ND Oil and gas Legal Descriptions

I am going to post this listing from the Daily Activity reports;

#34783 - NINE POINT ENERGY, LLC, MISSOURI 152-103-4-2-1H, LOT5 4-152N-103W, WILLIAMS CO., 1625' FNL AND 825' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, EIGHTMILE, 23914', 9-5/8 INCH , 1896'
GROUND, API #33-105-04755''

AND my question is....township 152N Range 103 West, but what are the SECTIONS? Sometimes I can see one of the sections sometimes but never seem to see both. For this one I am guessing Section 4? Can anyone clear that up for me. Of course they aren't all the same either.

Here's one below that I am pretty confident is in Section 31 but is there a way to figure what the other section is or do you have to wait for it to be put on the map?

#32645 - EOG RESOURCES, INC., RIVERVIEW 17-3130H, SWSE 31-152N-94W, MCKENZIE CO.,
'TIGHT HOLE;

Sorry for this basic question. Thanks for any help.

It's just a LOC, abbreviation for location and not a certain thing that the drilling of one or all wells will be drilled or, even that they will be drilled from that location. Things change. With that disclaimer, My best guess is that sections 3 and 2 are the intended target of one or possibly all. I'm not even seeing dots for confidential wells on the map which I should if there was a permit. Permits are cheap, renewing a permit is cheap.

At least they are thinking tentatively about drilling some wells. Good luck.

That was from the drilling permit page. They’re not even my sections it was just some examples that were posted. I like to know what sections everything is in and which way they’re going north or south but I guess you just can’t tell from those limited descriptions on the website. But thank you for your help.

Every well drilled in ND starts as a confidential well from the time it is permitted. If there IS a permit, it should show up on the map as a dot. An undrilled well can maintain confidential status for years as long as the permits keep being renewed on an undrilled well. After a well has commenced drilling, usually the operator will ask for 6 month confidential status, often after reaching total depth, but not always. I know of at least one case where the operator didn't request the confidential status until the well started producing...they just didn't file anything until that point and the NDIC allowed them to get away with it. After the confidential period expires there will be lines on the GIS survey map denoting the path of the wellbores. Short of finding out from the operator themselves, you aren't going to get the information you are seeking at an early date. Sometimes completion of a drilled well drags out and these are called DUCs, drilled un-completed and you can see the path of wellbores before a wellbore has been completed, but probably not in less time than the well Could be completed.

Considering all of the above the answer to your original question would be yes! The operator could clear that up for you, but I doubt they will.

This well appears to be one of a group of 6 wells Nine Point received permits for on the 13th. They are unusual as they are all around 24,000 feet, that is about 4.5 miles. By their description they are going east to west from section 4 to section to section 2 In 152N-103w, that is about a 3 mile lateral. My guess is that it was done this way to go under the water in that area. Once the GIS map server is updated you should be able to see what section the wells are starting from. It should be either 4 or 2. This is my guess from reading the limited reports.

You are correct on the second one. That location is in 31-152N-94W. What is the approximate timing on the first one? I can only find three wells for Nine Point Energy in Williams Co and they are in 14-155N-103W. I cannot find anything under that API number. Is it brand new?

Yes they are brand new… they’re not even my Wells. My question was not well specific. I’m just trying to figure out the directions from the legals that are posted on the ndic website. And which sections they are in.

EOG got 7 new wells permitted on the 12th. for sec 31 and 30. 152n-101w. These wells appear to be a north south orientation. I think that is what you are asking. As far as when they will be drilled no one knows but the operator. Permits are good for one year and can be renewed. I sometimes email the operator when I see a new permit on my property and ask when there plan for putting them in is. They all have been helpful and tell me their plans. I recently emailed operator about some new permits they had and they promptly responded back and told me they were already making the pad and that their plan was to start drilling next month and also said drilling plans can change.

So how did you figure they were going into Section 30 instead of 19? That IS my general question. I understand permits and renewals. I just want to know how to figure what section it goes into...You state from 31 to 30.....how did you come by that information. I do know that most Bakken wells run N/S except around water areas but do they always start in the north section and run south....no I don't think so...sometimes they start south and run north. So yes....that is my question. :)

Almost all operators put the sections they are drilling thru, in the well name. For example Nine Points name for well #34783 is Missouri 152-103-4-2. The 152 and 103 I am sure you already know. The 4 and the 2 tell you the sections the well bore stars and ends.

EOG well # 32645 name is Riverview 17-3130. The 17 stands for it is the 17th Riverview well. the 3130 stand for sections 31 and 30. By reading the daily activity reports and seeing where different wells are going in, you get a feel as to how the different operators are putting their well locations in the wells name.

Thank you! That clears it up quite a bit. I appreciate that extra bit of information. I check those reports every single day and never could quite figure that part out.

Nine Point is putting in a 6/well pad in the tiny far east portion of section 4- the only spot they could find that was not in the Army Corps’s flowage easement- pretty restrictive in that area , hence the long laterals heading east.