventre,well file is available,

• 22252, 603, Oasis, Delta 6093 23-15H, middle Bakken, t12/12; cum 35K 6/14;

• 27677, drl, Oasis, Delta 6093 44-15 8T, Three Forks B1, Gros Ventre, well file is available;
• 27678, drl, Oasis, Delta 6093 44-15 7B, middle Bakken, Gros Ventre, well file is available;
• 28145, drl, Oasis, Delta 6093 44-15 6T, Three Forks B1, Gros Ventre, well file is available;

There are several story lines here but I will let folks study these for awhile; see if folks see what I'm seeing.