File #26388 | Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company LP | Dunn County
API
Unknown
Target Formation
Three Forks (Upper Bench)
Permit Explained
Yes
Permit Cycle Assessment
The permit approval on September 6, 2013 (NDIC File No. 26388) is directly explained and conditioned by multiple regulatory instruments contemporaneous with the permit cycle. The permit itself explicitly references Commission Order No. 18849, which establishes unit setback geometry (200' N/S, 500' E/W) constraining the proposed wellbore path within the Corral Creek-Bakken Unit. Permit stipulations issued April 16, 2014 (filter sock container requirement) and September 9, 2013 (core and sample submission) are regulatory orders conditioning subsequent drilling and completion operations. The well's directional geometry and survey requirements are mandated in the permit approval document itself. Pre-approval technical submissions—including drilling program, directional plan, mud/cement program, and wellbore anticollision analysis (Weatherford survey dated January 30, 2015)—provide the engineering justification for the approved horizontal design targeting the Upper Three Forks bench at approximately 10,967 feet TVD. The permit approval letter explicitly approves the proposed directional plan and references attached technical exhibits. Quarterly unit updates (Q1-2013, Q2-2013, Q3-2013) submitted by the operator prior to permit issuance document that this well was planned as part of Pad S within the unit development framework and had undergone environmental review (Little Missouri State Park easement meeting in June 2013). No gaps exist between permit issuance and supporting operational/regulatory documentation.
Permit Cycle Signals (5)
Permit approval conditioned on 200' setback (north/south) and 500' setback (east/west) within CORRAL CREEK-BAKKEN UNIT per Commission Order No. 18849 (2013-09-06)
Unit spacing geometry and setback requirements directly constrain wellbore path and lateral placement
Permit stipulation requiring perimeter dike and notification to NDIC Field Inspector Ashleigh Devenberg prior to location construction (2013-09-06)
Non-routine environmental/containment requirement conditioning approval tied to pad construction
Permit stipulation requiring covered leak-proof container (with placard) for filter sock disposal, effective June 1, 2014, to remain on well site during spud through flow-back (2014-04-16)
Regulatory order issued post-approval conditioning well operations and waste management during specific phase windows
Directional survey requirements: 100 feet vertical, 30 feet in build curve (or when sliding), 90 feet in lateral section; certified copy to be filed within 30 days (2013-09-06)
Regulatory survey frequency mandates tied to horizontal well geometry and measurement inaccuracy thresholds for spacing compliance
Core and sample submission requirements to State Geologist: all cuttings from Base of Last Charles Salt at 30' max intervals through vertical, build, and horizontal sections; cores to be preserved and shipped within 90 days of drilling completion (2013-09-09)
Regulatory requirement tied to formation evaluation and geological documentation mandated by NDCC Section 38-08-04
Historical Non-Routine Signals (3)
Well pad location moved from original position due to soil instability (geotechnical slide event) requiring geotechnical evaluation and pad relocation from initial coordinates to final surface location of 526' FNL, 398' FEL (NENE 25-147N-95W); reclamation of impacted area completed prior to well drilling (2014-08-04)
Pad relocation and ground stability history may impose constraints on surface infrastructure, fluid handling systems, and reclamation obligations extending beyond well completion. Geotechnical conditions remain relevant to facility operations and potential subsurface drilling hazards.
Gas Capture Plan (GCP) requirement for Bakken completion operations; Burlington Resources committed to not using/injecting specific diesel fuel products (CAS Nos. 68334-30-05, 68476-34-6, 68476-30-2, 68476-31-3, 8008-20-6) during downhole stimulation treatment (2014-08-28)
Gas capture mandate and specific fuel restrictions remain operational constraints during completion and flowback phases; contractual commitment with ONEOK for gas gathering infrastructure imposes production rate and timing dependencies (April 2015 first production target, anticipated 2.6-4.0 MMcfd/day total pad production month one). Flaring percentage targets and compression capacity limitations persist.
Three Forks bench target identification clarification: regulatory correspondence (September 6, 2013) between NDIC permit manager and operator clarified that wells target 'Upper 3Forks' (1st Bench) and confirmed operator would modify geological programs and drill plans to explicitly identify which Three Forks bench is the target formation (2013-09-06)
Formation target clarity persists as a regulatory compliance obligation. Any subsequent modification to target horizon or bench would require permit amendment and potentially trigger new spacing/setback analysis under unit order.
Historical Operator Profile
Total Wells:N/A
Active Wells:N/A
Notable Patterns:None identified
Confidence Assessment
Level: High Rationale: Well file contains complete permit approval documentation (September 6, 2013), comprehensive pre-approval technical submissions (drilling program, directional plan, wellbore survey, casing design), regulatory stipulations (filter sock, cores/samples, setback requirements), and post-approval operations documentation. Temporal sequence is clear and unambiguous. Permit approval letter explicitly references and approves submitted technical exhibits. Regulatory orders and operational constraints are directly traceable to permit issuance. No material gaps in permit justification documentation. Gas Capture Plan and geotechnical reports provide forward-looking operational context. Historical quarterly updates establish permit-cycle lineage back to unit development framework approval (Case Nos. 15332, 15333). OCR quality is acceptable; minor formatting artifacts do not impair content interpretation.