File #42736 | Oasis Petroleum North America LLC | Mountrail County
API
3306105653
Target Formation
Bakken (Middle Bakken)
Permit Explained
Yes
Permit Cycle Assessment
The permit approval dated 2026-02-27 is directly explained by Commission Order No. 34892, which conditions the approval on specific setback distances (500'/150') from spacing unit boundaries. The reduced 150-foot west setback is justified by the conditioned wet-shoe production liner design with frac-out capability, documented in the drilling plan and confirmed by the applicant. Order No. 31973 compliance is demonstrated through Surface Use Agreement execution (dated 2026-02-26) with the landowner, satisfying the requirement for drilling from a surface location outside the spacing unit. Anticollision analysis (completed 2025-12-08) supports the lateral wellbore geometry with 14+ offset wells evaluated and minimum 1.775 ft separation factor achieved, exceeding the 1.2 industry standard safety factor. The Enget Lake-Bakken Pool definition in the permit establishes the completion interval and pool boundaries. All material permit conditions are time-bound to the approval date and are supported by contemporaneous technical documentation.
Permit Cycle Signals (5)
Commission Order No. 34892 approval issued with setback conditions: 500' north/south, 150' east/west from spacing unit boundaries within 2560-acre unit (Sections 35, 36, 31, 32) (2026-02-27)
Order 34892 is the direct regulatory basis for permit approval and specifically conditions the wellbore geometry and lateral placement. The setback distances are non-routine and directly tied to the 2560-acre spacing unit definition.
Production liner with wet shoe and frac-out capability explicitly required as basis for west setback waiver (150' vs standard greater distance) (2026-02-27)
The wet shoe design is conditioned as the technical justification for the reduced 150' west setback. This is a non-routine completion design constraint tied directly to permit approval.
Order No. 31973 compliance: Surface location outside spacing unit with waiver of adjacent operator notification because Oasis is operator of adjacent spacing unit (2026-01-06)
Order 31973 requires notification to adjacent operators when wellbore enters Bakken outside target spacing unit. Waiver is contingent on Oasis being operator of adjacent unit. Surface Use Agreement executed with landowner satisfies regulatory requirement.
Anticollision analysis completed with certified well planners, real-time surveys, 1.2 separation safety factor, gamma ray identification of existing wellbores, and survey frequency 93-100 feet (2025-12-08)
Anticollision is a permit-conditioning requirement for horizontal wells in congested areas. Report demonstrates compliance with 1.2 safety factor and identifies 14+ offset wells with minimum 1.775 ft separation factor, supporting lateral geometry approval.
Enget Lake-Bakken Pool definition established in permit: top 50 feet above Bakken Formation top to above Birdbear Formation top (2026-02-27)
Pool definition in permit anchors the completion interval (MD 10109-30713) and is required for spacing unit compliance. This is standard but directly tied to approval.
Historical Non-Routine Signals (5)
Facility design uses indirect heater with NDIC setback exemption (Case No. 28949, Order No. 31500) allowing 60-foot setback from wellhead and 21-foot setback from oil tank instead of standard distances (N/A)
Exemption is operator-specific and asset-specific, conditioning all future production operations on this well pad. Non-compliance with setback geometry could trigger facility shutdown.
Closed mud system with no cuttings pit and perimeter berm required; filter sock container compliance required effective June 1, 2014 per 43-02-03-19.2 (N/A)
Waste management obligations persist throughout drilling, completion, and flow-back phases. Non-compliance with leak-proof container requirement creates exposure to enforcement action and environmental violations.
Remote or automatic shutoff devices required on all equipment; manual locking devices and independent power sources required for BOP closing unit (N/A)
Safety device requirements are non-waivable operational constraints throughout the well lifecycle. Any modification to pressure control equipment requires prior NDIC approval.
Operator must provide 21-31 day prior written notice to adjacent pool operators if completion intervals within 2,640 feet of each other; acknowledgment signed by operator (N/A)
Completion notification obligation applies when this well moves to completion phase and persists during any future workovers or restimulation. Non-notification could trigger regulatory citation.
Any changes to casing point depth, total depth, or completion technique within Bakken-Three Forks Petroleum System require prior NDIC approval (N/A)
Modification protocol is permanent constraint on operational flexibility. Operator cannot deviate from approved depths/design without separate permit amendment.
Historical Operator Profile
Total Wells:N/A
Active Wells:N/A
Notable Patterns:None identified
Confidence Assessment
Level: High Rationale: Permit approval date (2026-02-27) is explicitly stated. All material conditioning documents are dated and referenced in the permit (Order No. 34892, Order No. 31973, Order No. 31500). Anticollision analysis is dated 2025-12-08 with detailed offset well identifications. Surface Use Agreement and affidavit are both dated 2026-02-26, immediately preceding approval. Drilling plan with wet-shoe design detail is dated 2025-12-08. No dates are inferred; all temporal anchors are explicit. The well file contains complete chain of regulatory authorization from drilling order through operational conditions.