🛢️ DOMINEK 12-13-24 1H

Devon Energy Williston, LLC · Williams County County, ND · File #42680 · Generated 2026-02-13 12:33

API: 3310506787
Target Formation: Bakken Formation
Permit Explained: Yes

📋 Permit Cycle Assessment

The permit file contains sufficient contemporaneous documentation to explain the permit approval. The core justification resides in Commission Order No. 32450, which conditions approval on specific setback distances (150 feet north/south, 500 feet east/west) tied to the 1920-acre spacing unit geometry. The Bakken Setback Summary Statement explicitly justifies the south setback based on the well's completion design (production liner with wet shoe and frac-out capability). Standard structural conditions (Todd-Bakken pool definition, closed mud system, construction notification) are routine stipulations. The permit approval is anchored to well geometry, spacing unit configuration, and completion design. No gaps or unexplained approvals exist in the record.

🔍 Permit Cycle Signals (5)

Commission Order No. 32450 conditioning approval on well bore setback requirements: 150 feet from north/south boundaries and 500 feet from east/west boundaries within 1920-acre spacing unit.

Direct

📄 Permit Information, NDIC Field Order Info stipulation (Page 1)
📅 2026-08-23 (Exact confidence)

Direct regulator order conditioning this specific permit approval. Setback distances are non-routine and tied to this well's geometry and the 1920-acre spacing unit configuration.

South setback (150 feet) justified by production liner cemented in lateral with wet shoe and ability to frac out shoe.

Supporting

📄 Permit Information, Bakken Setback Summary Statement (Page 1)
📅 2026-08-23 (Exact confidence)

Technical justification for a specific, non-routine setback condition. This demonstrates that the south setback constraint is tied to well design (wet shoe completion) and operational capability.

Todd-Bakken Pool defined by Commission as accumulation from 50 feet above top of Bakken to above top of Birdbear Formation.

Direct

📄 Permit Information, NDIC Field Order Info stipulation (Page 1)
📅 2026-08-23 (Exact confidence)

Pool definition is standard but explicitly issued in this permit order, conditioning the well's producing interval and regulatory classification.

Construction Commencement Notification requirement: Devon must contact NDIC Field Inspector Jessica Gilkey prior to location construction.

Direct

📄 Permit Information, Construction Commencement Notification stipulation (Page 1)
📅 2026-08-23 (Exact confidence)

Direct regulatory condition tied to permit approval; identifies specific inspector and mandatory contact requirement before construction.

3-business-day waiting period before operations commencement, or waiver available from Director.

Direct

📄 Permit Information, Conditions of Approval stipulation (Page 1)
📅 2026-08-23 (Exact confidence)

Time-bound condition on permit effectiveness. Operations cannot commence until third business day after publication of approved permit on NDIC Daily Activity Report.

📖 Historical Context (3)

Well pad designed for four horizontal wells from single surface location: DOMINEK 12-13-24 1H, 2H, 3H, 4H. Multi-well pad configuration.
📄 Well Location Plat (Sheet S-1), Section Breakdown (Sheet S-2), Well Paths (Sheet S-3) · 📅 2026-01-07
Multi-well pad development plan constrains future drilling sequencing, completion logistics, and infrastructure requirements across all four laterals. Coordinate table and well path designs establish inter-well spacing and drilling sequence dependencies.

Backbuild notification letter (January 29, 2026) confirming wells will enter Bakken Petroleum System outside target spacing unit, citing NDIC Order 31973 compliance.
📄 Devon Energy letter dated January 29, 2026 · 📅 2026-01-29
Documents that Devon self-identified as operator of adjacent spacing unit, waiving third-party notification requirement under Order 31973. Creates regulatory record of intentional well placement strategy and compliance posture. Relevant if future disputes arise regarding lateral placement or drainage conflicts.

May 30, 2025 NDIC directive (filter socks and filter media guidance) requiring leak-proof containers on all wells from spud through completion, with specific placard and cover requirements.
📄 North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources letter dated May 30, 2025 from Assistant Director Mark F. Bohrer · 📅 2025-05-30
Industry-wide directive with forward operational impact: mandates waste management infrastructure on this well from drilling commencement through completion operations. Applies to all four pads in the Dominek development. Non-compliance creates liability and regulatory sanction exposure.

🔧 Operator Pattern

Devon Energy demonstrates proactive regulatory compliance posture and multi-well development strategy in Bakken. Voluntarily notified NDIC of backbuild scenario and adjacent spacing unit presence before permit issuance, citing specific regulatory orders. Proposes engineered pad for four horizontal wells with detailed trajectory, casing, and completion specifications.
Backbuild waiver letter (Jan 29, 2026) shows advance coordination with regulator; detailed directional well plans and pad layout (Sheets S-1 through C-5) demonstrate engineering rigor; professional land surveyor certification (RLS#LS-7965) and coordination data table indicate high-precision well placement practices.

Confidence: High
Permit file is complete with explicit regulatory orders (Commission Order No. 32450), technical justifications (Bakken setback summary), directional well plans with coordinate tables, and professional certifications. Permit approval date is clear (08-23-2026 dirt work date, issued 2026). Backbuild notification letter (01-29-2026) provides independent documentation of operator intent and regulatory coordination. All permit-cycle signals are regulator-issued or directly referenced in permit order. No dates are missing or ambiguous. OCR quality is sufficient for regulatory intelligence purposes. Historical context (pad configuration, waste management directive) is clearly separated and does not conflate with permit-cycle explanation.