Case 32329

Primary Purpose:Authorization to drill and operate a directional saltwater disposal well injecting Class II fluids into the Dakota Group formation

Operator Request:Permission to drill Tachenko 144-98-17-SWD well from surface location (525 FNL, 2538 FEL, Section 17) to bottom hole location (125 FNL, 512 FEL, Section 17) for disposal of produced water from six Petro-Hunt production wells on shared pad

Directional well drilling and completion for 7,375 ft MD well with TCP design; specialized mud logistics and well monitoring services during drilling of 5,596 ft intermediate casing section and directional build-hold-drop curve

Why Relevant:Permit issued 3/3/26 with condition well must be completed by 3/3/27; drilling contractor selection and rig mobilization likely required Q1-Q2 2026; mud/fluids contractors need to support directional work in Bakken-influenced pressure regime

Saltwater disposal facility design, construction, and commissioning including 2,600 bbl tanks, perimeter berm with synthetic liner, injection pipeline pressure testing (100 psi over permitted maximum), SCADA integration, and as-built site schematic documentation

Why Relevant:Diking variance approved contingent on as-built schematic submission within 30 days of construction completion; facility must be operational within 12 months of drilling completion to support six production wells; pressure test documentation and SCADA commissioning required before MIT

Reservoir pressure modeling and containment analysis to verify area of review boundaries and confirm confining zone integrity; potential pressure monitoring during injection startup phase

Why Relevant:UIC permit conditions require Area of Review evaluation; 16 wells within one-mile radius necessitate pressure interference analysis; potential future amendment requests if disposal rates increase or new production wells come online in Little Knife Field

Potential future utilization of SWD infrastructure for enhanced recovery operations if Petro-Hunt develops CO2 or nitrogen injection programs in Little Knife Field

Why Relevant:Exempted Dakota Group with confirmed confining zones suitable for enhanced recovery injection; high-volume infrastructure (15,000 BPD capacity) provides foundation for secondary recovery programs; operator confidentiality status on production wells suggests proprietary recovery strategy under development

Technical Requirements:30 ft MWD surveys required below vertical portion of wellbore, 30 ft samples required to be taken by mud logger while drilling in Inyan Kara Formation, Approval required prior to drilling deeper than 6,231 ft TVD, Operator must immediately stop drilling and notify NDIC if Swift Formation is encountered, Pressure test to 100 psi over permitted maximum allowable injection pressure (1,200 psi) required on high-pressure injection pipeline between pump and wellhead prior to injecting fluids, Rat/mouse holes must be constructed with casing, cemented to ground level, and plugged with cement and cut off at least 4 ft below final grade, Remote or automatic shutdown devices required on all equipment, Perimeter berm required surrounding entire location

Compliance Deadlines:Well completion required by March 3, 2027 (one year from permit date) or permit expires, Sundry Notice filing required within 3 business days of spudding in NorthSTAR system, Well Sundry Form with construction dates and facility schematic required within 30 days following construction completion, Pressure test results with pipeline specifications to be reported on Well Sundry Form, Notification to NDIC Field Inspector or Bismarck office upon spudding

Monitoring Requirements:SCADA system with automated monitoring of injection parameters, Low-flow shutdown alarm and shutdown capability, High tank-level alarm and shutdown capability, Pump vibration shutdown capability, High discharge pressure alarm and shutdown capability, Maximum permitted injection pressure: 1,200 psi

Reporting Requirements:Confidential status granted for all information furnished to Director or representatives; information (except production runs) to remain confidential for six months commencing on spud date, Gamma ray log required to determine perforation depths, Mechanical integrity test (MIT) required with NDIC representative on site to witness, Daily 24-hour mud tests (density, viscosity, gel strength, filtration, electrical stability, pH) after mudding up, All logs must be submitted free of charge as one TIFF copy and one LAS formatted digital copy via email to digitallogs@nd.gov, Sundry Notices must include well name, legal location, file number, drilling contractor and rig number, company representative, date, and time of spudding