Bakken Formation: News, Map, Videos and Information

Sources
Throughout history, most great oil and gas fields were "discovered". The Bakken was "unlocked" through
innovation.

What is the Bakken Formation?

The Bakken Formation is one of the largest contiguous deposits of oil and natural gas in the United States. It is an
interbedded sequence of black shale, siltstone and sandstone that underlies large areas of northwestern North
Dakota, northeastern Montana, southern Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba.

Bakken-Formation
Die Bakken-Formation ist eine geologische Formation aus dem spten Devon bis
frhen Mississippium. Sie umfasst etwa 520.000 km unter der Oberflche des Williston-Beckens,
welches Teile von Montana, North Dakota und Saskatchewan umfasst. Die Formation wurde
erstmals 1953 durch dem Geologen J. W. Nordquist beschrieben und wurde benannt nach Henry
Bakken, einem Bauern aus Tioga, North Dakota, auf dessen Land die Formation entdeckt wurde.
[1][2]

Bakken Formation Map

The Bakken Formation underlies large areas of northwestern North

Dakota, northeastern Montana, southern Saskatchewan and
southwestern Manitoba. The green area on this map shows the
approximate extent of the Bakken oil play.
The Bakken was deposited within the Williston Basin and is Late Devonian to Early Mississippian in age. The
Bakken Formation consists of a lower shale member, a middle sandstone member and an upper shale member.
The shales are organic-rich and of marine origin. They are rich source rocks for oil and natural gas. All three
members of the Bakken Formation have been known to yield oil and natural gas.
Just a few years ago in 2007, the Bakken was considered a marginal to submarginal resource because the oil
and natural gas are are locked in a rock formation with a low permeability. However, advances in drilling and
recovery technology such as horizontal drilling and hydrofracturing have transformed the Bakken into a prolific oil
and natural gas producer.
Since then the Bakken has propelled North Dakota oil production to record levels, moving the state to the position

of #2 oil producer in the United States. The only state that produces more crude oil is Texas.
The Bakken Formation has also given a major boost to the North Dakota economy and reduced unemployment in
the state to very low levels. The Bakken resources is expected to be productive for decades and make a major
contribution to the energy independence of the United States.

Bakken Drilling

Advances in drilling and well stimulation made the Bakken Formation

a viable oil and gas resource. Horizontal drilling enables wells to have
a much longer "pay zone" than a traditional vertical well. Hydraulic
fracturing produces porosity in the rock unit that facilitates movement
of oil or gas to the well. Together, these methods allow a single well
to drain a much larger volume of rock and more efficiently recover the
oil and gas resource.
The USGS Assessment for the Bakken Formation estimated mean undiscovered volumes of 3.65 billion
barrels of oil, 1.85 trillion cubic feet of associated / dissolved natural gas, and 148 million barrels of natural gas
liquids in the United States portion of the Bakken Formation. These resources are contained within both
conventional and unconventional reservoirs. The Bakken Formation in Canada contains additional resources and
has been called one of the largest oil fields in Canada.
In early 2008 only a few wells had been drilled into the Bakken and its viability as a resource was uncertain.
However, by the end of 2012, thousands of successful wells made it one of the most important crude
sources in the history of North America.

oil

Throughout history, most great oil and gas fields have been discovered. The Bakken Formation was unlocked
through innovation.

DOC 2

Bakken Shale Oil Formation

Bakken News

Fri, May 23, 2014

Oasis on Track to Achieve Bakken Production Targets for 2014
Wed, May 21, 2014
Hess Production To Soar in Bakken By the End of 2014

