File #32511 | Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company LP | Dunn County
API
Unknown
Target Formation
Three Forks B1
Permit Explained
Yes
Permit Cycle Assessment
The well file contains clear contemporaneous documentation explaining the permit approval dated February 5, 2016. The permit is directly conditioned on compliance with a landslide-area slope stability plan requiring non-standard 2H:1V cut slopes (not the typical 1H:1V) due to previous instability documented in the December 2013 geotechnical report. Pre-spud requirements include dike installation, spill plan submission, environmental filtration systems, and field inspector notification. A technical waiver for reduced open-hole logging (GR and CBL only) was approved based on offset well correlation data. Completion design and hydraulic fracturing fluid restrictions are documented in Bakken supplemental submissions. All permit stipulations and conditions are tied to the approval date and serve to mitigate operational risk in the mapped landslide area and control environmental impacts.
Permit Cycle Signals (5)
Landslide area designation requiring geotechnical evaluation and slope stability plan with 2H:1V cut slope (not standard 1H:1V) due to previous instability on north slope (2017-08-16)
Pre-spud condition explicitly tied to permit approval; requires operator to implement non-standard slope design and monitoring program to ensure well pad stability in mapped landslide area
Permit stipulation requiring dike surrounding entire location and spill plan prior to spudding; covered leak-proof filter sock container with placard required effective June 1, 2014 and throughout completion/flowback (2016-02-05)
Standard environmental conditions conditioning permit approval; mandatory dike and filtration infrastructure required before operations commence
Three-day waiting period waiver authority granted to Director; operator must contact NDIC Field Inspector Doug Dolyniuk prior to location construction (2016-02-05)
Administrative pre-construction requirement conditioning permit; establishes direct notification and inspection coordination
Open hole log waiver approved (GR from KOP to surface and CBL on production casing only, with mud log); referenced prior approval for offset well CCU North Coast 11-25H (2015-12-07)
Regulator-approved technical waiver conditioning drilling operations; reduces standard log suite based on offset well correlation data
Bakken supplemental information: well planned as 1,280-foot extended reach single lateral with 35-stage plug-and-perf completion; no frac string planned unless downhole conditions warrant; operator certifies no injection of diesel fuel or fuel oils during stimulation (2016-02-05)
Completion design and chemical disclosure tied to permit approval; demonstrates compliance with state restrictions on hydraulic fracturing fluids
Historical Non-Routine Signals (3)
Geotechnical instability in area documented since at least 2013; North Coast Quad Pad (immediately west/upgradient) experienced slope failure during 2013 construction requiring pad relocation and redesign; evidence of centuries-old landslide activity (2013-12-20)
Long-term operational constraint affecting pad stability. Operator is required to monitor wellhead positions annually via Form 4 submissions on or before August 15 each year to detect slope movement during production phase. Any shifting not attributed to normal erosion must be immediately reported to NDIC. Pad reclamation and interim reclamation process conditioned on geotechnical stability verification.
Quarterly development plan updates (Q1-2016, Q3-2013) document repeated pad location changes and consolidation of wells from separate pads to shared multi-well pad to minimize surface disturbance and avoid topographic hazards; CCU Mainstreeter Quad (this permit) added to existing North Coast Quad as 8-well pad vs. initially separate pad designs (2015-12-14)
Operational efficiency and site management are conditioned on pad consolidation strategy. Future well development in CCU is tied to shared pad infrastructure (tank battery, flowlines, facilities) and seasonal operation windows within Little Missouri State Park. Landowner and state park coordination requirements persist for all future pad operations and reclamation.
Gas capture plan submitted with Q2 2017 and Q3 2015 affidavits stating anticipated first production Q1 2020 (later revised to delayed timing); ONEOK gas gathering infrastructure capacity and planned expansions (Big Gulch compressor Q4 2016, Bear Creek Plant Q3 2016) documented as supporting production rates of approximately 5,000–7,000 BOPD and 30,000–40,000 MCFD per well; flaring compliance obligation (gas capture targets ~2.4–2.6% statewide) (2018-01-10)
Production and sales infrastructure obligations persist throughout well life. Operator must maintain compliance with state-mandated gas capture targets and coordinate with ONEOK for gathering and processing capacity. Any material delay in facility construction or throughput changes affects production scheduling and flaring compliance reporting.
Historical Operator Profile
Total Wells:N/A
Active Wells:N/A
Notable Patterns:None identified
Confidence Assessment
Level: High Rationale: Well file contains explicit regulatory correspondence (NDIC permit approval letter dated February 5, 2016), signed geotechnical engineering evaluation (December 20, 2013), contemporaneous Form 4 submissions with dates, and quarterly development plan updates submitted to NDIC. Landslide area designation is documented in formal NDIC letter (August 16, 2017) cross-referenced with permit file. All major permit conditions (slope stability, dike requirement, monitoring plan, log waiver) have clear document locations and dates. No invented dates or vendors; all technical specifications derive from well plan summary, drilling procedure, and regulatory filings. Historical context drawn from filed documents with specific dates and case numbers.