File #42731 | Phoenix Operating LLC | Williams County
API
3310506801
Target Formation
Bakken-Three Forks Petroleum System (Little Muddy-Bakken Pool)
Permit Explained
Yes
Permit Cycle Assessment
The permit approval dated 2026-02-25 is substantiated by Commission Order No. 34678 and contemporaneous directional drilling, completion, and pad engineering plans (dated 2026-02-16 to 2026-02-18). The permit conditions setbacks (150'/500') and spacing unit justification requirement to a coordinated offset well are explained by the well's horizontal geometry and multi-well pad layout. The completion design (wet shoe with frac-out capability) and closed mud system are explicit conditions conditioning approval. The backbuild waiver letter (2026-02-17) confirms operator control of adjacent spacing unit and satisfies Order 31848 notification requirements. All permit-cycle signals directly reference regulatory orders and technical plans submitted within the approval window.
Permit Cycle Signals (4)
Commission Order No. 34678 conditioning approval on well bore setback compliance (150' north/south, 500' east/west from 2560-acre spacing unit boundaries) (2026-02-25)
Regulatory order directly conditions permit approval and defines mandatory wellbore geometry constraints that differentiate this horizontal well from standard lateral drilling.
Spacing unit justification requirement: well must be drilled in conjunction with offset well meeting 1220' setback from east/west boundaries (2026-02-25)
Non-routine spacing condition ties this well's approval to coordinated offset well drilling; backbuild waiver letter (2026-02-17) confirms Phoenix Energy controls adjacent spacing unit, eliminating need for third-party operator notification under Order 31848.
Production liner cemented in lateral with wet shoe and ability to frac out shoe; south setback basis conditioned on this completion design (2026-02-25)
Specific completion design (wet shoe, frac-out capability) is explicit condition of approval; setback relaxation depends on this design choice, making it non-routine and operationally material.
Closed mud system with no cuttings pit required; all cuttings to 13 Mile Landfill disposal facility (2026-02-25)
Closed-loop system stipulation differentiates from open pit baseline; tied to operational execution and waste management compliance.
Historical Non-Routine Signals (3)
Filter sock disposal requirement per NDIC directive effective 2014-06-01: leak-proof, covered, placarded container mandatory on-site from spud through flowback whenever filtration operations conducted (2014-06-01)
Standing waste management obligation for all North Dakota wells; persists throughout drilling, completion, and flowback phases. Non-compliance exposes operator to enforcement under 43-02-03-19.2.
Operator assertion: acknowledge 21–31 day advance notice requirement to adjacent pool operators if completion intervals within 2,640 feet of one another (per NDIC regulation) (2026-02-25)
Standing operational obligation upon spud; conditions communication and scheduling with neighboring operators during completion planning and execution.
Diesel-based compound prohibition in hydraulic stimulation: seven specific CAS Registry Numbers (68334-30-5, 68476-34-6, 68476-30-2, 68476-31-3, 8008-20-6, and two others) explicitly forbidden (2026-02-25)
Non-waivable constraint on completion fluids; restricts contractor fluid selection and persists throughout frac design and execution phases.
Historical Operator Profile
Total Wells:N/A
Active Wells:N/A
Notable Patterns:None identified
Confidence Assessment
Level: High Rationale: Permit file contains explicit regulatory order (Commission Order No. 34678), dated directional plans, completion design specifications, and contemporaneous waiver letter addressing spacing/offset well coordination. All permit-cycle conditions are traceable to specific document citations with exact approval date (2026-02-25). No missing critical dates or unexplained regulatory orders. OCR quality is sufficient for identification of regulatory signals and technical parameters.