The Bakken Shale has consistently had the lowest average drilling and completion costs of the four main unconventional shale oil and gas resources in the U.S., according to an Energy Information Administration (EIA) report that was commissioned and conducted by IHS.

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Since 2012, costs per well have decreased in the Eagle Ford, Marcellus, Bakken and the Delaware and Midland Basin regions. The drop was due to reduced overall drilling activity and improved drilling efficiency and tools.

Furthermore, upstream costs in 2015 were 25-30% below their 2012 levels. Greater standardization of drilling and completion practices and designs are expected to continue to lower costs.

The drilling cost per foot, based on total depth, and the completion cost per foot, based on lateral length, are both projected to maintain these lower cost trends through 2018.

The report studied costs on a per-well-basis for the Eagle Ford, Marcellus, Bakken and the Delaware and Midland Basin regions from 2006 through 2015, with forecasts to 2018.

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1. Kraken Operating: 3/23/16

Kraken Operating LLC, based in Houston, completed an extended-reach horizontal Middle Bakken producer in Montana.

The #33-34-1H Lysemose, in Section 32-26n-59e of Richland County, initially flowed 1.623 thousand barrels (Mbbl) of oil, 1.504 million cubic feet (MMcf) of gas and 3.01 Mbbl of water per day.

The well is producing from a horizontal lateral extending from 10,881 feet eastward to 20,940 feet. It bottomed in Section 34-26n-59e and the true vertical depth is 10,517 feet and was tested after 36-stage fracturing between 10,936 feet and 20,548 feet.

The venture is in an area of shallower Ratcliffe (Madison) oil production in Cattails Field. The closest Bakken production is about one mile to the northwest at a 2007 Middle Bakken well, #14-29H Meldahl in Section 29-26n-59e.

2. Oasis Petroleum: 3/3/16

Oasis Petroleum Inc.’s (NYSE: OAS) subsidiary, Oasis Petroleum North America LLC, completed a Bakken producer in North Dakota's Baker Field in McKenzie County.

The #5300 41-30-9B Wade-Federal is in Section 30-153n-100w and it initially flowed 3.109 Mbbl of oil, 102 Mcf of gas and 2.982 Mbbl of water per day. Production is from a horizontal Middle Bakken lateral extending from 11,552 feet eastward to 20,650 feet (total depth).

The well bottomed in Section 29-153n-100w and the true vertical depth is 10,814 feet. It was tested on a 26/64-inch choke following a 50-stage fracturing between 11,552 feet and 20,265 feet with a flowing casing pressure of 2,800 pounds per square inch (psi).

3. EOG Resources: 3/3/16

EOG Resources Inc. (NYSE: EOG) completed a Bakken Shale well in the Antelope Field area on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation.

The #102-32H Riverview, located in Section 32-152n-94w of McKenzie County, N.D., initially flowed 3.395 Mbbl of oil and 6 MMcf of gas per day. The well was horizontally drilled northward to 15,564 feet, 10,523 feet true vertical, and bottomed in Section 29-152n-94w.

According to IHS, the completion is similar to the Houston-based company's enhanced high-density completion techniques developed in its Eagle Ford Shale acreage.

4. QEP Resources: 3/2/16

QEP Resources Inc. (NYSE: QEP) has completed three Middle Bakken producers on the Nesson Anticline from a drillpad in Section 29-150n-95w of McKenzie County, N.D.

The company's #5-29-32BHD, #6-29-32BHD and #7-29-32BHD Thompson were completed as extended-reach horizontal wells initially flowing oil at initial rates of 807 Mbbl to 2.191 Mbbl per day. They were drilled generally southward to depths between 20,298 feet and 20,513 feet and bottomed in Section 32-150n-95w. All three wells were completed with 49-stage fracture stimulation.

Additional completion information is not available.

5. Oasis Petroleum: 3/1/16

Two Baker Field wells were completed by Oasis Petroleum North America in Section 19-153-100 of McKenzie County, N.D.

A horizontal Middle Bakken discovery, #5300 21-19-6B Chalmers, flowed 1.606 Mbbl of oil, 1.552 MMcf of gas and 3.175 Mbbl of water daily from a lateral extending from 11,080 feet east-northeastward to 20,585 feet. It bottomed in Section 20-153n-100w and the true vertical depth is 10,825 feet. It was tested on a 36/64-inch choke after 36-stage fracturing between 11,080 feet and 20,580 feet.

A Three Forks well, #5300 21-19-8T Chalmers, initially flowed 1.456 Mbbl of oil, 1.887 MMcf of gas and 2.84 Mbbl of water per day. The Three Forks lateral extends from 11,165 feet eastward to 20,519 feet (total depth) and it bottomed in Section 20-153n-100w. The true vertical depth is 10,882 feet.

6. Oasis Petroleum: 2/25/16

Oasis Petroleum North America announced results from a horizontal Middle Bakken discovery in Section 31-153n-100w in McKenzie County, N.D.

The #5300 31-31H Lewis-Federal flowed 3.365 Mbbl of oil, 2.827 MMcf of gas and 6.33 Mbbl of water per day. Production is from a fractured horizontal lateral extending from 11,446 feet east-southeastward to 10,680 feet. It bottomed in Section 32-153n-100w. Flow was measured on a 12/64-inch choke.

Additional completion details were not provided by the Houston-based company.

7. Emerald Oil: 1/28/16

Emerald Oil Inc. has completed four new horizontal Charbonneau Field-Middle Bakken producers from a single drillpad in Section 9-149n-102w of McKenzie County, N.D., IHS reported.

The #3-9-4H Talon flowed 1.096 Mbbl of oil, 1.005 MMcf of gas and 3.50 Mbbl of water per day. Production is from a horizontal lateral extending from 11,285 feet northward to 20,662 feet. The well bottomed in Section 4-149n-102w. It was tested on a 46/64-inch choke following 34-stage fracturing.

The #3-16-21H Slugger flowed 1.418 Mbbl of oil, 1.97 MMcf of gas and 2.74 Mbbl of water per day. Production is from a horizontal lateral extending from 11,137 feet southward to total depth (21,193 feet) and it bottomed in Section 21-149n-102w. It was tested on a 64/64-inch choke following a 34-stage fracturing.

The #5-9-4H Talon flowed 1.421 Mbbl of oil, 2.4 MMcf of gas and 2.24 Mbbl of water per day. Production is from a horizontal lateral extending from 11,140 feet northward to total depth (20,753 feet) and it bottomed in Section 4-149n-102w.

The #5-16-21H Slugger flowed 1.204 Mbbl of oil, 972 Mcf of gas and 1.772 Mbbl of water per day. Production is from a horizontal lateral extending from 11,150 feet southward to total depth (21,163 feet). The well bottomed in Section 21-149n-102w.

Further details are not yet available from the Denver-based company.

For information contact Larry Prado, activity editor, at lprado@hartenergy.com.