Mon, May 19, 2014

Bakken Shale Rig Count Increases by One to 182

Fri, May 16, 2014

AFPM Study Finds Bakken Crude Meets Current Safety Standards for Rail Car Design

Wed, May 14, 2014

Magnum Hunter Resources Bakken First Quarter Update

Mon, May 12, 2014

Bakken Shale Rig Count Decreases by One to 181

Fri, May 9, 2014

Halcn Resources Sets New Operations Records in the Williston Basin

he Bakken Shale ranks as one of the largest oil developments in the U.S. in the

past 40 years. The play has single-handedly driven North Dakotas oil production to
levels four times higher than previous peaks in the 1980s. As of 2012, ND is second to
Texas in terms of oil production and boasts the lowest unemployment rate in the country
at ~3%.
The Bakken Shale Play is located in Eastern Montana and Western North Dakota, as well
as parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba in the Williston Basin. Oil was initially
discovered in the Bakken play in 1951, but was not commercial on a large scale until the
past ten years. The advent of modern horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing helps
make Bakken oil production economic. The U.S. Geological Survey has estimated the
Bakken Shale Formation could yield 4.3 billion barrels of oil and estimates from
Continental Resources stretch as high as 40 billion barrels.
The name Bakken originates from a North Dakota farmer, Henry Bakken, who owned
the land where the first well encountered the Bakken formation.

Bakken Shale Geology

Bakken Shale Map | Click to Enlarge

The Bakken Shale is a rock formation that was deposited in the late Devonian, early
Mississippian age. The formation consists of three layers: an upper shale layer, middle
dolomite, and a lower layer of shale. The shale layers are petroleum source rocks as well
as seals for the layer known as the Three Forks (dolomite) or Sanish (sands) formations.
A 2008 USGS study pegged recoverable reserves at approximately 4 billion barrels and a
2010 NDIC study estimates the underlying Three Forks formation could yield an
additional 2 billion barrels. Both estimates are likely conservative. The Bakken is
estimated to hold as much as 400 billion barrels of oil equivalent in place. Four billion
barrels only represents 1% of the oil estimated to be in place, while current recovery
estimates range from 3-10%. Continental Resources has publicly expressed beliefs the
Bakken will yield anywhere from 24-40 billion barrels. If youd like to read more, visit
our Bakken Geology page for additional information.

Bakken Shale Companies

While the Bakken experienced multiple small scale booms over the past 60 years, it was a
horizontal well drilled in the Elm Coulee Field by a partnership between Lyco Energy
and Halliburton that incited our modern boom. The Elm Coulee was proven economic in
2003 and operators began expanding into North Dakota after EOGs Parshall discovery
in 2006. The play was driven by innovations and small to mid size exploration and
production companies. If youd like to read more about the various operators in the play,
visit our Bakken Companies page.

DOC 3

Geology
The Bakken Formation comprises three distinct members. The upper and lower members are
black, organic-rich shales and are widely recognized as world-class source rocks. These
members also serve as very effective seals, owing to their very low permeability. Permeability
ranges from 0.0120 mD. The middle member is the primary oil-producing member and
predominantly composed of siltstones and sandstones but also has low porosity (1%-15%) and
permeability (0-20 millidarcies), particularly for a reservoir rock.
Because of the strong contrast in lithology, the Bakken Formation is readily recognizable in
wireline logs. The upper and lower shales have unusually high gamma ray readings and high
resistivity, while the middle member has a signature similar to clastic and carbonate rocks.
2

Click to enlarge

Thickness
Current oil production activity has focused on the middle member as well as the underlying Three
Forks Formation. The thickest area of the Bakken Formation is southeast of Tioga, North Dakota,
T. 155N., R. 94W., Section 15, where it reaches 145150 feet. This area is located at the eastern
base of the Nesson Anticline. The formation generally thins evenly toward the margins of the
Williston Basin. The middle and lower members of the Bakken share a similar isopachous trend
(maximum thickness 75 and 55 feet, respectively); however, the upper shale demonstrates
distributed areas of maximum thickness near the eastern and southern marginal shelf in North
Dakota, in addition to maximum thickness near Tioga.
The overlying Lodgepole Formation consists of dense limestone and calcareous shale with minor
amounts of chert and anhydrite, with a maximum thickness of 900 feet in eastern McKenzie,
North Dakota. The Bakken is underlain by the Three Forks Formation, which has a maximum

thickness of 250 feet in eastern McKenzie County. The Three Forks Formation consists of shales,
dolostones, siltstones, sandstones, and minor occurrences of anhydrite.

