🛢️ Edward Federal 4797 43-21 5B

Enerplus Resources USA Corporation (subsidiary of Chord Energy) · Dunn County, ND · File #42675 · Generated 2026-02-13 12:33

API: 3302505142
Target Formation: Middle Bakken
Permit Explained: Yes

📋 Permit Cycle Assessment

The permit for Edward Federal 4797 43-21 5B (File No. 42675, Permit Type: New Well—Horizontal, approved 2/2/2026) is clearly justified by contemporaneous documentation. Core regulatory approval is Commission Order No. 34663, which conditions the permit on specific setback requirements (150' N/S, 500' E/W) within the 2560-acre spacing unit. This setback constraint is technically supported by the operator's wet-shoe liner design (intentional 400' uncemented annulus enabling frac-out initiation), documented in the Full Well Details section and the Bakken Setback Summary Statement. Pre-permit anti-collision analysis (dated 11/4/2025) demonstrates clearance against all offset wells, with separation factors exceeding the industry standard 1.2 safety factor, satisfying a direct approval requirement. Order No. 31973 compliance is documented via Surface Use Agreement and affidavit (1/29/2026) confirming operator control of adjacent spacing unit and landowner consent to off-lease drilling. State Geologist's letter (2/2/2026) imposes mandatory core and sample submission requirements tied to permit issuance. All material permit-conditioning signals are time-bound to the approval cycle and directly referenced by or required for the permit approval.

🔍 Permit Cycle Signals (5)

Commission Order No. 34663 — approval to drill granted with specific setback conditions (150' north/south, 500' east/west boundaries within 2560-acre spacing unit)

Direct

📄 APD Stipulations section; Commission Order referenced directly
📅 2026-02-02 (Exact confidence)

Core regulatory approval tied explicitly to Order 34663. Setback stipulation constrains wellbore geometry and is non-routine (references production liner with cemented wet shoe configuration as basis for south setback).

Bakken Setback Summary Statement — south setback justified by production liner cemented in lateral with wet shoe and ability to frac out shoe

Supporting

📄 APD Stipulations; Full Well Details section explains wet shoe configuration (intentional 400' uncemented annulus around toe-portion)
📅 2026-02-02 (Exact confidence)

Non-standard technical condition tied to specific cement job design (wet shoe). This is a waiver or exemption from standard cementing that justifies the regulatory setback approval.

Anti-collision analysis completed and clearances verified against offsets (Edward Federal 4797 43-21 2B, 3B, 4B; Little Chase Creek wells; Wing 9-1H). Minimum separation factors > 1.2 reported.

Direct

📄 Anticollision Report dated 11/4/2025; Ladder Plot and Separation Factor Plot pages; Summary table shows closest approach metrics
📅 2025-11-04 (Exact confidence)

Anti-collision clearance is a direct pre-permit requirement. Report shows planned survey meets industry standard 1.2 separation safety factor. Clearance against sibling wells (2B, 3B, 4B) on same pad is critical to approval.

Surface Use Agreement (SUA) executed with landowner; affidavit dated 1/29/2026 affirming operator awareness of off-lease drilling from SE ¼ SW ¼ and SW ¼ SE ¼ of Section 21. Waiver of adjacent operator notification granted (operator is self—Enerplus controls adjacent unit).

Direct

📄 Letter dated 11/6/2025 and Affidavit dated 1/29/2026; references Order No. 31848 and Order No. 31973 (Policy for Drilling Horizontal Wells from Surface Location Outside Spacing Unit)
📅 2026-01-29 (Exact confidence)

Waiver of notification requirement under Order 31973 is a permit condition. SUA documents landowner consent to off-lease drilling from pad. Affidavit provides contemporaneous proof of compliance with regulatory policy.

Core and sample submission requirements per ND Century Code § 38-08-04 and NDAC § 43-02-03-38.1. Letter from State Geologist (2/2/2026) mandates samples from Base of Last Charles Salt at 30' intervals (vertical/build) and 200' intervals (horizontal); cores to State Library within 180 days.

Direct

📄 Letter from State Geologist dated 2/2/2026; signed by Ross Edison, Geologist, and State Geologist Edward C. Murphy
📅 2026-02-02 (Exact confidence)

Regulatory mandate tied directly to permit approval. Sample collection is drilling-phase obligation with strict timing and format requirements. Non-compliance carries $12,500/day civil penalty.

📖 Historical Context (2)

Enerplus is designated operator of both the drilling pad location (Section 21) and the adjacent spacing unit (Sections 28, 33, 4, 9), consolidating mineral control and eliminating traditional offset operator conflicts.
📄 Waiver request letter dated 11/6/2025; Affidavit dated 1/29/2026 · 📅 Unknown
Operational simplification: self-control of adjacent spacing unit removes future adjacency disputes. However, it also establishes Enerplus as the responsible party for any wellbore incursion management or future development of the offset unit. This consolidation persists as a structural advantage (and potential liability) throughout the well's productive life.

Indirect heater setback exemption from NDIC under Case No. 28949, Order No. 31500. Facility design permits indirect heater within 60 feet of wellhead and 21 feet of oil tank (waiver from standard setbacks).
📄 Facility Statement in operator submission · 📅 Unknown
Non-routine facility exemption. The waiver status persists through all operational phases (production, maintenance) and must be cited if facility modifications are proposed. Dikes and containment design are conditioned on this exemption.

🔧 Operator Pattern

Enerplus (Chord Energy subsidiary) demonstrates systematic multi-well pad development with integrated anti-collision planning, landowner engagement, and regulatory compliance across 2560-acre units. The Edward Federal 4797 43-21 pad includes four planned horizontal wells (2B, 3B, 4B, 5B) from a single surface location, with confirmed clearances and all wells targeting the same formation.
Anticollision report references three completed or planned Edward Federal sibling wells (2B, 3B, 4B) plus Little Chase Creek pad wells and Wing 9-1H, all with published anti-collision clearances. Planning document (11/4/2025) shows well design conforming to OWSG MWD + IFR1 standards and 1.2 separation safety factor protocol. SUA and affidavit show proactive landowner coordination. Waiver of notification under Order 31973 indicates prior operator-on-operator relationships within the portfolio.

Confidence: High
Permit approval date is definitive (2/2/2026). Commission Order No. 34663 is explicitly cited in the APD stipulations and directly conditions approval. Anti-collision analysis is dated 11/4/2025 (pre-approval) and shows engineered compliance with separation standards. Core and Sample Letter is signed by State Geologist and directly tied to permit issuance. Surface Use Agreement and affidavit are contemporaneous (1/29/2026) and address Order 31973 compliance. Wet-shoe technical justification is detailed in design documents dated 11/4/2025 (Planning Report). All permit-cycle signals are time-bound to the approval window and leave no ambiguity about their role in permitting. No missing dates; no speculative interpretation required.