152-94-35, Antelope, Several MRO Pads In The Area -- Will Track As The Daniel Play

Locator: 10010MRODANIEL.

MRO inventory: will track as the Daniel pad.

The graphic:

The wells:

• 37089, 5,502, MRO, Jonah USA 11-2H, Antelope-Sanish, t--; cum 399K 5/23; cum 408K 8/23;
  
• 36221, 6,420, MRO, Daniel USA 11-2TFH-2B, t--; cum 437K 5/23; cum 446K 8/23;
  
• 36222, 7,083, MRO, Morsette USA 11-2H, t--; cum 370K 5/23; cum 377K 8/23;
  
• 36223, 7,146, MRO,  Sherman USA 21-2TFH, t--; cum 440K 5/23; cum 453K 8/23;
  
• 36224, 3,9551, MRO, Valaarie USA 21-3H, t--; cum 346K 5/23; cum 356K 8/23;
  
• 33412, 6,509, MRO, Winona USA 21-2TFH-2B, Antelope-Sanish, t4/18; cum 544K 2/20; off line 3/20; remains off line 6/20; cum 716K 5/23; cum 726K 8/23;
  
• 33413, 8,475, MRO, Chauncey USA 31-2H, Antelope-Sanish, t3/18; cum 466K 3/20; off line 4/20; remains off line 6/20; cum 534K 5/23; cum 541K 8/23;
  
• 33414, 5,524, MRO, Wilbur USA 31-2TFH, Antelope-Sanish, t4/18; cum 407K 6/20; cum 491K 5/23; cum 503K 8/23;
  
• 33415, 7,572, MRO, June USA 31-2H, Antelope-Sanish, t3/18; cum 531K 6/20; cum 654K 5/23; cum 668K 8/23;
  
• 33416, 4,892, MRO, Miles USA 41-2TFH-2B, Antelope-Sanish, t4/18; cum 349K 6/20; cum 417K 5/23; cum 419K 8/23;
  
• 31060, 3,473, MRO, Heather USA 13-35TFH, Antelope-Sanish, t5/16; cum 390K 6/20; cum 447K 5/23; cum 450K 8/23;
  
• 31061, 2,942, MRO, Juanita USA 13-35H, Antelope-Sanish, t7/16; cum 463K 5/20; off line 6/20; cum 507K 5/23; cum 509K 8/23;
  
• 31058, 3,661, MRO, Clarks Creek USA 14-35H, Antelope-Sanish, t5/16; cum 411K 6/20; cum 482K 5/23; cum 487K 8/23;
  
• 31057, 3,490, MRO, Charmaine USA 14-35TFH, Antelope-Sanish, t6/16; cum 494K 6/20; cum 571K 5/23; cum 579K 8/23;
  

• 37612, drl/A, MRO, Cavanaugh USA 11-35H, Antelope-Sanish, t--; cum 342K 5/23; cum 350K 8/23;
  
• 37611, drl/A, MRO, Archer ..., t--; cum 247K 5/23; cum 260K 8/23;
  
• 37776, PNC, MRO, Ida ...;
  
• 37610, drl/A, MRO, Black USA ....; t--; cum 354K 5/23; cum 366K 8/23;
  
• 37609, drl/A, MRO, Shoberg USA ...; t--; cum 449K 5/23; cum 466K 8/23;
  
• 37608, drl/A, MRO, Robin USA....; t--; cum 236K 5/23; cum 241K 8/23;
  
• 37607, drl/A, MRO, Saint Pierre USA .. ; t--; cum 335K 5/23; cum 349K 8/23;
  

• 33491, 4,125, MRO, Shoots USA 41-2H, Antelope-Sanish, t4/18; cum 388K 6/20; cum 481K 5/23; cum 488K 8/23;
  
