Among the applications on the dockets for the North Dakota Industrial Commission hearing scheduled for June 27 and 28 are numerous applications from operators asking the commission to establish new spacing units, many of which are overlapping units and most of which are in McKenzie and Williams counties.
In the Harding, Hay Creek, Nelson Bridge, Cartwright and Estes fields in far northwestern McKenzie County near the Montana border, Whiting Oil and Gas is asking that the commission create six overlapping 2,560-acre Bakken pool units, and is also asking permission from the commission to drill one additional horizontal well at or near the common boundary between the existing 1,280-acre units.
Abraxas Petroleum wants the commission to create and establish six overlapping 2,560-acre Bakken pool spacing units in the Siverston, Pershing and/or North Fork fields in eastern McKenzie County and to authorize the drilling of one horizontal well on each unit.
In the Moline-Bakken pool in central McKenzie County, Emerald Oil is asking that the commission establish four 1,280-acre units where the company wants to drill up to eight wells on each of the new spacing units.
Kodiak Oil and Gas wants the commission to create a total of three 1,280-acre spacing units in the Sand Creek-Bakken pool in far northern McKenzie County, and allow the company to drill up to eight horizontal wells on each.
Peregrine Petroleum Partners is looking for the creation and establishment of two separate 1,280-acre units, one in the Flat Top Butte-Bakken pool in south-central McKenzie County and the other in the Pierre Creek-Bakken pool in central McKenzie County. Peregrine is also seeking permission to drill up to two wells on each unit.
In the Westberg-Bakken and Keene-Bakken/Three Forks pool in northwest McKenzie County, Burlington Resources is asking that the commission establish two overlapping 1,280-acre units. Both requested units are laydowns and each consists of one section from an existing 640-acre unit and one section from an existing standup 1,280-acre unit. Three of the four sections are in the Westberg field and one is in the Keene field. Burlington is also seeking permission to drill one or more horizontal wells across the boundaries of the existing 640-acre and 1,280-acre units that will make up the new 1,280-acre units.
And in northeast McKenzie County, Continental wants the commission to create and establish a Sanish pool overlapping 1,280-acre unit in the Elm Tree-Bakken pool, Phelps Bay-Bakken pool and/or Antelope-Sanish pool. The top section of the proposed standup lies in the Elm Tree field, while the lower section straddles all three fields. Continental is also seeking authorization to drill up to 10 wells on the overlapping unit.
Williams County
In the Ray and Dollar Joe fields in eastern and southeastern Williams County, Whiting Oil is asking the commission to create seven overlapping 2,560-acre Bakken pool spacing units and allow one additional horizontal well to be drilled at or near the common boundary between the existing 1,280-acre units (see related story on this page).
In the Eightmile-Bakken pool in southeastern Williams County, Zenergy Inc. wants the commission to create and establish two separate overlapping 2,560-acre spacing units and allow the company to drill one horizontal well on each. Most of the acreage in the new spacing unit would be in Williams County, but a small portion of one of the units extends east under the Missouri River and into McKenzie County.
Continental is asking the commission to create and establish a 1,280-acre unit in the Temple-Bakken pool in northeast Williams County and allow one well to be drilled on that unit.
Kodiak is asking the commission to establish a 2,560-acre unit in the Epping-Bakken pool in south-central Williams County where the company wants to drill four horizontal wells.
Divide County
In far northwest Divide County, American Eagle Energy is asking the commission to establish six standup Bakken pool spacing units consisting of approximate 800 acres along the Canadian Border. The acreages lie just north of the Skjermo field but are not currently included in any established field, and no spacing units have been established for the acreages. Each spacing unit would consist of a full section and a partial section of approximately 160 acres, with the partial sections on the top of each standup unit along the Canadian border. The actual partial sections range from 144.95 to 158.17 acres. American Eagle is also seeking permission to drill one horizontal well on each of the new spacing units.
Dunn County
In the Murphy Creek-Bakken pool in south-central Dunn County, XTO Energy wants the commission to create and establish five overlapping 1,280-acre spacing units, and is asking permission to drill an unspecified number of wells on the units.
Also in Dunn County, SHD Oil and Gas is asking the commission to create and establish a 1,280-acre laydown unit in the Heart Butte-Bakken pool and allow SHD to drill up to eight wells on the unit. Most of the Heart Butte field is in Dunn County, but a small portion of the field does extend into McLean County under Lake Sakakawea. The far eastern portion of the right-hand section of the laydown unit also extends into McLean County.
Mountrail County
Hess Corp. is asking that the commission create an overlapping 2,560-acre unit in the Alkali Creek-Bakken pool in Mountrail County and allow the company to drill one or more horizontal wells between existing 1,280-acre units. Most of the acreage in the new unit is under Lake Sakakawea in Mountrail, but a small portion of the southwest section of the spacing unit extends into McKenzie County.
Billings and Slope counties
Continental Resources is asking the commission to create and establish five 1,280-acre Bakken pool spacing units in the Blacktail, Little Knife and/or St. Demetrius fields in northwest Billings County and allow the company to drill up to four wells on each.
And in southwest North Dakota, Marathon Oil is asking that the commission establish four 1,280-acre spacing units south of the Rocky Ridge field in the northwest region Slope County. Marathon is also seeking authorization to drill one horizontal well into the Tyler Formation in each of the four units.
—Mike Ellerd
