File #41129 | Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation (Chord Energy) | McKenzie County
API
33-053-10372
Target Formation
Middle Bakken / Bakken-Three Forks
Permit Explained
Yes
Permit Cycle Assessment
Permit approval dated 09/12/2024 (File 41129) is documented by Commission Order No. 33461, which conditions drilling approval on specific structural parameters: (1) north/south setback of 150 feet and east/west setback of 1220 feet within defined 1920-acre spacing unit; (2) north setback validity contingent on production liner cemented in lateral with wet shoe and frac-out capability. These conditions are non-routine and directly tie to well geometry. Supporting permit-cycle signals include: (a) open hole log waiver (09/18/2024) approved under Rule 43-02-03-31 based on offset well data sufficiency; (b) drill-back notification filed 07/30/2024 per Order No. 31848 with adjacent operator Zavanna LLC, demonstrating pre-approval stakeholder notice; (c) anti-collision analysis (07/17/2024) using certified planner guidance and survey protocols, mitigating lateral crossing risk. Spud date 03/29/2025 is post-permit. Permit approval is fully explained by contemporaneous technical submissions and regulatory stipulations.
Permit Cycle Signals (4)
Commission Order No. 33461 conditional approval tied to 150' north/south setback and 1220' east/west setback within 1920-acre spacing unit (Sections 19, 30, 31, T152N, R103W). North setback contingent on production liner cemented in lateral with wet shoe and ability to frac out shoe. (2024-09-12)
Approval is explicitly conditioned on specific setback geometry and completion design (wet shoe configuration). Non-standard approval condition tied to directional execution.
Open hole log waiver approved under NDIC Rule 43-02-03-31 on basis that offset well Dobias State Unit 1 (NDIC File No. 11078) within one mile has sufficient open logs for formation tops. GR-CBL will be run from TD to ground level instead. (2024-09-18)
Waiver is permit-cycle critical: operator justified substitution of offset log data instead of open hole logs on subject well. Reduces logging cost but requires certification that offset data is adequate for formation interpretation.
Drill-back notification filed per NDIC Order No. 31848 showing wellbore path crosses into adjacent operator acreage (151N 103W Secs 6, 5, 4 in Zavanna LLC unit). Notification sent 07/30/2024 with read receipt 07/30/2024 12:16 PM. (2024-07-30)
Contemporaneous to permit cycle. Demonstrates operator compliance with Order No. 31848 requirement to notify adjacent operator before drilling lateral that exits DSU. Critical for permit validity.
Anti-collision analysis completed by operator using certified well planners, real-time corrected surveys, 1.2 separation safety factor, gamma ray signatures, and survey frequency of 93-100 feet increasing as needed near lateral crossings. Documented in Gullikson Horizontal Drill Plan (dated 07/17/2024). (2024-07-17)
Pre-permit technical submission required for approval. Addresses risk of collision with existing wells in spacing unit. Supports permit viability and directional design.
Historical Non-Routine Signals (3)
Filter sock disposal container requirement (covered, leakproof, placard) mandated from well spud through completion/flowback operations per NDAC 43-02-03-19.2 and letter dated 08/28/2023 from Mark F. Bohrer, Assistant Director. Effective 06/01/2014. (2014-06-01)
Standing requirement affecting all future drilling and completion phases. Operator must maintain compliant container on-site through flowback. Non-compliance triggers civil penalty up to $12,500 per violation per day (NDCC 38-08-16).
Core and sample submittal requirement per NDCC 38-08-04 and NDAC 43-02-03-38.1: drill cuttings sampling from Base of Last Charles Salt at 30-foot intervals (vertical/build) and 200-foot intervals (horizontal sections); samples to ND Geological Survey Core Library within 30 days of drilling completion. (2024-09-17)
Mandatory post-drilling submission. Non-compliance triggers civil penalty up to $12,500 per violation per day. Establishes ongoing state record-keeping and geological database obligations that extend beyond permit approval into operations and reclamation phases.
Closed mud system with no cuttings pit required per permit conditions. Reflects standing NDIC environmental protection policy for Bakken development (part of Glass Bluff-Bakken Pool definition and general drilling stipulations). (2024-09-12)
Operational constraint affecting drilling fluid management through entire well construction. Reinforced by filter sock container requirement and waste disposal protocols. Non-compliance exposures under NDAC 43-02-03-19.2.
Historical Operator Profile
Total Wells:N/A
Active Wells:N/A
Notable Patterns:None identified
Confidence Assessment
Level: High Rationale: File contains complete permit decision (09/12/2024), explicit regulatory stipulations (Commission Order No. 33461), pre-permit technical submissions with dated signatures (directional plan 07/17/2024, well location plat 06/11/2024, final survey 04/26/2025), waiver approval (09/18/2024), drill-back notification with read receipt (07/30/2024), and post-permit spud notification (03/29/2025). Permit approval is anchored to specific non-routine structural conditions (wet shoe liner design, setback geometry) that are fully documented. No gaps in permit-cycle documentation. Historical signals (core/sample submittal, filter container requirement) are clearly dated and enforceable. Operator identity confirmed across all documents.