Slawson Exploration filed applications requesting authorization to drill multiple horizontal Bakken pool wells on 81 spacing units in the Big Bend field which the North Dakota Industrial Commission will consider during monthly hearings scheduled for April 23 and 24. While other operators submitted ambitious Bakken pool infill applications, some seeking densities as high as one horizontal well per 64 acres, Slawson led in the number of individual spacing units targeted for infill drilling.
The spacing units, which range in size from 320 to 3,200 acres, include all but five sections in the Big Bend field which consists of 91 full sections and five half-sections.
The Big Bend field spans across the northern portion of the peninsula in Lake Sakakawea in southwest Mountrail County and extends around the Van Hook Arm of the lake on the east side of the peninsula. The entire Big Bend field lies within the boundaries of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. The five sections not included in the application are in the middle of the Van Hook Arm of Lake Sakakawea (see map).
Of the 81 spacing units where Slawson wants to infill, 39 are 1,280-acre units and 27 are overlapping 2,560-acre units. Another five of the spacing units are 640s, three are 1,600s, two are 960s, two are 1920s, two are 3,200s and one is 320 acres. Most of the spacing units currently have at least one existing well and one 1,280 has 11 existing wells.
Records maintained by the Oil and Gas Division of the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources indicate 88 oil wells have either been drilled or permitted in the Big Bend field — 86 are Slawson wells, 49 of which are active and another 25 are on confidential status with five more on drilling status and one permitted.
Of the three non-Slawson wells in the Big Bend field, two belong to Marathon Oil and both are active Bakken pool wells. The third non-Slawson well is a horizontal Bakken pool well that American Hunter Exploration drilled in 1990 and produced into early 2012 but the well was not a high producer and was abandoned by Condor Petroleum in 2012.
Hunt and Crescent Point
Right behind Slawson is Hunt Oil Co. which filed applications seeking authorization to drill up to seven Bakken pool wells on a total of 57 separate 1,280-acre spacing units in eight fields in Divide and Williams counties. Of the 57 spacing units, 39 are in the following fields in central and southwest Divide County: Sioux Trail (13 units), Alexandria field (12 units), Smoky Butte (six units), Frazier (five units), Bluffton (two units) and Musta (one unit). The remaining 18 spacing units lie just over the county line in the Zahl (15 units) and Green Lake (three units) fields in northwest Williams County.
Calgary-based Crescent Point Energy filed applications seeking authorization to drill up to eight Bakken pool wells on each of 26 separate 1,280-acre spacing units and one 640-acre unit in 10 fields, mostly in Divide and Williams counties. Most of the 10 fields are in central and north-central Williams County, but two of the fields are in northwest and southeast Williams County. Crescent Point also wants to increase density up to nine wells on 1,600-acre Divide County spacing unit.
Eight of the 1,280s where Crescent Point wants to infill are in the Winner field in central Williams County. Five of the 1,280s are in the neighboring Ellisville field and five others are in the neighboring Little Muddy field. Two 1,280s are in the Blue Ridge field and two are in the Dublin field, also in north-central Williams County. Two more of the 1,280s are in central Williams County in the Church and New Home fields. The one 640-acre unit is in the Wheelock field, also in central Williams County.
The remaining two Crescent Point 1,280s are in Divide County, one 1,280 is in the Alkabo field in northeast Divide County and the other is in the Wildrose field in the southeast corner of the county.
In the Colgon field which lies on the Canadian border in northwest Divide County, Crescent Point wants to drill up to nine Bakken pool wells on an existing 1,600-acre unit.
Highest densities
The operator looking for the highest well densities is Oasis Petroleum, which filed an application to drill up to 16 wells on an existing 640-acre unit in the Alger field in west-central Mountrail County resulting in a spacing unit density of one well per 40 acres. In north-central McKenzie County, Oasis is seeking authorization to drill up to 18 wells on an existing 1,280 in the North Tobacco Garden field for a density of one well per 71 acres. Oasis also wants to drill up to 15 wells on an existing 1,600-acre unit in the nearby Camp field. In west-central Williams County, Oasis is seeking permission to drill up to eight Bakken pool wells on each of the six existing 1,280-acre spacing unit in the Bonetrail field.
Kodiak Oil and Gas filed an application seeking authorization to drill up to 20 Bakken pool wells on three existing 1,280-acre units in the Traux field in south-central Williams Count for a density of one well per 64 acres.
Abraxas is seeking authorization to drill up to 15 Bakken pool wells on each of three existing 1,280-acre spacing units in the North Fork and on one 1,280 in the neighboring Pershing field in eastern McKenzie County.
Continental Resources wants to drill up to 28 Bakken pool wells on each of two existing 2,560-acre spacing units in the Elm Tree field in northeast McKenzie and southeast Mountrail counties. Continental is also seeking authorization to drill up to seven wells on an existing 1,280-acre unit in the Pembroke field in central McKenzie County.
Other infill apps
Oxy USA filed applications seeking authorization to drill up to 12 Bakken pool wells on six existing 1,280-acre spacing units in Dunn County. Oxy wants to increase the densities on two 1,280s each in the Fayette, Willmen and Manning fields, contiguous fields in southwest Dunn County.
Hess Corp., filing as Hess Bakken Investments II LLC, wants authorization to drill up to 11 Bakken pool wells on each of two existing 1,280-acre spacing units, one in the Westberg field and the other in the Hawkeye field, both in northeast McKenzie County.
To the west, Hess is seeking approval to drill up to 10 wells on an existing 1,280 in the Sandrocks field in north-central McKenzie County. And to the south of Sandrocks, Hess is seeking approval to drill up to six wells on each of two existing 1,280s, one in the Juniper field and the other in the adjacent Cherry Creek field in central McKenzie County.
In the McGregor field in northeast Williams County, Murex Petroleum Corp. is seeking authorization to drill up to eight Bakken pool wells on “some or all” of the existing 1,280-acre units in that field. Oil and Gas Division records indicate there are currently eight standup 1,280-acre units in the McGregor field.
In the Heart Butte field in northeast Dunn County, XTO Energy wants authorization to drill at total of 10 wells on an existing 1,280-acre unit.
