Another Truck Stop Going Into the Bakken -- Grassy Butte, North Dakota

Wow, I wish every Wall Street analyst could drive through Grassy Butte, North Dakota. Beautiful scenery. I cannot count the number of times I have been through Grassy Butte.

I see a new truck stop will be going in:

Builders will break ground on a new truck stop targeting oil traffic near Grassy Butte in a few weeks.

Sweet Crude Travel Center will be at the southeast corner of the intersection of Highways 200 and 85. The building will be 13,500 square feet with 12 acres of land for parking, said Brett Narloch, managing partner.

Wow, it never quits (in the Bakken). 

AAPL: Be Ready For A Wild Ride Monday -- Apple Wins Patent Infringement Suit Against Samsung; TransCanada (Keystone XL) Wins in Texas

Link here.

Samsung responded to the verdict in a statement issued from its Seoul headquarters, saying it was "unfortunate that patent law can be manipulated to give one company a monopoly." 

Just a few years ago Dell said "Apple should close shop." I think Apple still has less than 8 percent market penetration of desktop computers. Go into almost any Forbes 500 company (except Apple, of course) headquarters building and the secretaries are all using non-Apple desktops. I know the military almost uses non-Apple exclusively for their computer needs.

"Today's verdict should not be viewed as a win for Apple, but as a loss for the American consumer. It will lead to fewer choices, less innovation, and potentially higher prices," Samsung said. 

Less innovation? Samsung copied Apple's ideas and patents. I don't know what Samsung innovated.

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Meanwhile, TransCanada wins an eminent domain case in Texas.

A Texas rebellion over private property rights and a major new oil pipeline has been dealt a setback by a judge in Lamar County, who ruled that the Canadian pipeline company TransCanada has the right to exercise the power of eminent domain to run the Keystone XL pipeline across an opposing landowner’s property.

“What this means is that the lowest-level court has chosen to rule in TransCanada’s favor with a summary judgment, and I find it interesting that it was a 15-word ruling sent from his iPhone. We’ve been in court with thousands of pages of documents and testimony and witnesses and hearings, and it comes down to 15 words on an email form his phone.”

How many words did the plaintiff want? Texans aren't exactly known for excessive talking (LBJ excepted).

Daily Bakken Operations Report; BR Has a Huge Short Lateral (IP - 5,310);

Wells coming off confidential list, Friday, were reported earlier.

In addition, the follow producing wells were completed:

• 20636, 5,310, BR, Brazos 24-34H, middle Bakken, Charlson, short lateral, t6/12; cum 5K 6/12; the horizontal leg was drilled in four days; 11 stages (?); 1 million pounds sand; half-million pounds ceramic;  the hole was spud 11/7/11 but no drilling was done between 11/17/11 and 11/29/11; they reached vertical depth on 12/2/11; the horizontal total depth was reached in four days; this is essentially an 8-day well.
• 22139, 1,148, XTO, Christiana 21X-6G, t4/12; cum 20K 6/12;
• 20062, 1,359, XTO, Christiana 21X-6, t4/12; cum 28K 6/12;
• 21754, 654, Enerplus, Grouper 149-94-36D-25h TF, t7/12; cum --

Eighteen (18) new permits issued in North Dakota today (includes three salt water disposal wells);

• Operators: OXY USA, CLR (7), Murex, Fidelity, Triangle (4), G3, Zavanna (2)
• Fields: Crooked Creek (Dunn), Banks (McKenzie), Upland (Divide), New Home (Williams), Alexander (McKenzie), Green River (Stark), Rawson (McKenzie), Good Luck (Williams)

It looks like CLR has permits for a 5-well pad in Banks oil field.

Land Available For Lease in the Bakken

At this post regarding the airport at Killdeer, there is a comment regarding land for lease.

Helis: A Retrospective -- 100K in Six Months; 28 stages; 100% Ceramics; Three Forks Target; Pronghorn Discussed

Locator: 10010HELIS.