• 33492, 6,637, MRO, Mamie USA 21-1TFH, Antelope-Sanish, t4/18; cum 567K 6/20; cum 715K 5/23; cum 731K 8/23
• 18471, 380, MRO, Hunts Along USA 12-1H, Antelope-Sanish, t1/11; cum 246K 6/20; huge jump in production, 4/18; cum 281K 5/23; cum 284K 8/23;
  
• 32865, 3,634, MRO, Demaray USA 41-2TFH, Antelope-Sanish, t4/18; cum 345K 6/20; cum 439K 5/23; cum 447K 8/23;
  
• 33493, 8,160, MRO, Mark USA 11-1H, Antelope-Sanish, t4/18; cum 441K 6/20; cum 548K 5/23; cum 558K 8/23;
  
• 33494, 3,826, MRO, Timothy USA 11-1TFH-2B, Antelope-Sanish, t4/18; cum 420K 6/20; cum 529K 8/23;
  

Week 35: August 23, 2020 -- August 29, 2020

Top stories of the week:

• ND Supreme Court rules in favor of family over state re: minerals;
• Federal government loan to pay city's portion of new airport;
• Bakken labor force near all-time high;
• North Dakota's $38 million lawsuit against US Army COE allowed to proceed;

The other top story of the week:

• Hurricane Laura; and, here; and, here;

Economic story of the week:

Most surprising graphic of the week:

• US EV sales;

Top international non-energy story:

• Mideast countries (and Cuba) backed into a corner;
• Saudi's crude oil exports drop to lowest on record;
• Saudi: definition of insanity;

Top international energy story:

• World oil demand recovering at record pace -- Rigzone;
• Saudi Arabia's oil revenues plunge;
• Saudi Arabia's oil exports to US surge;

Top national non-energy story:

• Consumer sentiment index greater than expected;
• Mortgage applications hit another record; home sales surging; and, here;
• Dow 30 makeover;
• Annual United Van Line movers report;

Top national energy story:

• US natural gas power generation hits record; and, here;
• US oil exports to China soar 139% in July, 2020; US oil exports to China may set record next month;
• Gasoline demand flat-lined;

Geoff Simon's top North Dakota energy stories:

• Hwy 83 northwest bypass work to begin in Minot;
• ND is receiving $34.4 million of additional federal funding for transportation projects; this is the largest amount ND has ever received in additional funding from the government's annual redistribution process; sort of like Christmas in July;
• Public hearing proposed Williston NE Truck Reliever Route scheduled; route from Highway 1804 east of Williston to the intersection of "2 & 85" north of Williston;

Top North Dakota non-energy story:

Top North Dakota energy story:

• Bakken oil production slowly returning;
• Active rigs in ND back down to ten;

Operators:

• MRO hitting on all cylinders in Reunion Bay: huge IPs; and, here; anticipates 18 wells on one drilling unit;
• Equinor: to quit drilling in the Bakken; permits; mixed messages;
• KODA Resources; and, here;
• OXY to sell non-core mid-continent assets for $1.3 billion;
• BR looks to have 15 wells on one drilling unit;

Operations:

• CLR wells goes over 500K in two years;
• Staggering: XTO well -- 470K bbls crude oil in one year;
• Updating a huge XTO well -- 400K bbls in crude oil in one year;

Advantaged oil:

Natural gas:

• The Bakken is back! Natural gas transmission (with ten rigs, no less);

Pipelines:

• North Dakota approves two in-state pipelines;
• Regional pipelines = regional economic growth;

Bakken 101:

• State-owned minerals valued at $1.45 billion;
• How crazy are the Bakken wells?

