File #42709 | Phoenix Operating LLC | Divide County
API
3302301763
Target Formation
Bakken/Three Forks Petroleum System
Permit Explained
Yes
Permit Cycle Assessment
The permit approval (2026-02-12) is directly conditioned and explained by Commission Order No. 34326, which requires compliance with specific setback distances (500' north/south, 150' east/west) within the 1920-acre spacing unit. The technical basis for approval rests on the production liner design with wet shoe and frac-out capability, explicitly stated as justifying the setback relief. Pre-permit notification to adjacent unit operators (Phoenix Energy) under Orders 31848 & 31973 was satisfied because Phoenix operates both units, exempting formal notification. Anticollision precautions for the nearby WITTY FEE 41-26 well (115 feet away) are stipulated as a condition of frac design approval. The pool definition and completion interval are formally codified. All material conditions tie directly to the anchored approval date and regulatory framework.
Permit Cycle Signals (5)
Commission Order No. 34326 conditioning approval on setback compliance (2026-02-12)
Regulatory order explicitly conditions permit approval on 500' setback (north/south) and 150' setback (east/west) from spacing unit boundaries within the 1920-acre Noonan-Bakken spacing unit
Production liner with wet shoe and frac-out capability as condition of setback approval (2026-02-12)
Permit stipulation explicitly ties setback justification to cemented production liner design with wet shoe and ability to frac out shoe—technical design condition required for approval
Anticollision precaution stipulation for WITTY FEE 41-26 well proximity (2026-02-12)
WITTY FEE 41-26 (dry hole, TD 10,580') is within 115 feet of proposed wellbore; permit explicitly requires precautions in frac job design to prevent adverse impact on existing well—reflects risk-driven condition
Backbuild/off-spacing waiver requirement satisfied by NDIC Orders 31848 & 31973 (2026-02-09)
Pre-permit correspondence (3 days before approval) documents that operator notification requirement under Orders 31848 & 31973 satisfied because Phoenix Energy operates adjacent spacing units; exemption from notification condition
Noonan-Bakken Pool definition established by permit condition (2026-02-12)
Pool definition (50 ft above Bakken top to 50 ft below Three Forks top) formally established in permit; defines regulatory target and completion interval
Historical Non-Routine Signals (4)
Filter sock disposal container requirement (June 1, 2014 effective date) (2014-06-01)
Standing obligation under NDAC 43-02-03-19.2; operator must maintain leak-proof, covered, placard-labeled container on-site from spud through completion and flowback whenever filtration operations occur—persists across all future drilling phases on pad
Closed mud system requirement with no cuttings pit (2026-02-12)
Structural drilling constraint; cuttings disposal via licensed facility (Smoky Butte Environmental LLC, Fortuna ND) required for all drilling phases; affects operational logistics and cost baseline
Multi-well development plan on common pad (5 Spackler wells + 5 Caddyshack wells planned) (2026-02-12)
This well is one of 10 planned on the Spackler pad; future well approvals and drilling sequencing will be conditioned by interference geometry, common facilities, and spacing unit constraint that 1220' setback companion well requirement must be met (stipulated in permit)
Spacing unit requirement: SPACKLER well must be drilled in conjunction with 1220' setback companion well (2026-02-12)
Forward-binding condition; well cannot be placed on production without drilling of coordinated companion well meeting 1220' setback from north/south boundaries—operational dependency persists
Historical Operator Profile
Total Wells:N/A
Active Wells:N/A
Notable Patterns:None identified
Confidence Assessment
Level: High Rationale: Permit document is complete and formal (NDIC approved 2026-02-12 by Nathaniel Erbele, Petroleum Engineer); all stipulations, orders, and technical submissions are explicitly dated and traceable. Backbuild waiver letter (2026-02-09) is contemporaneous pre-permit documentation. Anticollision concern and setback design basis are formally stated in permit stipulations. No date conflicts or missing material permit conditions. Pool definition, spacing unit, and regulatory framework are clear. Historical constraints (closed mud system, multi-well dependency, filter disposal) are documented in permit conditions and supporting materials.