File #41971 | DEVON ENERGY WILLISTON, L.L.C | Williams County
API
3310506602
Target Formation
Middle Bakken
Permit Explained
Partially
Permit Cycle Assessment
The well file contains multiple permit-cycle signals that directly condition or explain specific aspects of the Thunderbolt 10-12 2H approval (anchored 05/30/2025 APD approval by Nathaniel Erbele). The drill cuttings waiver (01/30/2026, post-approval) explicitly justifies exemption from standard sampling in the vertical section by reference to completed adjacent wellbore. The tubing/packer variance (06/09/2025, post-approval) provides six operational assurances conditioning completion design and safety. The open hole log waiver (06/06/2025, pre-approval) justifies waiver reliance on offset well formation tops. The suspension of drilling approval (06/11/2025, post-approval) conditions the phased drilling strategy with 90-day mobilization window and plug/abandon trigger. The filter sock waiver (06/12/2025, post-approval) exempts based on no-filtration assertion. However, the APD itself (dated 05/30/2025) does not explicitly cross-reference contemporaneous regulatory orders, stipulation letters, or geologist requirements that would fully justify the approval at the time of issuance. Standard permit conditions (setbacks, closed mud system, pool definition, formation tops from offset) are recited but not tied to non-routine geometry or risk differentiation. The geologic report (dated after drilling, October 2025) and formation tops letters (dated 06/02/2025, post-application) provide supporting technical data but post-date the permit approval. No evidence of pre-approval geologist order or waiver justification for the specific permit date exists in the file.
Permit Cycle Signals (5)
Drill Cuttings Sampling Waiver - Base of Last Salt to Kick-Off Point (01/30/2026)
Waiver explicitly conditions sampling protocol by exempting vertical section (Base of Last Salt to KOP) from standard 30' interval collection. Justification relies on completed adjacent wellbore (Thunderbolt 10-12 1H, File #41970) already providing baseline samples from same interval on same pad.
Tubing/Packer Variance to NDAC 43-02-03-21 (06/09/2025)
Operator requested variance to tubing/packer requirement six assurances provided: new surface casing rated 11,220 psi burst; 0.85 safety factor; damage detection via monitoring; lower flowback pressures vs. completion ops; low corrosion/erosion rates; equipment installation timing; 300# gauge during flowback. Variance conditioning completion design and operational risk management.
Open Hole Log Waiver - Offset Well Documentation (06/06/2025)
Waiver justified by proximity to offset well with sufficient open logs to establish formation tops. GR-CBL log still required TD to ground level. Waiver approved same date submitted (06/06/2025). Approval contingent on offset well data sufficiency and regulatory order reference (NDIC #21240).
Suspension of Drilling Approval - 90-Day Rig Mobilization Window (06/11/2025)
Operator permitted to drill surface hole with small rig (freshwater mud, surface casing), then suspend up to 90 days before larger rig mobilizes to TD. Condition: mechanical seal/plug atop surface casing; no saltwater in surface ops; larger rig must arrive within 90 days post-spud or well will be plugged/abandoned. Approval conditioning phased drilling strategy and cost optimization.
Filter Sock Container Waiver - No Filtration Operations (06/12/2025)
Operator waived requirement for on-site leak-proof filter media container by asserting no filter media used during drilling. Waiver applies to drilling phase only. Standard requirement exemption tied to operational practice declaration.
Historical Non-Routine Signals (5)
Bakken Setback Modification - East Boundary 150' (vs. Standard 500') (05/30/2025)
Reduced east setback (150' vs. 500' north/south) is conditioned on production liner cemented in lateral with wet shoe and ability to frac out toe. This completion design dependency persists through completion operations and affects flowback/perforation execution risk management and future well intervention decisions.
Backbuild Order Waiver - Adjacent Spacing Unit Entry (04/01/2025)
Wells on Thunderbolt pad enter Bakken petroleum system outside target spacing unit. Devon self-notifies as operator of adjacent unit, but regulatory order 31848 notification requirement persists as standing obligation. Any future modification to directional trajectory, casing design, or completion plan requires re-notification and potential NDIC approval under backbuild framework.
Closed Mud System Requirement - All Cuttings Containment (05/30/2025)
Closed mud system with no cuttings pit is a standing condition. All drill cuttings must be containerized and hauled to licensed disposal. Waste management compliance persists through entire drilling and completion lifecycle and creates ongoing liability and operational constraint if disposal facility access is disrupted.
Diesel-Based Compound Prohibition in Hydraulic Stimulation (05/30/2025)
Stimulation design constraint excludes all diesel-based fuels and derivatives (CAS 68334-30-5, 68476-34-6, 68476-30-2, 68476-31-3, 8008-20-6). Constraint applies at completion stage and beyond; any hydraulic fracturing job must verify fluid chemistry compliance. Affects supplier selection, frac design approval, and future treatment operations.
Geologic Sample and Core Submission Requirements - State Custody (06/02/2025)
All cores, core chips, and samples must be shipped to ND Geological Survey Core Library (Grand Forks) within 30 days (samples) or 180 days (cores) of drilling completion. Submission is a standing statutory obligation; non-compliance carries civil penalty up to $12,500 per day. Affects post-drilling logistics, compliance tracking, and records retention.
Historical Operator Profile
Total Wells:N/A
Active Wells:N/A
Notable Patterns:None identified
Confidence Assessment
Level: Medium Rationale: APD approval date is clearly anchored (05/30/2025), and permit-cycle waivers are explicitly documented with approval dates and regulatory rationale. However, the original APD approval lacks contemporaneous regulatory orders, geologist stipulations, or direct conditioning letters that would typically justify approval at time of issuance. Most permit-cycle signals are post-approval waivers (01/30/2026, 06/09/2025, 06/11/2025, 06/12/2025) or pre-application materials (04/01/2025 letter, 06/02/2025 sampling letter). The geologic report and wellbore operations documentation are post-drilling (October 2025). Standard boilerplate conditions (setbacks, pool definition, closed mud system, formation tops) are recited in APD but not cross-referenced to specific regulatory orders or technical requirements that would differentiate this permit approval from routine horizontal drilling. No permit-issuance memorandum, technical review letter, or geologist order explaining why this specific well geometry and deviation plan merited approval is present in the file. Confidence is Medium rather than High due to incomplete pre-approval documentation and reliance on post-approval waivers to reconstruct permit rationale.