UND EERC Has Permits For Two Wildcat Wells -- Outside Of Current Area Of Drilling Activity -- November 6, 2017

Updates

December 2, 2017: from The Bismarck Tribune--

A rare drilling rig is at work in central North Dakota this week, but crews aren’t looking for oil. They’re drilling two exploratory wells in the middle of coal country to help researchers determine the feasibility of storing carbon dioxide deep underground rather than emitting it into the atmosphere.

It’s part of a study nicknamed Project CarbonSAFE, led by the University of North Dakota’s Energy and Environmental Research Center and funded, in part, by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Researchers will investigate the geology more than a mile underground to determine if it is suitable for the storage of carbon dioxide captured from coal-based energy facilities.

November 29, 2017: update with photos here. 

November 7, 2017: over at the UND EERC site, click on "Publications" and then search "carbon capture" and see an endless number of UND EERC articles on carbon capture on the prairie.
November 7, 2017: see first comment --

These two wells are being drilled to test geologic formations for carbon (CO2) storage potential. They are in close proximity to coal fired power plants in the area.

Original Post 

 One of two permits UND EERC has for a wildcat well:

• 34244, loc, UND EERC, BNI 1, SESE 27-142-84, Oliver County; far east of the current drilling in the Williston Basin

The graphic:

Center is the county seat of Oliver County. Center is about 40 miles northwest of Bismarck, ND.

The other permit is in Mercer County (a google search of the blog will bring up several references to Mercer County). The well:

• 34243, loc, UND EERC, Flemmer 1, SWSW 32-145N-89W, Mercer County

For more on geology, click on the geology tag at the bottom of the page. A recent post on the petroleum systems in North Dakota is at this link.  A stratigraphic "map" is linked at the sidebar at the right.