A Re-Entered Vertical Madison Well -- March 2, 2024

Locator: 46650B.

The well:

• 3550, 140, Empire North Dakota, Waddle-Olson 1, spud 5/64; cum 217K 12/23; drilled as a vertical Madison well sixty years ago, and re-entered as a horizontal well in October, 2022.
  

This vertical Madison well was re-entered in October, 2022. The build section began on October 28, 2022. The landing was achieved at 3520' MD / 1866' TVDSS. Very shallow compared to Bakken wells at depths of 8,000 to 9,000 feet. 

TD was reached on October 31, 2022, at 5,220' MD / 3326.7' TVD / 1871.7 TVDSS (true vertical depth below sea level). This is a conventional pool, not shale, and thus not fracked.

The original vertical well was drilled back in 1964 -- sixty years ago -- and this was the initial production: all oil, no gas, and very little water --

MADISON	6-1965	30	718	0	38	0	0	0
MADISON	5-1965	31	773	0	32	0	0	0
MADISON	4-1965	30	768	0	40	0	0	0
MADISON	3-1965	31	831	0	63	0	0	0
MADISON	2-1965	28	769	0	49	0	0	0
MADISON	1-1965	31	817	0	61	0	0	0
MADISON	12-1964	31	869	0	65	0	0	0
MADISON	11-1964	30	850	0	84	0	0	0
MADISON	10-1964	31	866	0	96	0	0	0
MADISON	9-1964	24	782	0	77	0	0	0
MADISON	8-1964	31	935	0	81	0	0	0
MADISON	7-1964	31	1064	0	93	0	0	0
MADISON	6-1964	17	905	0	79	0	0	0

Day in, day out, the well was active, for fifty years, not taken off line until 2013 for a bit longer than a year.

At that time, production:

MADISON	5-2014	31	413	393	17	0	0	0
MADISON	4-2014	30	374	400	16	0	0	0
MADISON	3-2014	13	168	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	2-2014	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	1-2014	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	12-2013	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	11-2013	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	10-2013	31	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	9-2013	30	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	8-2013	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	7-2013	0	0	208	0	0	0	0
MADISON	6-2013	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	5-2013	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	4-2013	21	236	213	9	0	0	0
MADISON	3-2013	31	337	431	13	0	0	0

Then, as noted, the well was re-entered and a lateral drilled for about 3,000 feet (landing about 2000' and ending with a TD of 5,220'MD). Production after the lateral was complete:

Pool	Date	Days	BBLS Oil	Runs	BBLS Water	MCF Prod	MCF Sold	Vent/Flare
MADISON	12-2023	31	2066	2360	232	0	0	0
MADISON	11-2023	30	2338	2400	289	0	0	0
MADISON	10-2023	31	2508	2508	269	0	0	0
MADISON	9-2023	30	2551	2573	319	0	0	0
MADISON	8-2023	31	2780	2768	128	0	0	0
MADISON	7-2023	31	2822	2797	259	0	0	0
MADISON	6-2023	30	2898	2797	419	0	0	0
MADISON	5-2023	29	2870	2853	563	0	0	0
MADISON	4-2023	30	3301	3299	34	0	0	0
MADISON	3-2023	24	3119	2905	32	0	0	0
MADISON	2-2023	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	1-2023	29	2880	3105	3031	0	0	0
MADISON	12-2022	21	3435	3157	3615	0	0	0
MADISON	11-2022	10	1705	1964	1796	0	0	0
MADISON	10-2022	5	218	0	229	0	0	0
MADISON	9-2022	15	130	191	5	0	0	0
MADISON	8-2022	5	90	203	4	0	0	0
MADISON	7-2022	31	652	600	27	0	0	0

Knowing not much about this, but this seems to be quite a successful test. Conventional pools tend not to decline like Bakken shale wells, so this wells should produce at 2,500 bopm for quite some time. We'll see.

But there you have it. A re-entered vertical Madison wells with a short lateral.

Just For Old Time's Sake -- A Red Wing Creek-Madison Well -- February 13, 2024

Locator: 46813M.

The well:

• 5260, 396, True Oil, Red Wing Creek Unit 33-27, Red Wing Creek, F, t2/74; cum 3.640743 million bbls 12/23; still producing upwards of 6,000 bopm; note: the paperwork says this well is still "F" -- no pump.
  

