The other day I posted a note on how operators cut back on production during the slump in oil prices. I did not particularly care for that post, but had put too much effort into it to simply delete it. The data was correct; the point I was trying to make was legitimate, but it was not written well and might have confused some folks. The landmen in the Bakken were probably disappointed, or worse, were laughing at the post. Be that as it may, here are some better examples. Look at these wells and their production profiles:
- 28019, 2,509, QEP, Moberg 4-20-21BH, Grail, t11/14; cum 133K 4/15; being choked back, did not flare two most recent months:
Pool | Date | Days | BBLS Oil | Runs | BBLS Water | MCF Prod | MCF Sold | Vent/Flare |
BAKKEN | 4-2015 | 25 | 21784 | 21761 | 10903 | 33025 | 32844 | 0 |
BAKKEN | 3-2015 | 21 | 14441 | 14541 | 14409 | 22215 | 22092 | 0 |
BAKKEN | 2-2015 | 18 | 19212 | 19008 | 9376 | 16791 | 15262 | 1386 |
BAKKEN | 1-2015 | 25 | 30148 | 30524 | 10937 | 40107 | 15581 | 24369 |
BAKKEN | 12-2014 | 31 | 43899 | 43490 | 19670 | 48792 | 26351 | 22254 |
BAKKEN | 11-2014 | 27 | 3537 | 3433 | 1102 | 4737 | 3353 | 1344 |
- 28020, 2,325, QEP, Moberg 3-20-21TH, Grail, t11/14; cum 135K 4/15; being choked back; no flaring most recent two months:
Pool | Date | Days | BBLS Oil | Runs | BBLS Water | MCF Prod | MCF Sold | Vent/Flare |
BAKKEN | 4-2015 | 19 | 12067 | 12184 | 6085 | 18509 | 18409 | 0 |
BAKKEN | 3-2015 | 19 | 15803 | 15796 | 9360 | 26427 | 26292 | 0 |
BAKKEN | 2-2015 | 18 | 14421 | 14298 | 6865 | 14404 | 13107 | 1190 |
BAKKEN | 1-2015 | 25 | 29218 | 29581 | 13827 | 38951 | 15132 | 23667 |
BAKKEN | 12-2014 | 31 | 42474 | 42594 | 21008 | 46748 | 25246 | 21321 |
BAKKEN | 11-2014 | 27 | 20905 | 20289 | 8008 | 26722 | 18908 | 7580 |
- 28021, 2,529, QEP, Moberg 3-20-21BH, Grail, t11/14; cum 134K 4/15; being choked back, no flaring most recent two months:
Pool | Date | Days | BBLS Oil | Runs | BBLS Water | MCF Prod | MCF Sold | Vent/Flare |
BAKKEN | 4-2015 | 26 | 15281 | 15495 | 6644 | 22641 | 22514 | 0 |
BAKKEN | 3-2015 | 30 | 23962 | 23822 | 9543 | 40016 | 39812 | 0 |
BAKKEN | 2-2015 | 18 | 14570 | 14442 | 6290 | 30811 | 28147 | 2555 |
BAKKEN | 1-2015 | 25 | 28777 | 29136 | 11426 | 38536 | 14971 | 23415 |
BAKKEN | 12-2014 | 31 | 41952 | 41730 | 19607 | 62163 | 33605 | 28380 |
BAKKEN | 11-2014 | 27 | 9108 | 8840 | 7245 | 12547 | 8884 | 3561 |
- 28022, 2,566, QEP, Moberg 2-20-21TH, Grail, t11/14; cum 134K 4/15; being choked back, did not flare most recent two months:
Pool | Date | Days | BBLS Oil | Runs | BBLS Water | MCF Prod | MCF Sold | Vent/Flare |
BAKKEN | 4-2015 | 25 | 14002 | 14223 | 6355 | 20551 | 20435 | 0 |
BAKKEN | 3-2015 | 30 | 23493 | 23301 | 11084 | 37759 | 37559 | 0 |
BAKKEN | 2-2015 | 18 | 11223 | 11148 | 4969 | 10340 | 9402 | 854 |
BAKKEN | 1-2015 | 25 | 27301 | 27696 | 11662 | 37475 | 14560 | 22773 |
BAKKEN | 12-2014 | 31 | 44475 | 44343 | 20818 | 62511 | 33788 | 28534 |
BAKKEN | 11-2014 | 27 | 13143 | 12756 | 5343 | 18132 | 12838 | 5147 |
There are so many variables to track for a proper assessment, but I think your takeaway is on the money. Not flaring and still pumping? Maybe a gas gathering pipeline is finally attached, or processing plant capacity is catching up, or electricity is being generated on-pad and counted as "sold gas". Whatever the case, likely to be unique for each field or multiwell pad, is that there is an organized decrease in the flow of crude oil in response to the decrease in price. There's no arguing the trend but plenty of reasons for changes at individual well locations. If the US continues to use about 20 million barrels of crude a day and produces a bit less than ten, clearly twice as many pipelines are needed to be "self-sufficient" as long as the API grade is right for our refineries. This ought to be an interesting decade.
ReplyDeleteIn retrospect, it was relatively easy to track the Bakken. Now, as you noted, it's going to get very, very difficult. I think the big story right now is all that oil being stored underground with wells have been drilled but not completed (it won't take long to complete those wells); and all those wells that are producing but choked back (spigots can be opened quickly and remotely).
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