Bakken Drilling Activity

Operators are using the Bakken and Three Forks plays as a proving ground to test and maximize exploration and production efficiency.

A pilot project by joint venture partners Statoil, GE and Ferus Natural Gas Fuels is capturing flare gas to displace diesel fuel for drilling and hydraulic fracturing equipment and vehicles. In addition, the compressed natural gas can provide fuel for other local high horsepower users.

The commercial expansion, The Last Mile Fueling Station, will increase its flare gas capture from 3-5 million standard cubic feet per day by the end of 2014, reduce 120,000-200,000 metric tons of emissions per year, which is equal to removing 25,000-45,000 cars from the road.

Continental Resources has tested enhanced well completion methods across 20% of its Bakken wells. Results, according to the company, are encouraging.

In one geological area of the play, three slickwater completions had an average early cumulative production increase 35% higher than the production trend for Continental's 603,000 barrels of oil equivalent estimated ultimate recovery model for North Dakota, and 25% higher than the production trend for nearby offsetting wells completed with the company's standard design.

1 Continental Resources Inc. Date: 08/26/14

Oklahoma City-based Continental Resources Inc. completed a horizontal Middle Bakken producer on the northwestern flank of the Elm Coulee Field area. The #1-29 Fisher is in Section 29-27n-53e of Richland County, Mont. It initially flowed 691 bbl of oil, 333 Mcf of gas and 137 bbl of water per day. A horizontal lateral in Middle Bakken extends from 9,010 ft north to 18,615 ft and bottomed in Section 20-27n-53e. It was tested after fracture stimulation through 29 swell packers between 9,367 and 18,325 ft. The true vertical depth is 8,696 ft.

2 Kraken Operating LLC Date: 07/15/14

A horizontal Middle Bakken producer was announced by Houston-based Kraken Operating Inc. in Section 24-26n-51e of Richland County, Mont. The #24-1H Clyde & Alma initially flowed 539 bbl of oil per day, with 470 Mcf of gas and 393 bbl of water. The 12,235-ft Williston Basin well produces from a southward extending lateral with a true vertical depth of 8,135 ft. It was tested following 18-stage fracture stimulation between 8,419 and 12,128 ft.

3 American Eagle Energy Corp. Date: 07/09/14

A Three Forks horizontal exploratory well in Divide County, N.D., by American Eagle Energy Corp. flowed 337 bbl of 43.5-degree-gravity oil, 123 Mcf of gas and 823 bbl of water per day. The #3-2-163-102 Bryce is in Section 2-162n-102w. Production is from a horizontal lateral extending from 8,149 ft southward to 18,000 ft, 7,963 ft true vertical, at a bottom-hole location in Section 11-163n-102w. It was tested following fracture stimulation in 30 stages between 8,149 and 17,986 ft. American Eagle is based in Littleton, Colo.

4 Continental Resources Inc. Date: 07/08/14

Oklahoma City-based Continental Resources Inc. completed a horizontal offset to a Bakken discovery in Richland County, Mont., that initially produced 294 bbl of oil, 252 Mcf of gas and 903 bbl of water per day. According to IHS Inc., #1-32H Mulholland-Federal is in Section 32-27n-56e and is producing from a horizontal lateral in Middle Bakken extending from 10,348 ft northward to 20,000 ft at a bottom-hole location in Section 29-27n-56e. It was tested following fracture stimulation through 29 swell packers between 10,691 and 19,656 ft. The true vertical depth is 9,917 ft. The new producer offsets to the north Continental’s #1-5H Baxter, which was completed as a horizontal Middle Bakken discovery in late 2010.

5 North Plains Energy LLC Date: 05/16/14

Two horizontal exploratory tests were completed from a common drillpad in Section 21-160n-101w of Divide County, N.D., by Denver-based North Plains Energy LLC. The discoveries extend Sioux Trail Field southward. The #160-101-21-16-13B-1H Solberg produced 1,638 bbl of oil, 1.5 MMcf of gas and 32 Mbbl of water from Three Forks in its first two months online (December 2013 and January 2014). It produced an average of 80 bbl of oil, 60.7 Mcf of gas and 2,170 bbl of water per day for nine days in December, and 65 bbl of oil, 68.1 Mcf of gas and 881 bbl of water daily for 14 days in January. Production is from a fractured horizontal Three Forks interval at 9,712-19,043 ft. The 19,045-ft well has a true vertical depth of 9,151 ft and bottomed to the north in Section 16-160n-101w. The #160-101-28-33-21-13A-1H Solberg produced 1,712 bbl of oil, 1.39 MMcf of gas and 31.6 Mbbl of water from Middle Bakken in its first two months online (December 2013 and January 2014). It produced an average of 26 bbl of oil, 20.8 Mcf of gas and 981 bbl of water daily for 10 days in December, and 66 bbl of oil, 54.1 Mcf of gas and 989 bbl of water per day for 22 days in January. Production is from a fractured zone at 9,700-19,675 ft. The 19,677-ft well has a true vertical depth of 9,338 ft and bottomed to the south in Section 33-160n-101w.

6 Hunt Oil Co. Date: 04/09/14

A Sioux Trail Field completion by Houston-based Hunt Oil Co. initially flowed 146 bbl. of oil, 400,000 cu. ft. of gas and 870 bbl. of water per day. It is the third producer in the field. The #160-101-17-20H-1 Sioux Trail is in Section 8-160n-101w of Divide County, N.D. It is producing from a horizontal Middle Bakken lateral that extends from 9,363 ft. south to 19,477 ft. The well bottomed in Section 20-160n-101w and was fracture stimulated in 25 stages between 9,488 ft. and 19,377 ft. Gauged on a 36/64-in. choke, the tubing pressure was 320 psi. The true vertical depth is 9,145 ft. The same drillpad was used to complete the Sioux Trail Field discovery, Hunt’s #1-8-5HTF 1 Sioux Trail.

7 Abraxas Petroleum Corp. Date: 03/10/14

Abraxas Petroleum Corp. completed several Bakken/Three Forks discoveries. The completions are in McKenzie County, N.D., in Pershing Field. The #20-17-5H Lillibridge is in Section 20-150n-96w and had a 30-day average of 861 bbl of oil and 1.13 million cu. ft. of gas per day from the Middle Bakken. The #20-17-6H Lillibridge is in Section 20-150n-96w. This Three Forks producer flowed 762 bbl. of oil and 954,000 cu. ft. of gas per day. The #20-17-7H Lillibridge is a Middle Bakken producer in Section 20-150n-96w. It produced 840 bbl of oil and 989,000 cu. ft. of gas per day. The #20-17-8H Lillibridge is in Section 20-150n-96w. This Three Forks well produced 902 bbl of oil and 883,000 cu. ft. of gas. Abraxas is based in San Antonio.