Recent production:

Pool	Date	Days	BBLS Oil	Runs	BBLS Water	MCF Prod	MCF Sold	Vent/Flare
MADISON	12-2023	31	4414	4350	3620	2738	2721	0
MADISON	11-2023	18	2799	2827	1609	2116	2103	0
MADISON	10-2023	31	4565	4637	2514	3666	3649	0
MADISON	9-2023	30	5296	5189	3149	4344	4323	0
MADISON	8-2023	31	4600	4552	3663	4625	4597	0
MADISON	7-2023	31	3317	3156	1809	2771	2753	0
MADISON	6-2023	30	2085	2046	2546	1532	1522	0
MADISON	5-2023	31	2428	2445	2450	1430	1421	0
MADISON	4-2023	30	3763	3855	3280	2397	2386	0
MADISON	3-2023	31	4899	4883	4346	2427	2417	0
MADISON	2-2023	28	5911	5867	4991	2547	2538	0
MADISON	1-2023	31	4107	4067	3847	3612	3601	0
MADISON	12-2022	31	3316	3286	2931	6019	5999	0
MADISON	11-2022	28	2957	2932	2679	4624	4605	0
MADISON	10-2022	31	3034	2994	2785	5313	5296	0
MADISON	9-2022	30	3058	3199	2815	8253	8224	3

Not too long ago:

MADISON	10-2020	31	1731	1734	2757	1324	1311	0
MADISON	9-2020	30	1299	1280	2071	2501	2478	0
MADISON	8-2020	31	1553	1484	2964	3937	3907	0
MADISON	7-2020	22	1023	964	1257	3918	3893	0
MADISON	6-2020	0	0	56	0	0	0	0
MADISON	5-2020	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	4-2020	16	319	262	579	571	564	0
MADISON	3-2020	4	64	118	93	109	108	0
MADISON	2-2020	29	901	948	1629	962	958	0
MADISON	1-2020	27	1292	1250	118	1096	1082	6
MADISON	12-2019	20	414	347	14	782	775	0
MADISON	11-2019	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	10-2019	0	0	27	0	0	0	0
MADISON	9-2019	8	164	225	0	169	160	7
MADISON	8-2019	17	996	899	29	1110	1097	0
MADISON	7-2019	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	6-2019	0	0	10	0	0	0	0
MADISON	5-2019	2	40	86	0	66	66	0
MADISON	4-2019	5	419	363	74	542	538	0
MADISON	3-2019	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	2-2019	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	1-2019	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	12-2018	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Back in the early 90s:

MADISON	12-1994	31	5717	0	2201	14088	14088	0
MADISON	11-1994	30	5690	0	2096	13386	13386	0
MADISON	10-1994	31	6065	0	2444	14570	14570	0
MADISON	9-1994	28	5483	0	2480	12594	12594	0
MADISON	8-1994	22	3883	0	1799	9268	9268	0
MADISON	7-1994	31	5558	0	2701	13038	13038	0
MADISON	6-1994	30	5905	0	2670	14045	14045	0
MADISON	5-1994	31	7837	0	4056	14933	14933	0
MADISON	4-1994	30	10017	0	6075	27816	27816	0
MADISON	3-1994	4	2419	0	0	7628	7628	0
MADISON	2-1994	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	1-1994	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	12-1993	13	2682	0	968	8318	8318	0
MADISON	11-1993	30	5302	0	2280	14732	14732	0

Back in the 80s:

MADISON	10-1986	6	5988	0	483	5387	5148	0
MADISON	7-1986	7	2728	0	799	2137	1176	0
MADISON	6-1986	30	11816	0	3010	15867	14839	0
MADISON	5-1986	31	12810	0	3062	15983	15014	0
MADISON	4-1986	30	12683	0	4879	11375	10599	0
MADISON	3-1986	31	13132	0	2356	12362	11699	0
MADISON	2-1986	28	12573	0	2996	10239	9648	0
MADISON	1-1986	28	10147	0	28	9893	9552	0
MADISON	12-1985	0	10961	0	1762	7527	7081	0
MADISON	11-1985	26	13347	0	1040	17667	17084	0
MADISON	8-1985	26	8986	0	1768	9780	9468	0
MADISON	7-1985	24	8044	0	75	9299	9058	0
MADISON	6-1985	8	1387	0	40	1653	0	0
MADISON	5-1985	31	5342	0	597	5262	0	0
MADISON	4-1985	30	13685	0	1800	13716	622	0
MADISON	3-1985	20	10331	0	1097	12775	2666	0

Initial production:

MADISON	4-1975	30	18914	0	87	0	0	0
MADISON	3-1975	29	18443	0	18	0	0	0
MADISON	2-1975	28	18489	0	41	0	0	0
MADISON	1-1975	31	21606	0	167	0	0	0
MADISON	12-1974	31	20859	0	189	0	0	0
MADISON	11-1974	30	21234	0	143	0	0	0
MADISON	10-1974	31	21663	0	192	0	0	0
MADISON	9-1974	30	22297	0	180	0	0	0
MADISON	8-1974	26	20676	0	68	0	0	0
MADISON	7-1974	31	24556	0	80	0	0	0
MADISON	6-1974	30	23932	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	5-1974	31	26236	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	4-1974	27	28089	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	3-1974	27	28993	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	2-1974	23	19959	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	11-1973	0	904	0	0	0	0	0
MADISON	10-1973	0	213	0	0	0	0	0

Ragnar Targeting The Madison WIth No Less Than Twenty-Three Horizontal Wells -- November 20, 2021

Updates

November 21, 2021: a reader found this at the ND Sec of State Business Search:

• RA
• incorporated in Delaware
• initial filing: September 29, 2021 
• principal (sic) address:
• 10390 39th St N Suite 4
• Lake Elmo, MN 55042

See first comment for another link but that's about all we've got. So far. 

