The Jury Is Still Out, But Horizontal Madison Well In Pratt Oil Field Is Really Quite Remarkable -- May 24, 2017

Conventional, vertical Madison wells in the Pratt oil field northeast of Minot produce around 250 bbls/month maximum during the early years and decline gradually. After decades of production, few hit 75K bbls (total) of crude oil production. 

Pratt oil field, vertical Madison wells: file number, test date; max monthly production; total cumulative --

• 12828, 7/90, 905 bbls, 41K, now AB,
• 12645, 7/89, 196 bbls, 22K, now AB,
• 12553, 5/89, 151 bbls, 10K, still A, producing 3 - 4 bbls/month,
• 12449, 9/88, 870 bbls, 70K, still A, producing 125 bbls/month,
• 12461, 8/88, 566 bbls, 36K, still A, producing 25 bbls/month,
• 12448, 7/88, 571 bbls, 67K, now IA,
• 3696, 10/64, 770 bbls, 89K, still A, producing less than 3 bbls/month,
• 3315, 2/63, 1321 bbls, 128K, now IA,
• 3298, 12/62, dry

Now, compare that with recent horizontal well in the same oil field, same formation:

• 33156, 439, Sedalia Energy, Pratt Madison Unit 3H, Pratt, t1/17; cum 56K 78/17; note: at this post, a graphic showing how Sedalia Energy drilled three laterals from one Madison well;

Madison wells are not fracked; no stimulation. In addition, these have been short laterals, so far. Vertical depth at 4,000 feet is about half that of a Bakken well. Madison wells typically don't have the "dreaded" Bakken decline rate. Shallow, short laterals, no fracking, and steady production over many years; previously Madison wells were simply vertical wells; now horizontal wells.

This is really quite a nice well, Sedalia, #33156 (production profile updated July 27, 2017):

Pool	Date	Days	BBLS Oil	Runs	BBLS Water	MCF Prod	MCF Sold	Vent/Flare
MADISON	6-2017	30	6161	6058	39770	0	0	0
MADISON	5-2017	31	6661	6706	40892	0	0	0
MADISON	4-2017	30	7786	7790	42191	0	0	0
MADISON	3-2017	31	9087	9374	46420	0	0	0
MADISON	2-2017	28	11439	11005	45914	0	0	0
MADISON	1-2017	11	3586	3335	36484	0	0	0

Pratt oil field:

  

******************************

Vertical vs Horizontal Madison Oil Wells In Pratt Oil Field

First six months of three vertical Pratt oil field wells. NOTE "RUNS" in the vertical wells for the first three months - zero bbls (which I don't understand). Again, file number, date tested, maximum production in any single month, status:

3315, 2/63, 1321 bbls, 128K, now IA:

MADISON	4-1963	29	1062	0	685	0	0	0
MADISON	3-1963	23	1321	0	423	0	0	0
MADISON	2-1963	13	917	0	299	0	0	0

3696, 10/64, 770 bbls, 89K, still A, producing less than 3 bbls/month:

MADISON	12-1964	31	668	0	922	0	0	0
MADISON	11-1964	30	770	0	1055	0	0	0
MADISON	10-1964	16	529	0	530	0	0	0

12449, 9/88, 870 bbls, 70K, still A, producing 125 bbls/month:

MADISON	11-1988	27	612	0	1789	0	0	0
MADISON	10-1988	29	639	0	900	0	0	0
MADISON	9-1988	29	870	0	580	0	0	0

Compare with the recently reported horizontal Madison well in the same field (repeated from above):

Pool	Date	Days	BBLS Oil	Runs	BBLS Water	MCF Prod	MCF Sold	Vent/Flare
MADISON	3-2017	31	9087	9374	46420	0	0	0
MADISON	2-2017	28	11439	11005	45914	0	0	0
MADISON	1-2017	11	3586	3335	36484	0	0	0

******************

Madison Formation

The Madison formation is tracked here. It should be noted that there are many incredible vertical (conventional) Madison wells in North Dakota. Some of these Madison wells are tracked over at "Monster Wells."

Just one example:

• 7274, 1,100/PA, Whiting, Big Stick (Madison) Unit 2502, Big Stick, t5/80; cum 2.05 million 11/94 

Production from this well for two years back in 1981 - 1982 (fourth column is monthly oil production in bbls/month):

MADISON	12-1982	31	30129	30242	1624	35971	35550	25
MADISON	11-1982	30	31236	31444	925	31958	30866	651
MADISON	10-1982	31	33349	33150	830	45992	42875	2577
MADISON	9-1982	30	32695	32622	2181	46864	41232	5062
MADISON	8-1982	31	35027	35365	2144	55837	53911	1332
MADISON	7-1982	31	37066	36951	2748	51541	46141	4701
MADISON	6-1982	30	36167	35869	765	43515	42259	722
MADISON	5-1982	31	39555	40583	1095	50177	44941	4726
MADISON	4-1982	30	39085	37964	1205	46243	42372	3409
MADISON	3-1982	31	39704	39687	1006	37163	36707	0
MADISON	2-1982	28	36513	36647	862	35988	34157	1414
MADISON	1-1982	31	43256	43113	894	33240	32802	0
MADISON	12-1981	31	43135	43423	848	37243	36835	0
MADISON	11-1981	30	42634	42294	452	37914	37430	76
MADISON	10-1981	31	44072	44276	232	37533	36001	1109
MADISON	9-1981	30	41838	41642	461	37171	36751	0
MADISON	8-1981	31	42264	42280	265	41021	40544	0
MADISON	7-1981	31	46920	46922	27192	42045	38637	2973
MADISON	6-1981	30	36818	36795	3260	28205	27587	412
MADISON	5-1981	31	38418	39090	7454	37772	35136	2399
MADISON	4-1981	27	35583	34920	5805	22502	21349	748
MADISON	3-1981	31	33025	32991	3275	35153	34036	652
MADISON	2-1981	28	34892	35679	290	10791	10371	0
MADISON	1-1981	31	40800	40148	1757	29531	27848	1218