A play for oil and gas in carbonate mounds in the Lodgepole member of Mississippian Madison is fanning out into at least three western North Dakota counties.
This area of the Williston basin has been host to three discoveries in and just south of Dickinson oil field in Stark County since February 1993. The wells have flowed generally 1,500-2,700 b/d of oil plus 1-2 MMcfd of gas from Lodgepole intervals at about 9,800 ft. Unconfirmed reports have held that wells have flowed oil at rates two to four times these figures.
The three discoveries are within 5 miles of one another south of Dickinson field, but significant leasing has been reported in Stark County and Billings and Dunn counties to the north and west.
Rocky Mountain Oil journal, Denver, notes that as of late March nine interested parties have nominated more than 14,640 acres in Stark County for inclusion in a state lease sale to be held May 2 in Bismarck. And the North Dakota Industrial Commission has scheduled hearings Apr. 26 regarding allowables, spacing, and field rules around the discoveries.
Sources tell OGJ that 3D seismic surveys and surface exploration methods are among the exploration techniques being used to help locate the mounds.
RMOJ lists the following parties interested in the play: Conoco Inc., Raymond T. Duncan, Gresham Resources, Meridian Oil Inc., True Oil Co., Jordan Oil & Gas Co., BTA Oil Producers Inc., Total Petroleum, Mike Armstrong, Summit Resources, Sam Gray, Northern Energy, Diamond Resources, Farmer Energy, Kirkwood Oil & Gas, Amerada Hess Corp., Kerns Oil & Gas, Phoenix Resources Corp., Westbay Exploration, B.J. Kadrmas Oil Co., and others.
The Stark County Lodgepole discoveries are:
Raymond T. Duncan I Klein, in 23-139n-97w, on test in April 1995, gauge not reported but believed to be commercial.
Raymond T. Duncan 1 Knopik, in 11-139n-97w, which flowed as much as 2,707 b/d of oil and 1.55 MMcfd of gas (OGJ, Jan. 30, p. 106).
Conoco Inc. 74 Dickinson State, in 32-140n-96w, Dickinson field deeper pool discovery, completed in mid-1993 flowing 2,045 L)/d of 45.2 gravity oil and 1.164 MMcfd of gas from 129 ft of Lodgepole at 9,786 ft.
Copyright 1995 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