Porosity/Permeability
Porosity and permeability within the middle member are generally very low. Porosity averages
5%, while permeability averages 0.04 millidarcies (MD). Porosity is influenced by burial depth,
cement dissolution, and oil emplacement. However, the highest values are associated with
naturally occurring hydraulic fractures. Higher values of permeability are also associated with
natural fractures and contain higher volumes of residual oil.
Although total organic carbon levels may reach 7% in some of the shale interbeds, the organic
content of the middle member is generally very low; it serves as a trap for oil derived from the
upper and lower members, generally resulting in overpressurized conditions.
2

Depositional Environments
The late Devonian Period ended with deposition of shallow marine to terrestrial sediments of the
Three Forks Formation as marine regression occurred to the northwest portion of the Williston
Basin. Major uplift and erosion occurred along the margins of the basin sometime during the
transition from the Devonian to the Mississippian Period. The sea likely withdrew to the area
covered by the lower Bakken Shale, and various transgressions of the sea occurred throughout
the time of Bakken deposition. The Bakken Shale indicates a change from highly oxidizing
conditions during Three Forks time to highly anoxic conditions in lower Bakken time. The anoxic
conditions continued until middle Bakken time as an influx of coarser clastics into the basin
occurred. The middle member has fauna and bedding features indicative of a normal shallow
marine depositional environment. Similarly, the upper shale indicates anoxic conditions followed
by oxygenated water conditions during the Lodgepole time.
Interpretation of depositional environments of the upper and lower Bakken Shale has varied
significantly over time. Currently, the most widely accepted model is a deep marine setting with a
stratified water column. This model is preferred because of the presence of pyrite, high
concentrations of organic matter (derived from marine algae), and a few benthic fossils. The
clastic middle member is generally interpreted as a dramatic drop in sea level associated with a
sediment influx. High-energy, near-shore tidal basins and lower shoreface depositional regimes
are all represented in the middle member.
5

Analog
There is no modern analog for the Bakken. The closest analogs are the Black Sea (which is no
longer producing black shales) and the Arafura Sea (which also does not contain black mud)
between Australia and New Guinea. These basins are both poor analogs, as the Black Sea
exists in a different depositional and geomorphic regime than that of the Bakken and the Arafura
Sea (which vaguely resembles Bakken deposition) remains underresearched. The absence of a
modern analog makes construction of a depositional model difficult which, in turn, makes
reservoir facies models more difficult to construct and accurately apply.
7

Lithology

Click to enlarge

The upper and lower Bakken members are similar in that they are hard, siliceous, pyritic, fissile,
brownish black to dark black, often noncalcareous, and organic-rich shales. The shales are very
uniform throughout their extents; however, some cores of the lower shale have thin (3 feet) black
limestone that is coarsely crystalline and significantly lower in organic content.
3

Middle Member
The middle members lithology is highly variable and consists of five distinct lithofacies. The unit
is well-sorted (although bioturbation is common); well-cemented with calcite, dolomite, or silica;
and light to medium gray in color. All lithologies within the middle member have low primary
permeability and porosity.

Middle Member Lithofacies

Lithofacies 5 SILTSTONE, massive, dense, mottled, dolomite, argillaceous, tan to light gray,

fossiliferous, disseminated pyrite, slightly bioturbated; contact with upper member is sharp.
Cross-ripple laminations, as much as 6 inches thick, occur lower in half of section (occasionally
fossiliferous). Lithiofacies 5 (PDF, 47 MB)
Lithofacies 4 LOWER ARGILACEOUS PACKSTONE TO FINE-GRAINED SANDSTONE AND

UPPER INTERBEDS OF DARK GRAY SHALE AND BUFF SILTY SANDSTONE. Lower portion is

medium gray, very fine-grained, dolomite cement, with thin parallel laminations. Upper portion is
thinly laminated to cross-bedded siltstones and very fine grained sandstones, with moderately
bioturbated, vertical burrows. Dolomitic cement in upper and lower portions with some dewatering
structures. Lithiofacies 4 (PDF, 37.8 MB)
Lithofacies 3 DARK GRAY, FINE-GRAINED SANDSTONE TO MEDIUM-GRAY LIMESTONE.

