File #42737 | OASIS PETROLEUM NORTH AMERICA LLC | Mountrail County
API
3306105654
Target Formation
Bakken (Middle Bakken)
Permit Explained
Yes
Permit Cycle Assessment
The permit approval dated 2026-02-27 is explained by three contemporaneous permit-cycle signals: (1) Commission Order No. 34892 establishes setback conditions (500' N/S, 150' E/W) that directly condition approval; (2) technical justification for reduced 150' west setback citing wet shoe configuration with frac-out capability, submitted pre-permit and incorporated into approval stipulation; (3) Surface Use Agreement executed 2026-02-26 satisfying Order No. 31973 requirement for off-spacing horizontal drilling, enabling regulatory approval of lateral entry into adjacent spacing unit. Anticollision analysis (2025-11-20) supporting well clearance in multi-well pad context rounds out technical justification. The permit approval incorporates all required pre-permit submittals and regulatory orders conditioning the well design.
Permit Cycle Signals (4)
Commission Order No. 34892 conditioning approval on setback compliance: 500' setback from north & south boundaries, 150' setback from east & west boundaries within 2560-acre spacing unit. (2026-02-27)
Direct regulatory order establishes non-standard setback geometry that conditions the entire permit approval. The 150' east-west setback is explicitly tied to production liner cemented with wet shoe and ability to frac out shoe—a technical constraint justifying the reduced offset.
Setback waiver justification: West setback reduced to 150' based on wet shoe configuration with ability to frac out shoe, allowing economic perforation strategy and reducing operational risk in lateral completion. (2026-01-06)
Technical justification for non-routine setback reduction submitted pre-permit and explicitly cited in approval stipulation. Demonstrates operator pre-submitted engineering rationale conditioning the permit geometry.
Surface Use Agreement executed with landowner for off-spacing drilling (Order No. 31973 compliance). Affidavit dated February 26, 2026 affirms SUA for wells drilling into off-lease units from pad location NW¼ SW¼, SW¼ NW¼ Section 33, T158N, R92W. (2026-02-26)
Contemporaneous surface rights documentation required by Commission Order No. 31973 for horizontal wells drilled outside spacing unit boundary. Wellbore enters Bakken outside target spacing unit; SUA enables regulatory approval of off-spacing trajectory.
Anticollision report completed November 20, 2025 (pre-permit submission). Report evaluates DUNLIN 5892 31-33 3B against 15 offset wellbores; minimum separation factor 1.575 ES (ellipse separation) maintained against DUNLIN 5892 31-33 4B, confirming well clearance. (2025-11-20)
Technical submission supporting permit approval for horizontal well in congested pad environment. Separation factors validate well plan and address multi-well collision risk on Grove Federal 5892 pad.
Historical Non-Routine Signals (2)
Indirect heater exemption under NDIC Case No. 28949, Order No. 31500 allows setback reduction to 60 feet from wellhead and 21 feet from oil tank (vs. standard 500-foot setback for heated treater). Facility design incorporates this standing exemption. (Unknown)
Existing regulatory exemption permits non-standard facility spacing on this pad. Exemption conditions all future production facility placement and modification on Grove Federal 5892 pad, constraining reconfiguration options and creating operational dependency on maintained exemption status.
H2S may be present in Mission Canyon Formation (estimated TVD 5,842 feet); maximum anticipated surface pressure 3,610.76 psi. Pressure control equipment and drilling mud program designed to manage H2S exposure. (Unknown)
H2S hazard designation persists throughout well lifecycle. Condition constrains safety device requirements (blowout preventer stack specifications, remote kill line to outer edge of substructure), personnel training/certification requirements, and emergency response protocols during drilling, completion, and workover operations.
Historical Operator Profile
Total Wells:N/A
Active Wells:N/A
Notable Patterns:None identified
Confidence Assessment
Level: High Rationale: Permit file contains complete contemporaneous documentation including Commission Order No. 34892, signed Surface Use Agreement, technical drill plan with wet shoe justification, anticollision report, and regulatory submissions. All dates are exact or clearly marked. No gaps in permit-cycle chain of causation between regulatory orders, pre-permit technical submittals, and final approval. Historical signals (H2S, indirect heater exemption) are documented within original engineering submissions and persist as operational constraints.