Lodgepole Wildcat Staked 12 Miles Northwest of Sidney

Richland County, Montana

Whiting Oil and Gas (Whiting) of Denver, a major player in the Williston Basin’s horizontal Bakken play, has announced plans to drill a vertical wildcat in Elm Coulee Northeast Field in Richland County, Montana. Some 12 miles northwest of Sidney, Mont., Whiting has staked the Vitt #16-1, ne-ne 16-25n-57e, a Lodgepole attempt with a proposed vertical depth of 9,803’. In addition to the Lower Mississippian Lodgepole, other zones of interest for the Vitt #16-1 include the Flat Lake, Mission Canyon, and Tilston, all of which are part of the Madison Group.

Elm Coulee Northeast Field is a prolific Bakken oil pool that has cumulated more than 32.9 mmbo following its discovery in 2008. Production from this huge complex is primarily coming from unconventional wellbores.

Whiting operates a developmental well in the same section as the Vitt #16-1. Located almost a quarter-mile west of their recent staking in Elm Coulee Northeast Field, the Norby #21-16-1H, ne-nw 16-25n-57e, was completed as a horizontal Bakken producer. Whiting gave this well an IPP of 240 bopd, 165 mcfgpd, and 485 bwpd from the lateral Bakken interval at 10,909’–21,156’. With a bottom-hole location in the sw-sw 16-25n-57e, this well has cumulated more than 64 k bo, 47 mmcfg, and 104 k bw since October 2012. Tops picked in the Norby #21-16-1H include the Charles at 8,381’, Mission Canyon at 9,234’, Lodgepole at 9,744’, and the Middle Bakken was noted at 10,819’ (TVD).

A similar distance east of the Vitt #16-1 is a second horizontal Bakken producer. Also operated by Whiting, the Kilen #21-15-1H, ne-nw 15-25n-57e, reached a true measure depth of 20,425’ and was given an IPP of 491 bopd, 501 mcfgpd, and 1,669 bwpd from the Bakken interval at 10,897’–20,425’. With production beginning in 2012, this well has amassed more than 119 k bo, 109 mmcfg, and 202 k bw. Based on e-logs, the Mission Canyon came in at 9,273’, Lodgepole at 9,763’, and the Middle Bakken was encountered at 10,540’ (TVD).

The nearest vertical well to Whiting’s Vitt #16-1 is a quarter-mile to the southeast at a test that had excellent shows and some oil recovery. Drilled by Pennzoil, the Sjostrom #1, ne-nw 15-25n-57e, achieved a total depth in the Red River of 12,873’. Pennzoil completed this test as a noncommercial Red River producer that was given an IP rate of 143 bopd, 173 mcfgpd, and 41 bwpd from vertical perforations between 12,752’ and 12,771’. One DST was conducted in the wellbore across the Mission Canyon at 9,265’–9,345’, where 465’ of slightly gas-cut mud with a trace of oil and 789’ of slightly gas-cut black sulfur water were recovered. The Sjostrom #1 cumulated more than 11.8 k bo and 51.3 k bw prior to being plugged in 1993.

Another conventional attempt in the immediate area was drilled by Choctaw Oil and Gas (Choctaw) at the Joy #10-24, se-sw 10-25n-57e. Scaling less than a half-mile northeast of the Vitt #16-1, this attempt bottomed in the Red River at a vertical depth of 13,000’. Choctaw conducted four DSTs in this wellbore: two above the Lodgepole in the Mission Canyon, and one apiece below the Lodgepole in the Upper Interlake and Red River.

The first Mission Canyon interval at 9,259’–9,336’ yielded 290’ of mud and 174’ of slightly water-cut mud, with the sampler holding 2,200 cc of slightly water-cut mud. The second Mission Canyon DST was run from 9,360’ to 9,428’, where 183’ of highly gas-cut oil and 2,431’ of slightly gas-cut water were recovered. The sample chamber contained 150 cc of oil and 2,050 cc of water. Tops picked in the Joy #10-24 included the Charles at 8,426’, ­Mission Canyon at 9,268’, Lodgepole at 10,528’, and the Red River D coming in at 12,734’ beneath a KB elevation of 2,440’.

The nearest Lodgepole production to Whiting’s Vitt #16-1 is some 25 miles to the southwest at a horizontal Bakken well operated by Slawson Exploration. Located in Elm Coulee Field proper, the Weasel #1-36H, nw-nw 36-23n-53e, was completed as a short horizontal producer extracting 184 bopd, 202 mcfgpd, and 348 bwpd from the lateral Lodgepole interval at 9,897’–13,690’. Plugged and abandoned in 2017, this effort produced more than 27.3 k bo, 23.7 mmcfg, and 40.8 bw.

The Weasel #1-36H represents the only unconventional Lodgepole production found to-date in Elm Coulee Field, which began early development in 2000. This Class A Bakken oil pool currently accommodates at least 800 horizontal wells and has thus far yielded almost 175 mmbo.