Original Post

 From the December, 2021, NDIC hearing dockets, these are cases, not permits:

• Case 29116, Ragnar Exploration LLC, Fryburg-Madison, establish five 320-acre units, S/2 section 21 and all of sections 20 and 22 - 139-100; one horizontal well one each unit; Billings County;
• Case 29117, Ragnar Exploration LLC, Norwegian Creek-Madison, establish fourteen 320-acre units, sections 23/26/35-139-100; and section 2/3/10/11-138-100; one horizontal well on each 320-acre unit, Billings County;
• Case 29118, Ragnar Exploration LLC, Rocky Hill-Madison, Billings County, establish four 320-acre units; sections 1/12-138-100; Billings County;

Unless someone has data to tell me differently, this is a new company operating  in North Dakota and you read that first on the milliondollarway blog; this has not been reported in any similar blog until now. What a great blog. LOL. Since this company is targeting the Madison and not the Bakken, it will not be added to the list of "Operators" at this blog.

An exception to the "Bakken rule," Ragnar Exploration will be added to the long list of "Bakken Operators."

Ragnar Exploration:

• I cannot find a website for this LLC, although I may have missed it;
• Ragnar Technologies seems to be related;
• a strong (and fairly common) Scandinavian name (wiki)
  

For newbies:

• Billings County is not considered a core Bakken county
• it is rare to see horizontal drilling in the Madison
• this is a lot of drilling units in one case (fourteen drilling units in case 29117, for example)
• the target formation is not the Bakken; the target formation is the Madison
• these are going to be extremely short laterals; in the old days they would have been called directional wells
• we do not know if fracking will be required

There are several dry wells in the immediate area, but only one producing well, also a short lateral, drilled back in 2007 and it took 38 days from spud to total depth. These days, this well would be drilled to depth in less than a week: the gold standard would be one day for the vertical; a half day for the curve; a full day for the lateral. Come in to work el lunes y salir el viernes.

There is no evidence that this one producing well in the immediate area was fracked.

The well: 

• 16450, 227, Medora Minerals, LLC; Davis Creek 1-27H, Norwegian Creek, t4/07; cum 121K 9/21; 

The graphic:

The Incredible Williston Basin; A Couple Of Madison Wells Each With More than 3 Million Bbls Crude 0il Cumulative -- September 22, 2021

Re-posting.

I hate it when these incredible stories get lost in the shuffle.

True Oil, LLC, has another permit for a Red Wing Creek Madison well, permit #38575 (no scout ticket yet). Incredibly inexpensive to drill (vertical wells) and inexpensive to complete (not fracked).

Red Wing Creek:

• in section 27-148-101: approximately twelve vertical wells; these are Madison wells;
• #38575 will be located near:
• 13590, IA/239, True Oil, Red Wing Creek Unit 32-27, t8/94; cum 275K 6/21; off line 7/21;
• 5260, 396, True Oil, Red Wing Creek Unit 33-27, t2/74; cum 3.533689 million bbls 7/21; forty-seven years old;
  
• 5323, 917, True Oil, Red Wing Creek Unit 42-27, t11/73; cum 3.316674 million bbls 7/21; forty-eight years old;
  
• 15417, 94, True Oil, Red Wing Creek Unit 43-27, t8/03; cum 245K 7/21;

Random Update Of A Madison Well In Portal Oil Field -- May 30, 2020

The well:

• 33937, 102, Petro Harvester Operating, PTL2 4-16 163-92D, Portal oil field, target: Madison pool; t3/19; cum 56K 3/20; 

From the well file:

• 14 stages;
• 14.2 million lbs
• horizontal; TD=15,244 feet
• 30'-target
• spud: October 13, 2018
• TD: November 3, 2018

Production profile:

Pool	Date	Days	BBLS Oil	Runs	BBLS Water	MCF Prod	MCF Sold	Vent/Flare
MADISON	3-2020	31	2535	2063	35814	24375	23437	938
MADISON	2-2020	29	2697	2784	33173	22565	22433	132
MADISON	1-2020	31	2924	3126	35879	21882	21304	578
MADISON	12-2019	31	3432	3320	40718	25887	23992	1895
MADISON	11-2019	30	3507	3397	38584	20500	19752	748
MADISON	10-2019	31	4330	4750	46155	21516	21504	12
MADISON	9-2019	30	4698	4280	45522	21421	21418	3
MADISON	8-2019	31	5200	5341	50586	21101	20202	899
MADISON	7-2019	31	6161	6057	51107	20290	16123	4167
MADISON	6-2019	30	7543	7661	53583	17954	17566	388
MADISON	5-2019	31	7822	7875	57243	18607	18104	503
MADISON	4-2019	25	3646	3712	32179	5546	5506	40
MADISON	3-2019	22	1356	547	28790	1475	1126	349
MADISON	2-2019	0	0	0	0	0	0	0