Fort Peck Agency Poplar Montana Oil & Gas lease Sale No. 7/2013. Sealed bids will be received until 10:00 A.M. July 17, 2013. Approximately 38,650 acres of tribally owned lands and approximately 158,762 acres of individually owned trust or restricted lands located in Roosevelt, Valley, Sheridian and Daniels Counties, Montana. Also included in the sale will be 18 Turtle Mountain Public Domain allotted tracts totaling approximately 2,288 acres. Contact Fort Peck Mineral Resource Office at 406 768-5155 for more information.
Brings to mind the conversation I had with the Xenergy Oil Person when they sold out to Oasis Oil a few years back. She simply told me in a phone call, “They made us an offer we just could not refuse!!”
Does make me wonder what does go on in those closed board meetings. Big time decisions with big time dollars is my sense!!
In my opinion, Samson’s interest is in ND and the massive mineral sale in Roosevelt, does not surprise me at all. Hopefully, some new operators will be more aggressive in the drilling.
Update on T27N-R57E, the Nelson 27-22 by Statoil is just sitting there waiting for Fracing(2months), also a mile away East, Statoil has Opened the old Alexander #1 Horizontel well in preparation for their 4 pipe small pipeline that will put Salt Water down it(12,000 feet) and other 3 lines will be 1 fresh water, 2 for oil to a Sub-station for hauling to Rail since the Keystone XL is on hold. An article in the Bismark,ND paper said 2014 will see many more Fracing companies to catch up on this!!
Stanley:
In T32;R47 & 48, looks like a total of 6 wells were drilled resulting in p&a or dry hole. Depths range from 8,000’ to 8,586’ which would be the Charles Formation. If I remember correctly, the Bakken Formation is very thin in this area which might be one reason that no Bakken wells have been drilled. Keep in mind, this area consists of various other formations which one day may be developed. Only time will tell what occurs but if oil remains at the current levels, these areas should see leasing interests and possibly development in the future.
Thank you Charles very much for the info. Do you happen to know where I might find more info on the Charles formation? Hopefully leasing interests will be sooner than later.
Stanley:
Looking at the GIS map, appears this area has about 4 p&a’d vertical wells from years ago. Other areas have p&a’d wells and dry holes. Has any seismic work been conducted on your area? I am not familiar with area of Roosevelt County as my minerals are located near the ND border in T30:R58 & 59.
Not that I am aware of. My father passed away in 2001 and my Brother in 2010 and any info on the property went with them. I am just trying to get up to speed on what has been going on. I heard USGS announce a few months ago that the Bakken deposit is much larger than originally thought so I am checking out any avenue of information available. Yes a well was drilled on the property but it was not pushed very deep. This was probably 50 years ago. The driller at the time thought there was oil on the property but it was deeper.
I and my family own mineral rights in T32 N, range 47 , T 32N range 48.
Has anyone been leasing in this area recently?
Stanley:
You can always “google” the Charles Formation in Roosevelt County, MT. Again, I am guessing it is the Charles formation looking at the depth of the former wells in the area. I believe the formation above the Charles is the Tyler formation and the formation below the Charles is the Bakken. If you contact the Montana Oil and Gas agency, they could verify this. It’s hard to predict the leasing interest timeline as many factors are in the mix.
And to join the conversation,
In regards to Charles’s thoughts about time will tell when the next formations will be developed, I talked with a landman from Oasis two weeks ago asking about their developing the Three Forks Formation in Roosevelt County (check out their website for where they have mineral rights). He suggested to me that they are actively drilling into the Three Forks formation in North Dakota, but not in Montana. When they drill into the Three Forks in Montana is not on their radar at this time.
Thus, sounds like “only time will tell” is indeed a big truth in all this.
Dave
Stanley,
Charles is pretty close as always. The active wells miles to the south are from the Nisku formation at about 8000’ A really good one has produced almost 400,000 barrels is operated by a very knowledgeable operator, well versed in finding structural highs trapping oil. There are no Bakken Tests in the area but 32-47 has a very tight matrix of seismic lines concentrated in the middle of the TWN that is begging for a well to be drilled to confirm the seis. 32-48 has widely scattered seismic lines in random directions but the entire TWN is covered. The Nisku, Madison, and Charles wells to the south in 31-48 are all on seismic lines being structural deposits.
If you control over 2000 acres or so in the area of the seismic lines, you may be able to attract a driller but with smaller acreage, you will have to wait until someone wants to reevaluate the seismic and drill a vertical well.
There is little doubt that the Bakken exists in the area but with 15-20 years of known Bakken development east towards the state line, there is little reason for the Big Boys to step out and drill a $10million well in an unproven area in the near future. (Why buy a the cow concept)
I’ve recently evaluated the area south of you for a client with acreage from ND to ID and another from Daniels to Rosebud. I also didn’t find the dry holes that Charles found but did find many expired drilling permits in your designated area. All on Seismic lines.
If you have lots of acreage beware the lessee who wants to tie it up and hold it by drilling a 1000 foot well. I see that going on and how it hurts the mineral owner by taking away his values.
I still believe that one day down the road, an operator will “dare” to venture into unknown areas in this Eastern MT area and if successful, this could be the driving force for future development. Read real close the 3rd paragraph of Mr. Hutchinson’s reply. This will apply to the Eastern MT area in a nutshell. Keep in mind, the Bakken and Three Forks are just two formations which is present in the Eastern MT area.
We can hope for 3 Forks but shouldn’t count on it like the Bakken. The 3 forks and its time associated deposits are older than the Bakken and although the 3 Forks is a permeable formation, it and other formations of the same age were eroded in part prior to the Bakken being laid down. So, if the 3 Forks exists under that Bakken Shale, the Bakken Shale will trap whatever liquid is there. Water in the lows and oil in the highs.
I see some three forks tests proposed to the south and west that are on the edges of Madison, Charles and other structural highs. That is a great place to look for three forks and bare watching, especially along seismic lines.
Gary H
The area of mineral rights I have is approximately 1000 acres. Thanks to all of you for the information provided.
Re: T29N R50E Sec. 36. Greetings: I recently received a request form from Tidelands Geophysical Co. Inc., and/or Fort Worth Company to begin a 3-D seismic survey of the land cited above. Wondering if anyone had thoughts on this type of exploration. Currently, there is an existing mineral lease on this property but was wondering what others have experienced with this type of exploration. I intend to research this further but wanted to run this by the forum. Thank you, in advance. Les
Leslie:
I welcome this type of work on my mineral area as this will help others to decide whether or not to invest millions of dollars for development. I had the same happen on my other mineral area just across the border in ND and got a well within a year. My mineral area in MT is located to the NE of yours and expires in December. Don’t know when your lease expires but in my opinion, let the lease expire and negotiate from that point.
Leslie,
I don’t think geophysical prospecting will condemn the Bakken but may help locate structural highs. Until the Bakken, Nearly all oil production came from structural high points. Its a good thing for you.
Gary Hutchinson
Formations T30N;R56E
Hi all—We have a producing well at the above location and has produced from both the Bakken and the Three Forks Formations. How do they move a lateral that is thousands of feet long? It produced the first 4 months from the Bakken then for the next 8 months from the Three Forks. The Bakken production was substantially better. This is a Whiting operated well.
Thanks in advance for the info, if this comment makes sense to anyone.
Our landman told us several months ago that they were planning to experiment with some wells to try and produce from both the TFF and the Bakken at the same time…via the same well. Thus, makes me wonder if this is what is happening for you Gary with your well and oil company. I get the sense that they are all trying some new ways of doing things and will continue to do so in the name of lowering costs and raising profits (prophets perhaps??).