Sandstone is mainly quartzose with minor feldspar and heavy minerals, buff to green, moderately
well sorted to well-sorted, rounded to well-rounded, contains calcite cement with occasional
pyritic cement, disseminated pyrite, few brachiopods, and slight to no bioturbation. Limestone
occurs along the southwestern extent and ranges from sandalgal packstone, to ooid packstone,
to an ooidcrinoid packstonegrainstone. Oil staining may be present in the very fine grained,
laminated, predominantly quartz sandstone portion. Lithiofacies 3 (PDF, 47 MB)
Lithofacies 2 GREENISH GRAY ARGILLACEOUS SILTSTONE TO BROWNISH GRAY SILTY

SANDSTONE. Siltstone is moderately to very strongly bioturbated (disrupting the laminae),

fossiliferous, dolomitic becoming calcareous with depth, and disseminated pyrite. Sandstone
accumulations are restricted to localized highs. Lithiofacies 2 (PDF, 66.9 MB)
Lithofacies 1 ARGILLACEOUS SILTSTONE, massive, dense, mottled, very calcareous, gray-

green, highly fossiliferous, with disseminated pyrite. The lower contact may be either gradational
or erosive. Lithiofacies 1 (PDF, 41.7 MB)
Lithiofacies Central Basin Facies (CBF) (PDF, 54.7 MB)

Oil Production
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Bakken Formation is the largest
continuous oil resource in the lower 48 states. Although the Bakken Formation is productive in
numerous reservoirs throughout Montana and North Dakota, the Elm Coulee Field in Montana
and the Mountrail County area of North Dakota were the first to benefit from modern, successful
practices. 15

Bakken Formation Resource Estimates

Click to enlarge

The amount of oil in place (OIP, or total oil generated) in the Bakken Formation has been debated
for decades. The estimates range from 10 to 500 billion barrels (Bbbl) of oil. The use of different
methodologies is the greatest contributor to this extreme variation, along with data usage and
available technology.
The first estimate, numbering approximately 10 Bbbl, was developed by Wallace Dow in
1974. Data at that time were limited, and this was the first publication to suggest the Bakken
Formation was capable of generating very large volumes of oil. Academic studies followed in the
early 1980s, and the number increased to 92 Bbbl and then 132 Bbbl by 1983. The availability of
additional data largely influenced these results.
The largest (and most controversial) estimate was developed by USGS geochemist Dr. Leigh
Price in 1999. Price's manuscript was never formally published as he passed away before the
paper completed the review process. Price estimated total oil in the Bakken to range from 271 to
503 Bbbl, with an average of 413 Bbbl. His study was based on the largest data set available at
the time and incorporated methods that accounted for changes in the rock units over geologic
time.
Using a smaller data set and a new computer modeling package, Meissner and Banks estimated
32 Bbbl of oil had been generated in the Bakken. Flannery and Kraus used a more sophisticated
modeling program and a much larger data set to develop a much larger estimate of 300 Bbbl.
Based on an independent evaluation, the North Dakota Geological Survey (NDGS) currently
believes approximately 167 Bbbl of oil that has been generated in the North Dakota portion of the
Bakken Formation. This estimate is in line with the large estimates by Price and Flannery and
Kraus.
Of that 167 Bbbl of oil, the NDGS estimates approximately 2.1 Bbbl is technically recoverable
with early 2008 technology. At about the same time and using different methods, USGS
released an estimate stating approximately 3.65 Bbbl is technically recoverable from the U.S.
portion (North Dakota and Montana) of the Bakken using 2008 technology. These numbers are
also roughly in agreement and represent only 1%2% of the oil that may be trapped in the
formation.
8

10

11

12

13

13

Oil Recovery Well per Well

North Dakota Historical Monthly Oil Production

Click to enlarge

On an individual well basis, ultimate recovery from North Dakota wells ranges from 500,000 to
900,000 bbl per well, compared to 100,000 to 400,000 bbl per well in the Elm Coulee Field of
Montana. Improved hydraulic fracturing technology including more fracturing stages has become
a significant contributor to improved production. In addition, the productive reservoir section on
the North Dakota side of the Williston Basin is thicker and more widely distributed, typical of an
unconventional resource play. If the predictions prove to be accurate and are repeatable over a
wide area, the Bakken would likely be the most prolific onshore oil play in the United States.