Bakken economy:

EVs:

• Global EV sales have slowed -- McKinsey;

Commentary:

• Observations on wells coming off confidential list;
• The NBA re-brands itself; and, here;
• Covid-19: what happened in New York? The DOJ wants to know.
• Covid-19: ND update;
• Covid-19 and lockdowns: The WSJ;

ND Oil Production Slowly Coming Back -- Lynn Helms -- August 28, 2020

 From Geoff Simon's top ND energy stories:

Oil Production Slowing Coming Back Helms: Major Improvement Two Years Out Frac crews are beginning to return to North Dakota, and well completion numbers are climbing, but the state's top oil industry regulator says it will likely be a couple years before the state can expect any return to production growth mode. Lynn Helms, director of the Department of Mineral Resources, said oil prices will have to climb to $55-60 per barrel before the state will see a return to normal drilling activity with about 55 rigs in operation. Helms said the state currently has just 11 active rigs, and they are all drilling on federal leases because of concern that a potential Joe Biden administration would halt oil and gas drilling on federal land. Click here to listen to Helms' comments. Helms, who spoke to a group of business leaders this week during a "Return to the West" session organized by the Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce, said 11 rigs can drill 20-to-25 wells per month. But he said that is far short of the 70-to-80 new wells needed to sustain production at 1.2 million barrels/day, which is about where it's believed to be today. Helms said that means the state will have to work through its inventory of more than 900 DUCs - drilled but uncompleted wells - to keep production from declining. Helms said more completions are occurring with oil prices holding steady around $40/bbl. Click here to listen to Helms' comments. Helms said the Energy Information Administration doesn't expect global oil demand to return to previous levels until sometime in 2022, which would generate an increase in oil drilling activity. Click here to see the East Revisits West session on the Grand Forks Chamber Facebook page. Helms' presentation begins at the 27:30 mark.

Mineral Ownership Case Resolved: ND Supreme Court Rules In Favor Of Family -- August 28, 2020

Note: earlier in the Bakken, this was a big court case -- "high water mark" vs "low water mark." I never knew the story would get that big, and unfortunately I did not have a good tag for this issue. The closest I have is the "riparian" tag.  One can also search "egregious" on the blog, and also "land grab."

This was a top story of 2019:

The most egregious story to come out of the Bakken:

• North Dakota Supreme Court sides with state on mineral royalties;

From top stories, week 23, 2020:

Top North Dakota energy story:

• Land grab by the state (previously posted); see Geoff Simon's lead-off story;

From top stories, week 39, 2018:

Land grab:
NDIC accepts "ordinary high water mark study" results: the state owns 9,500 more acres than originally shown by the US Army Corps of Engineers; mineral owners along the river between New and Williston may find they don't have as many acres as they once thought they did

Others:

"Land grab" revisited.

 Original Post

 From Geoff Simon's top ND energy stories:

Wilkinson Mineral Ownership Case Resolved

ND Supreme Court Says Family Owns the Rights

Other Lakebed Mineral Claims Expected to be Filed

A long-standing case regarding ownership of minerals inundated by Lake Sakakawea has been resolved by the North Dakota Supreme Court in favor of the families that filed the claim.

The lawsuit dates back to 2012 when William Wilkinson and other plaintiffs sued the Land Board to determine ownership of the minerals under land they conveyed to the Corps of Engineers for construction and operation of the Garrison Dam, but reserved the minerals rights under the property. The state resisted the claim, arguing that the water that inundates the Wilkinson property is caused by the meandering Missouri River and not Lake Sakakawea.

The court determined that subsequent legislation passed by the 2017 Legislature (SB 2134) to define the ordinary high water mark of the Missouri River before the dam was built validated the Wilkinson claim. State law distinguishes land below the high water mark as that which "the high and continuous presence of water has destroyed its value for agricultural purposes, including hay land."

A lawyer representing the Wilkinsons was quoted by the Bismarck Tribune this week saying that the family is owed more than $1 million in oil and gas royalties now held in an escrow-type count, and that the case would likely result in hundreds of additional claims for millions of dollars.

Click here to read the Supreme Court decision.

The Last 2 Percent Is Always The Toughest -- August 28, 2020

Be sure to read the comments at this social media site.

This is what they are all talking about:

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The Art Page

In the style of Claude Monet. This was how Monet's "Water Lilies" series began.