File #32509 | Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company LP | Dunn County
API
Unknown
Target Formation
Three Forks
Permit Explained
Yes
Permit Cycle Assessment
The permit approval (issued February 5, 2016, renewed February 2, 2018 and 2019) is directly explained by five contemporaneous signals: (1) A geotechnical requirement and ongoing monitoring obligation due to the well's location in a mapped landslide area, with a specific 2H:1V cut slope design requirement based on backcalculated soil strength analysis; (2) an approved open-hole log waiver reducing standard logging to gamma ray and CBL supplemented by mud logs; (3) pre-drilling operational stipulations including dike/spill containment and filter sock management mandated by state rule; (4) a gas capture plan coordinating with ONEOK and establishing production timeline and flaring compliance mechanisms; and (5) dual regulatory jurisdiction over the lateral (NDIC+BLM) due to penetration of federal minerals and lease line crossings. The permit renewal in February 2018 is explained by the gas capture plan revision and ongoing landslide monitoring commitment. All signals are time-bound to the permit approval window and necessary to justify drilling authorization.
Permit Cycle Signals (5)
Landslide area monitoring plan required; geotechnical report addressing slope stability with 2H:1V cut slope recommendation (2.0 feet horizontal for every 1.0 foot vertical) based on backcalculated soil strength parameters (cohesion 200 psf, friction angle 22.75°). (2017-08-16 | 2013-12-20 | 2018-10-17)
Non-routine geotechnical constraint triggered by location in mapped landslide area. Requires ongoing annual monitoring via Form 4 submissions to detect wellhead/location shifting. Directly conditions approval and long-term operational compliance.
Open Hole Log Waiver approved December 7, 2015 (Permit #26589 reference); Full suite replaced with GR from KOP to ground level and CBL on production casing; two digital copies of logs plus mud log to be submitted to NDIC. (2015-12-07)
Regulatory waiver reducing standard logging requirements conditioned on substitute documentation (GR and CBL). Waiver approval precedes and supports drilling permit issuance.
Permit stipulations: (1) Dike required surrounding entire location with spill plan prior to spudding; (2) Covered leak-proof filter sock container (placard) required on-site from spud through flowback effective June 1, 2014; (3) Field Inspector Doug Dolyniuk contact required prior to location construction; (4) Drilling pit construction per NDAC 43-02-03-19.4 with authorized director inspection before lining and use. (2016-02-05)
Standard but mandatory pre-drilling operational constraints. Spill containment and regulatory contact requirements are tied directly to spud authorization and field execution control.
Gas Capture Plan submitted January 2, 2018 (affidavit dated January 10, 2018) confirming ONEOK coordination; anticipated first production Q1 2020; gas capture target compliance through production reduction if necessary; monthly production monitoring post-completion. (2018-01-02)
Regulatory requirement under ND flaring control mandate. Establishes gas gathering infrastructure readiness and operational timeline conditioning approval. Two versions show permit cycle evolution across permit renewals.
Lateral will penetrate BLM Minerals; dual regulatory agencies (NDIC primary, BLM secondary per well plan); BLM permit coordination required (email December 9, 2015 alerts to Federal permit requirement); lateral crosses lease line boundaries in Sections 13 and 24. (2015-12-07)
Jurisdictional constraint requiring parallel federal permitting. BLM involvement creates dual approval pathway affecting permit validity and operational authorization.
Historical Non-Routine Signals (3)
Corral Creek-Bakken Unit (CCU) under Industrial Commission Orders 15332 and 15333; well is part of multi-well pad development (Pad S: 8-well pad with pre-existing North Coast quad plus new Mainstreeter quad); pad location modified from initial unit plan to consolidate surface disturbance and accommodate Little Missouri State Park seasonal operations and easement constraints. (N/A)
Unit agreement and development plan modifications establish the well's spatial and operational context within a consolidated pad system. Ongoing compatibility with 7 other wells on Pad S, shared facilities, and unit-level flaring and gas capture commitments persist through entire operational life. Seasonal operations window and LMSP coordination constraints continue to affect drilling windows and operational scheduling.
Geotechnical precedent: North Coast Quad Pad (adjacent, constructed 2013-2014) experienced slope failure during construction due to 1H:1V cut slope reactivating pre-existing landslide. Braun Intertec back-analysis of failed slope (December 6, 2013) established strength parameters now applied to Mainstreeter Pad design, directly informing the 2H:1V cut requirement for this well's pad. (N/A)
The geotechnical requirement embedding 2H:1V slope design in the operating permit is a direct legacy of the North Coast failure. The mandatory annual monitoring and Form 4 submissions (per October 17, 2018 Monitoring Plan) remain binding throughout production. Any future wellhead shifting or pad movement detected must be immediately reported to NDIC, persisting as a compliance obligation.
Surface owner agreement: Bernel & Elayne F. Appledoorn; self-certification statement dated April 30, 2015 certifies executed surface damage agreement; phone contact 701-290-0244 provided in permit file. (N/A)
Surface owner agreement establishes landowner consent and compensation terms. While historical, the agreement persists as a condition of operational access and defines operational footprint constraints tied to the signed agreement.
Historical Operator Profile
Total Wells:N/A
Active Wells:N/A
Notable Patterns:None identified
Confidence Assessment
Level: High Rationale: File contains explicit permit approval letter (February 5, 2016) with numbered stipulations, approved waiver documentation, geotechnical report with design calculations, regulatory correspondence, and monitoring plan commitments all dated and referenced within permit cycle window. Contemporaneous signals are clearly time-stamped and directly cited in permit approval conditions. Historical context is well-documented through quarterly development plan updates with explicit dates and modification narratives. No material gaps in permit-cycle documentation. OCR quality is adequate; drilling plans, well location plats, and regulatory correspondence are legible. One minor constraint: some API number fields marked 'TBD' in early planning documents, but NDIC file number 32509 is consistent throughout.