Completion

Click to enlarge

Completion and stimulation technology refer to hardware and methods used to construct wells
and improve the fluid production after the physical construction of the well is completed.
Completions are described by well design; orientation; areal spacing; and hardware, including
liners, casing, methods of diversion, perforating, and cementing. Stimulation technologies include
hardware and methods used to pump fluids and materials into the formation to increase contact
with the reservoir to improve the rate and recovery of fluids from the formation into the wellbore
and, ultimately, to the surface.
The North Dakota play is thicker and more widely distributed than the Montana play, allowing for
more expansive development. Although horizontal laterals as long as 2 miles have been drilled,
data suggest that these wells are only marginally more successful than wells completed at half
the length.
The majority of wells in most Bakken producing fields utilize multistage fracture treatments. Some
operators are attempting over 30 treatment stages within a 10,000-foot lateral. Most wells
typically comprise a single lateral completed in the upper Middle Bakken and utilize sliding-

sleeve ball-drop systems for openhole multistage (OHMS) stimulation. Alternatively, plug-andperforate technology has been used in cemented liners and can be used in addition to OHMS to
increase multistage fracturing beyond the stage limits of sliding sleeves. Early in the play, some
operators chose less costly completion methods that included single-stage fracturing of the entire
horizontal wellbore. Although economical, generally, these wells were not as productive as
multistage fractured wells.

Completion Technologies

Stimulation
Stimulation, or hydraulic fracturing, is a process used by oil and gas companies to increase
production from wells that would otherwise have low production rates and low overall production
totals. Hydraulic fracturing involves using a pressurized slurry of a fluid, typically water with a
solid material referred to as proppant, to fracture or create cracks in the rock emanating from the
borehole. This increases the effective conductivity of fluids within the formation and improves the
connectivity of the formation to the borehole, allowing improved production of reservoir fluids,
including oil or gas.

Stimulation Technologies
Stimulation relative to the Bakken Formation refers primarily to the hydraulic fracturing process of
the horizontal wellbore. Hydraulic fracturing is performed to create greater conductivity of fluids
within the formation and improved communication with the reservoir and the wellbore. The
components of hydraulic fracturing include the hydraulic fluids and the proppants used to keep
fractures within the rock open. Fracturing fluids are designed to inhibit corrosion, minimize
bacteria growth, carry proppants into the induced fractures, and minimize reactivity with the
formation. Generally, the fluids comprise water and dilute chemicals to provide improved
properties. Proppants include sand and ceramics of specific sizes, strengths, and treatments that
increase the likelihood for the proppant to remain in the formation versus flowing back to the
surface with the fluids.

Hydraulic Fracture Stimulation Treatments

The size and type of hydraulic fracture treatments utilized in the Bakken Formation of North
Dakota have varied over time. An example of a hydraulic fracture treatment for one operator in
2008 included the use of 950,000 gallons of fluid to place 1.9 million lb of proppant in a 5000-foot
horizontal well. An example of a well in 2010 with a horizontal length of 10,000 feet used
approximately 3.5 million gallons of fluid to place 4.5 million lb of proppant. Hydraulic fracture
treatments can be pumped as a single stage where the entire horizontal wellbore is fractured at

one time or in multiple stages. Multiple-stage completion methods such as sliding-sleeve systems
are typically employed first at the toe of the well treating a 250- to 500-foot zone isolated by
packers and working toward the heel of the well. Modern technology allows the sequential
multistage treatments to be conducted without the interruption of running tools into the well and
decreasing treatment times to as little as 24 to 48 hours. The number of fracture stimulation
stages in a Bakken or Three Forks well has increased to 40 stages in 2011 with the size of the
job. Treatment costs vary, however. Stimulation treatments typically cost more than $2 million.

Fracturing Fluids
The selection of fracturing fluid is largely based on personal experience, geographic
considerations, and advice from service providers. Generally, treatments in the Bakken have
used water-based fluids. Fracturing fluids are required to be viscous enough to create a fracture
of adequate width, maximize fluid travel distance to extend fracture length, transport large
amounts of proppant into the fracture, and utilize gelling agents that break down to allow flowback
of fluid and reduce flowback of proppant.
Additives to the fracturing fluids are used in a numbers of ways. The figure below lists potential
additives and shows the general concentration of additives relative to the total volume of fluid.
Fluid additives function to clean up the formation, prevent leakoff, and reduce surface tension.
The additives include biocides, fluid-loss agents, enzyme breakers, acid breakers, oxidizing
breakers, friction reducers, and surfactants. Primary categories for fracturing fluids include the
following:

Gelled fluids linear or cross-linked gels

Foamed gels

Water and potassium chloride

Combinations of the above

Descriptions of fracturing fluids and corresponding additives are as follows. Linear gels include
agents known as guar or cellulose derivatives that are biodegradable. The substances are
polymeric, which thicken the water for better proppant transport. Guar gum is nontoxic and is a
food-grade product commonly used to increase the viscosity of foods such as ice cream. Crosslinked gels are an improvement to linear gels providing greater proppant transport properties.
Cross-linking reduces the need for fluid thickener and extends the viscous life of the fluid
indefinitely. Metal ions such as chromium, aluminum, and titanium are used to achieve the crosslinking. Cross-linked fluids require breaking agents to reduce the viscosity for flowback. Breakers
are additives of acids, oxidizers, or enzymes. Foamed gels use bubbles of nitrogen or carbon
dioxide to transport proppant into fractures. The inert gases can reduce the amount of fluid
required for fracturing by up to 75%. Potassium chloride is sometimes used as a thickening
agent for water-based fracturing fluids. Polymers in hydraulic fracturing fluids can provide a
medium for bacterial growth. The bacteria can secrete enzymes that break down gels and reduce
viscosity, which translates to poor proppant placement. Biocides are added to inhibit microbial
action. Leakoff is the action of fracturing fluids emanating from the fracture into the rock matrix in
which a fracture does not exist. Leakoff is controlled by adding bridging materials such as 100mesh sand, soluble resin, or other plastering materials. Pumping of stimulation fluids can occur at
maximum rates in which friction from high-viscosity fluids requires significant horsepower. Friction
reducer additives are used to minimize energy requirements and primarily consist of latex
polymers.
14

Proppants

A proppant is a hydraulic fracturing fluid additive that is used to hold the hydraulic fracture open
and allow the flow of reservoir fluids. Proppants typically comprise sand or manufactured
ceramics such as bauxite. Proppants can be resin-coated to improve packing, which helps the
proppant stay in place and not flow back to the wellbore. Resin coatings also help provide better
distribution of stress over the proppant pack. Proppants are specified in grain diameter sizes of
less than 1/16 of an inch. Some common mesh sizes are 16/20, 20/40, 30/50, 40/70, and 100.
Treatments may use one size or a multitude of sizes during pumping. The smaller sizes are
intended to reach closer to the fracture tip. A propped hydraulic fracture has a significantly greater
fluid (hydraulic) conductivity than the surrounding lower permeability rock matrix. Challenges to
stimulation treatments involve proper placement of proppant, prevention of crushing or
embedment, plugging at restrictions, and potential flowback of proppant to the wellbore.

Completion Technologies
There is significant variability in the well completions across the Williston Basin. Generally, the
characteristics can be summarized as follows. The majority of wells are completed on 640- or
1280-acre spacing, resulting in 5000- and 10,000-ft horizontal wellbores, respectively. Operators
that have already developed fields are now conducting in-fill programs, drilling as many as three
wells within a given spacing unit in the Bakken and Three Forks Formations. Most wells are
positioned in a north-south or northwest-southeast orientation to either take advantage of induced
fracture propagation in the direction of maximum horizontal stress or to simply protect lease lines
allowing for in-fill spacing or potential patterning for secondary/tertiary recovery projects. In all
cases, wells are lined with casing from the surface to the base of the curve in accordance with
state and federal regulations and to ensure the formation remains isolated from fluids in overlying
formations. Operators have appeared to settle on single lateral completions in North Dakota.
However, many variations of multilateral completions and orientations have been attempted. The
lateral completions vary and are described below, including cemented liners, openhole
completions, and noncemented liners with and without positive annular isolation.