My database suggests that Helis was issued its first permit in the current boom in 2007.

Here is the status of wells for permits issued to Helis in 2011. I think the narratives for several of the wells will give one an idea of the well design used by Helis, the formation target, etc.:

• 20591, 2,656, Oasis/QEP/Helis, Jones 4-15/22H, Three Forks, Blue Buttes oil field, t4/12; cum 586K 11/17; 28 stages; 3.4 million pounds; 100% ceramics; vertical hole, 137 hours; horizontal, 286 hours; 28 days total; middle Bakken 38' thick here; "recently the NDGS has reclassified the lower approximate 10' of the Lower Bakken Shale as a stratigraphically and litholgically distinct unit. The unit now referred to as the Pronghorn Member is present in Blue Buttes Field. The unit thickness is variable and in some wells the interval has not been observed.... gas show in the Three Forks was encouraging .. 1,000 to 1,500 units .. increased to 4,000 units... then to 6,500 units...10-20' trip flare...." cum 681K 1/22; cum 738K 11/24;
  
• 20780, 2,190, Oasis/QEP/Helis, Henderson 1-28/33H, Grail, t6/12; cum 495K 11/17; cum 608K 1/22; cum 651K 11/24;
  
• 21052, PA/1,684, Oasis/QEP/Helis, Moberg 15-22/15H, Three Forks, Grail, t12/11; cum 298K 11/17; 28 stages; 3.1 million pounds; 100% ceramics; vertical, 132 hours; horizontal, 199 hours; spud August 26; reached total depth on November 6 (the surface was spud August 26; the big rig did not re-enter until October 4), so about 32 days total drilling; Pronghorn about 6' feet thick in this well, but averages 10' in this area; 1,500 units of gas; 3 - 5' flares. Off line 3/18; cum 304K 3/18; cum 443K 11/24;
• 21054, 1,601, Oasis/QEP/Helis, Veeder 1-27/34H, Grail, t2/12; cum 345K 11/17; cum 410K 1/22;
  
• 21331, A/AB/2,164, Oasis/QEP/Helis, Foreman 5-2/1H, Three Forks, Spotted Horn, t1/12; cum 368K 11/17; 28 stages; 3.4 million pounds proppants; 100% ceramics; vertical 144 hours; horizontal, 308 hours; 33 days total; "recently the NDGS has reclassified the lower approximate 10' of the Lower Bakken Shale as a stratigraphically and litholgically distinct unit. The unit now referred to as the Pronghorn Member is present in Spotted Horn and surrounding fields; the Pronghorn is approx 8 feet thick in the Forman well; in the Three Forks, gas units as high as 3,413 units; flares were 2 - 5' in height; a sustained 10 - 15' flare was burned for about 30 minutes near the end." Off line 11/20; cum 408K 11/20; cum 440K 11/24;
  
• 21437, 2,256, Oasis/QEP/Helis, Lawlar 16-8/5H, Grail, t4/12; cum 386K 11/17; cum 457K 1/22; cum 483K 11/24;
  
• 21456, 2,014, Oasis/QEP/Helis, TAT 13-35/26H, Grail; t7/12; cum416K 11/17; cum 513K 1/22; cum 556K 11/24;
  
• 21521, IA/1,521, Oasis/QEP/Helis, Dailey 4-12/13H, Spotted horn, t3/12; cum 419K 11/17; cum 440K 1/22; recently off line; back on line; cum 441K 2/22; off line;
  
• 21564, 2,288, Oasis/QEP/Helis, Levang Federal 14-21/16H, Blue Buttes;  t8/12; cum 649K 11/17; cum 699K 1/22; cum 710K 11/24;
  

For newbies: these are huge wells. It looks like many will hit 100,000 bbls in the first three months of production; all should hit 100,000 bbls in the first six months of production, or certainly come close. This is as good a string of wells that I have seen anywhere in the Bakken since I began following it in 2006.

QEP did their homework.