Samson Updates On Earl -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA

Link here.

Samson O&G advised that operations on the Earl #1-13H to drill out the 19 frac plugs is underway. This operation, which commenced last week, has been hampered by difficult weather conditions, by the stand down of the rig crew for Easter and by equipment breakdowns. The operation is now back on track, however and the first of the nineteen plugs had been drilled as of 0700 hours CST this morning.

Prior to the first plug being drilled, the oil rate from the well for the previous 24 hours was 292 BOPD. After the first plug was drilled, the rate was measured at 960 BOPD over a two hour period, prior to commencing the drill out of the second plug. Neither of these rates is considered to be a conclusive indicator of the well's initial production performance, as this can only be determined once all of the plugs have been removed. Samson is, however, encouraged by the marked increase in the oil rate from just one of the nineteen plugs being removed.

Huge Well -- Hecker 21-18TFH -- Whiting South -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA

From Whiting's 1Q11 earnings announcement:

The Hecker 21-18TFH, during a 24-hour test of the Three Forks formation at a vertical depth of approximately 10,500 feet on March 4, 2011, flowed at a daily rate of 3,106 barrels of oil and 3,038 Mcf of gas, or 3,612 BOE per day.

This is the highest initial production rate for a Three Forks well in the Williston Basin, according to Harts Unconventional Oil & Gas website.

The initial 24-hour production rate was gauged on a 48/64-inch choke with a flowing casing pressure of 990 pounds per square inch (psi). The well was fracture stimulated in a total of 22 stages, all using sliding sleeve technology. An additional eight stages are scheduled to be fraced with the “plug and perf” method.

Whiting, the operator of the well, holds a 77% working interest and a 62% net revenue interest in the new producer.

This is huge.

I've been waiting for information on the Hecker 21-18TFH.

The Hecker is right in the middle of the flurry of Whiting activity north of Belfield in the Bell and Zenith oil fields I have been posting about for the last several days. For more, click here and here.

The Hecker 21-18TFH is still on the confidential list, so this is the first information that has been released about this well, as far as I know.

A huge "thank you" to Don for alerting me to it.

Eight (8) New Permits -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA -- Update on Three Corinthian/Surge/Spearfish Wells

Drillers: CLR (2), Whiting (2), Petro-Hunt, Samson Resources, Ursa, Newfield.

Fields: Dollar Joe, Baukol Noonan, Bell, Zenith, Cabernet, Fertile Valley, and a wildcat.

Whiting has two more exciting permits: one in Bell, and one in Zenith, two neighboring fields which are very, very exciting. See yesterday's posting on Whiting's new permits in Zenith and North Creek.

CLR has the permit in Cabernet, another exciting field.

Finally, Ursa's wildcat is in McKenzie County, southwest of Watford City.

Hess reported a nice well in today's daily activity report:

• 19146, 988, Hess, Little Chase Creek 21-1H, Little Knife, Bakken, 18K in first month

Not good news in today's daily activity report:

• 19386, 0 bopd, Ritchie Exploration, Bernstein 1, Bottineau County; was also released from confidential status today but no data provided the date of the original post. However, on the daily activity report of April 28, 2011, "0 bopd" was reported and is now reported as "Shut In"

Two earlier Corinthian/Ritchie Bernstein wells had IPs of 5 each. 

US Government: Lease Sales Off Mid-Atlantic, South-Atlantic Won't Occur Before 2017

From the 2011 Energy Information Agency (EIA-US) update, 2009 - 2035:

Rising world oil prices, growing shale oil resources, and increased production using enhanced oil recovery techniques contribute to increased US oil production to 2035 in the AEO2011 reference case. From 2009 to 2035, US crude oil production is forecast to increase by about 600,000 b/d. [Blog comment: Bakken could account for much of this.]

Bakken shale oil contributes to oil production growth in the Rocky Mountain region, and growth in the Gulf Coast region is spurred by resources in the Eagle Ford and Austin Chalk formations, while some of the decline in oil production in the southwestern US is offset by production from the Avalon shale formation, according to the outlook.

Lower 48 offshore production increases by 13% between 2009 and 2035 in the reference case. According to the recent Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement leasing plan, lease sales in the Mid-Atlantic and South-Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf will not occur before 2017. Oil shale liquid production, which comes on line in the Rocky Mountain region in 2029 in the reference case, accounts for about 2% of total US oil production in 2035.

Linn Energy Misses by 3 Cents; Acquires More Bakken Acreage -- North Dakota, USA

Link here.

Misses by 3 cents.

In same press releases, announces continued aggressive acquisition spree in the Bakken:

Independent explorer and producer Linn Energy said it agreed to purchase assets in North Dakota's Bakken shale for $163 million, continuing a buying spree of oil- and natural gas-liquids rich properties, but its quarterly profit fell below estimates.

From Houston Business Journal.com

• $163 million: an additional two sets of assets in the Bakken shale play in North Dakota
• Bringing its total acquisitions in the play this year to $238 million