📄 Case Purpose & Application
Primary Purpose:Authorization to drill and operate a saltwater disposal well (SWD) injecting Class II wastes into the Dakota Group formation
Operator Request:Firebird Services, LLC seeks authorization to drill QUARNE #1 SWD well, a directional well in Grenora Field, Williams County, for disposal of saltwater produced with crude oil and other defined Class II wastes
📋 Regulatory Proceedings
Filing - Unknown
Firebird Services, LLC submitted Application for Injection with attachments pursuant to NDAC Section 43-02-03-88.1 and NDAC Section 43-02-05-04
Standard SWD application filing invoking director authority delegation under NDAC 43-02-03-88.1
Hearing - 2026-02-26
Public hearing held at 9:00 a.m. on February 26, 2026 before North Dakota Industrial Commission; no persons appeared in person to support or object; no written comments or objections received prior to hearing date
Uncontested case with zero stakeholder objections indicates either lack of perceived material impact or acceptance by affected parties
Decision - 2026-03-04
Commission issued Order No. 35485 authorizing Firebird Services, LLC to dispose of Class II fluids and wastes by injection into Dakota Group through QUARNE #1 SWD well, conditioned on receiving and complying with injection permit issued by Oil and Gas Division pursuant to NDAC Chapter 43-02-05
Routine approval with standard permit conditions; order remains in full force until further Commission order
🏭 Operator & Well Intelligence
Applicant:Firebird Services, LLC
Affected Wells:QUARNE #1 SWD
Target Formations:Dakota Group
Multi-well SWD portfolio development in Bakken region
Case file shows concurrent applications by Firebird Services for three SWD wells: QUARNE #1 (Case 32639, Williams County, Grenora Field), MORRIS #1 (Case 32638, McKenzie County, Bennett Creek Field), and BRYNN FERRARI #1 (Case 32640, Divide County, Skabo Field), all filed for same February 26, 2026 hearing docket, indicating coordinated regional disposal infrastructure buildout
Directional well deployment for SWD placement flexibility
QUARNE #1 specified as directional well with significant lateral displacement (approximately 1,500 feet) between surface and bottom hole locations, enabling optimal subsurface placement while managing surface constraints
💼 Service Opportunity Signals
SWD
Immediate
Directional SWD well drilling and completion services for QUARNE #1 SWD; well design includes deviated construction with controlled bottomhole placement in Dakota Group
Why Relevant:Order grants authorization effective March 4, 2026; operator now licensed to proceed with well construction; directional drilling, casing design, and pressure monitoring services required for well completion
SWD
Long-term
Continuous monitoring and pressure management services; Formation integrity and confining zone stability monitoring required to sustain long-term injection operations and regulatory compliance
Why Relevant:Order conditions authorize continued operation 'until further order of the Commission'; implies ongoing regulatory oversight and potential periodic reviews; pressure history, geochemical monitoring, and mechanical integrity testing will be required for injection permit compliance
Consulting
Immediate
Injection permit engineering and regulatory compliance support; applicant must obtain and comply with injection permit issued by Oil and Gas Division pursuant to NDAC Chapter 43-02-05
Why Relevant:Order explicitly conditions authorization on receipt of separate injection permit; environmental and subsurface consulting firms can provide permit application support, pressure modeling, and area-of-review analysis
Enhanced Recovery
Long-term
Regional disposal hub optimization and capacity planning; Firebird's three concurrent SWD applications (QUARNE #1 Williams County, MORRIS #1 McKenzie County, BRYNN FERRARI #1 Divide County) suggest multi-field disposal network
Why Relevant:Portfolio of three SWD wells across geographic dispersal indicates potential for centralized waste logistics, transport, or consolidation services; disposal hub strategy may create opportunities for custody transfer infrastructure and waste aggregation services
⚖️ Regulatory Requirements
Technical Requirements:Injection well constructed to prevent movement of fluids into or between underground sources of drinking water, Well placement in Dakota Group formation confirmed free of known open faults or fractures within area of review, Directional well drilling and completion to specified surface and bottomhole coordinates
Monitoring Requirements:Compliance with injection permit issued by Oil and Gas Division of Industrial Commission pursuant to NDAC Section 43-02-05-04
Reporting Requirements:Compliance with all provisions of injection permit, Compliance with all provisions of NDAC Chapter 43-02-05
Analysis Confidence
High
Case file is complete with final commission order, hearing documentation, and public notice records. No conflicting information present. Applicant identity, well locations, formation target, and approval status are explicitly stated in signed order dated 2026-03-04. Uncontested nature of case confirmed by explicit statement that no persons appeared to object and no written objections received. Concurrent applications and regulatory context extracted from docket filings are definitive. Commercial signals regarding Firebird's multi-well portfolio strategy are supported by case docket cross-references showing three identical SWD applications filed simultaneously. Technical specifications derived directly from commission order findings.