File #42715 | Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC | Mountrail County
API
3306105649
Target Formation
Bakken
Permit Explained
Yes
Permit Cycle Assessment
The permit approval on 2026-02-13 is clearly explained and justified by Commission Orders 34736 and 34884, which condition drilling authorization on strict 150-foot setbacks from spacing unit boundaries and require production liner design with wet shoe completion to support those setbacks. The operator's anti-collision analysis using 1.5 separation factor, real-time surveying, and gamma ray geo-steering substantiates approval of the off-spacing infill geometry. The permit grants an explicit exception to Manitou-Bakken Pool spacing requirements to accommodate the lateral's encroachment on protruding corners. Post-drilling verification via Sundry Notice submission gates completion operations, ensuring as-built compliance with the approved setback order. All material conditioning terms are time-bound to this permit and derive from identifiable regulatory orders or operator technical submissions.
Permit Cycle Signals (5)
Commission Orders 34736 and 34884 conditioning approval to 150-foot setback from north and south spacing unit boundaries on well portions not isolated by cement (2026-02-13)
Regulator-issued setback condition tied to specific well geometry and spacing unit configuration. Directly constrains wellbore placement within the 2560-acre unit.
Director approval required prior to fracture stimulation; as-built well construction, directional surveys, and distances to protruding corners must be submitted via Sundry Notice (Form 4) before completion operations to verify compliance with permit order (2026-02-13)
Post-drilling regulatory gate conditioning completion on verification of as-built compliance with setback order. Demonstrates regulator concern for actual wellbore geometry against permitted trajectory.
Production liner cemented in lateral with wet shoe and ability to frac out shoe specified as basis for north setback determination in Bakken Setback Summary Statement (2026-02-13)
Technical completion design explicitly referenced by regulator to justify permit conditions. Ties casing/cement strategy to setback allowance.
Anti-collision analysis with 1.5 minimum separation factor standard, real-time corrected surveys, gamma ray geo-steering, and survey frequency of 93-100 feet with increase as needed for collision avoidance documented in well file (2026-02-13)
Operator-submitted anti-collision protocol directly supporting approval of off-spacing well with complex lateral geometry in congested section. Demonstrates risk management for neighboring wellbores.
Exception to Manitou-Bakken Pool spacing requirements granted for lateral encroaching on protruding corners of standup 2560-acre spacing unit per Commission notation on permit (2026-02-13)
Explicit regulatory waiver of standard spacing to allow infill development geometry. Non-routine approval tied to specific well design and encroachment footprint.
Historical Non-Routine Signals (3)
Surface Use Agreement dated 2019-09-27 executed with Rice Ranch LLLP authorizing right to construct and maintain well sites and drill 'off lease' wells into Sections 15, 16, 21, 22, 27, and 34, T156N-R94W, and Sections 27 and 34 for EN-LALIM B-156-94-3427H-1 (N/A)
Surface use authorization for off-spacing drilling persists as operational requirement. Defines permissible drilling footprint and land access rights for all wells on the pad, including EN-AICHA-156-94-3416H-2.
Hess affidavit dated 2025-04-21 from Completion Engineering Team certifying that Halliburton Energy Services does not use diesel fuels (CAS 68334-30-5, 68476-34-6, 68476-30-2, 68479-31-3, 8008-20-6) in hydraulic fracturing for Hess Bakken Project wells in North Dakota (N/A)
Regulatory compliance assertion covering all Hess Bakken wells, including this well. Establishes operator commitment to fuel restriction that may be required by permit conditions or NDIC rules and persists through completion phase.
Waiver request under Commission Order No. 31973 filed 2025-08-05 citing that Hess is both operator of target spacing unit and adjacent unit (EN-RICE-A-155-94-0310), thereby meeting waiver criteria and eliminating notice requirements for directional plan disclosure to adjacent operators (N/A)
Demonstrates Hess operational control over both drilling and adjacent units, eliminating inter-operator disclosure obligations. Structural fact that affects future coordination and notice requirements.
Historical Operator Profile
Total Wells:N/A
Active Wells:N/A
Notable Patterns:None identified
Confidence Assessment
Level: High Rationale: Permit document is complete, dated, and signed by approving PE (Nathaniel Erbele, 2026-02-13). All material stipulations, conditions, and regulatory orders are explicitly stated and clearly tied to permit approval. Anti-collision report, directional plan, and casing/cement design supporting documents are integral to file. Surface use agreement and operator affidavits are dated and notarized. No critical dates are missing or inferred. Well geometry (off-spacing, protruding corners, setback exceptions) is non-routine and fully documented in permit justification.