In 2009 the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) named Michael S. Johnson as its Explorer of the Year for his work leading to the discovery of the Parshall Field. Johnson, in the years leading up to the award, had the idea to follow the geologic trends of Montana’s Elm Coulee Field in his search for an Elm Coulee look-alike. He found it in North Dakota on the eastern side of the Nesson Anticline in Mountrail County, N.D.
“In his analysis, Johnson looked at an old Gulf Oil well where the Ross Field now stands. It had promising potential in the Middle Bakken Dolomite between upper and lower shale areas,” a June 2009 E&P article stated. “He also looked at a Lear Oil well at the site of Parshall Field. On the strength of information from those two wells, he and a partner bought 40,000 acres in the area. In 2005 he was the only bidder for the area in the state land sale, and he picked up properties for about $3 per acre.”
EOG Resources drilled the first horizontal well at the Ross Field in 2005, followed it with another into the Parshall Field in 2006, and from there, the rest is history.
In the 13 years since that initial discovery at Parshall, the Bakken has grown in stature to become the third largest shale field in the U.S. in terms of oil production. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported in its November 2018 “Drilling Productivity Report” oil production would reach 1.5 MMbbl/d in December 2018, up 18,000 bbl/d over November 2018 production.
Spudding activity rose for several years prior to the 2014 market collapse, but that activity rebounded in 2017 and 2018, according to Drillinginfo. In an exclusive report provided to E&P, Drillinginfo noted that more than 15,000 horizontal wells have been spudded in the Williston Basin over the past decade, making it one of the most mature unconventional plays.
Yearly well performance continues to rise, with wells coming online in 2018 reaching 200,000 boe, more than 3.5 times faster than wells in 2014, according to the report. Much of that improvement, according to Drillinginfo, is attributed to drilling focused in the core of the play.
Mountrail County is one of a handful of counties considered to be part of that core, proving out what Johnson in his 2009 AAPG presentation urged attendees to do—to find a good geologic idea and follow it. By doing just that, he found a veritable treasure trove of black gold that has turned the fortunes of public and private citizens alike.
PROVEN UNDEVELOPED RESERVES PRICING
SPUDS PER YEAR
CUMULATIVE VINTAGE TYPE CURVES
Recommended Reading
Gunvor Group Inks Purchase Agreement with Texas LNG Brownsville
2024-03-19 - The agreement with Texas LNG Brownsville calls for a 20-year free on-board sale and purchase agreement of 0.5 million tonnes per annum of LNG for a Gunvor Group subsidiary.
Venture Global, Grain LNG Ink Deal to Provide LNG to UK
2024-02-05 - Under the agreement, Venture Global will have the ability to access 3 million tonnes per annum of LNG storage and regasification capacity at the Isle of Grain LNG terminal.
ARC Resources Adds Ex-Chevron Gas Chief to Board, Tallies Divestments
2024-02-11 - Montney Shale producer ARC Resources aims to sign up to 25% of its 1.38 Bcf/d of gas output to long-term LNG contracts for higher-priced sales overseas.
Sempra Targets Summer 2025 for Commercial Start of ECA LNG Phase 1
2024-03-06 - Sempra is targeting the summer of 2025 as the commercial operations date for its 3.25 mtpa (0.43 Bcf/d) nameplate capacity Energía Costa Azul LNG Phase 1 project, located in Ensenada in Baja California, Mexico.
NextDecade Targets Second Half of 2024 for Phase 2 FID at Rio Grande LNG
2024-03-13 - NextDecade updated its progress on Phase 1 of the Rio Grande LNG facility and said it is targeting a final investment decision on two additional trains in the second half of 2024.