Click to enlarge

Cemented liner completions involve cementing the liner throughout the horizontal wellbore,

allowing control of wellbore stability, direct control of fracture initiation, and greater well

serviceability. Drawbacks include the potential for formation damage during completion and the
potential isolation of natural fractures that would otherwise contribute to conductivity in the
openhole. Commonly, the plug-and-perf stimulation technique is employed in wells with
cemented liners. Plug-and-perf includes pumping down a bridge plug on wireline with perforating
guns to a given horizontal location near the toe of the well. The plug is set, and the zone is
perforated. The tools are then removed from the well, and the fracture stimulation treatment is
pumped in. The set plug or ball-activated plug then diverts fracture fluids through the perforations
into the formation. The stage is completed, the next plug and perforations are initiated, and the
process is repeated moving back to the heel of the well. Cemented liners can also be used in
single-stage fracturing operations, although they are less common in current Bakken completion
practices.

Click to enlarge

Openhole completion is the most basic technique utilized in the Bakken. Early in the Bakken play,

openhole completions were utilized for limited-entry fracture stimulation in which the entire lateral
was treated in a single fracture treatment. The method is relatively quick and inexpensive and
has good potential for improved recovery from refracturing techniques. Single-stage fracturing in
the openhole provides little control over fracture initiation and propagation. Other methods of
openhole completions include the insertion of liners and ball-actuated sliding sleeve systems for
multistage fracturing.

Click to enlarge

Uncemented, preperforated liners can be inserted in the wellbore absent of annular isolation or with

positive annular isolation. The objective of the preperforated liner without annular isolation is to
provide a means to control fracture initiation and propagation by diverting fluids using perforation
ball sealers, large-size proppant slugs, high-concentration proppant slugs, or fibers. The liner may
be preperforated, at custom or regular intervals prior to emplacement, or perforated below the
surface with an explosive device known as a perforation gun. The space between the liner and
the wellbore (the annulus) is open, allowing formation fluids to freely migrate both inside and
outside of the liner. The options for pumping the stimulation treatment inside preperforated liner
vary and are frequently adjusted relative to the pressures and pumping history recorded during
the job. Positive annular isolation of the liner provides for multistage fracture treatment methods
described below.

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Positive annular isolation of an uncemented liner is generally achieved with swell packers. The liner

includes attached packers set at various intervals and designed to swell when introduced into the
downhole environment to form a tight seal in the annular space of the wellbore. Both oil-based
and water-based packers are available and matched with other downhole conditions such as

temperature. Time is required to allow the packers to swell, usually a matter of a few days. The
system typically remains in the well. However, there may be instances where swell inhibitors are
applied to accommodate the development schedule. Liners may be preperforated and can
accommodate either multistage frac-sleeve systems or plug-and-perf stimulation technologies.
Uncemented liners with swell packers are a popular completion option in North Dakota,
particularly for wells with large numbers of fracture stages.
Mechanical isolators or ball-actuated sliding sleeves have been utilized extensively in Bakken
completions. The systems can be run inside a liner or in the openhole. The system comprises
ported sleeves installed between isolation packers on a single liner string. Packers isolate the
horizontal wellbore into stages. A ball dropped into the fluid and pumped down the string will seat
in the mechanical sleeve. This action will open the sleeve exposing the ports and diverting the
fluid to the formation, which creates a hydraulic fracture within the isolated zone. This system is
operated by pumping progressively larger-sized balls and operating sleeves from the toe of the
well to the heel. The well is cleaned out by flow back to the surface, which returns fluid and solid
particles. The balls and ball seats can be drilled out with coiled tubing. The technology allows for
a quick and efficient fracture stimulation operation by minimizing fluid use, limiting trips downhole,
and streamlining the pumping operation. Challenges include the potential for limited insertion of
the tool string and failure of balls and seats in the opening of the sliding sleeves.

Completions in the Bakken Formation

Since horizontal drilling became standard practice over the past two decades, all of these
completion methods have been utilized in the Bakken. However, the uncemented, preperforated
liner isolated with swell packers has become the most commonly employed method of completion
in most Bakken wells because of its high degree of fracture control and long-term success rate.

Eagle Ford Shale Geology

The Eagle Ford Shale is a Cretaceous sediment that was traditionally known as a
source rock in South and East Texas. The formation is the source rock for the Austin
Chalk oil and gas formation. Producers also drilled through the play for many years
targeting the Edwards Limestone formation along the Edwards Reef Trend . It was not
until the discovery of several other shale plays that operators began testing the true
potential of the Eagle Ford Shale.
The shale is more of a carbonate than a shale, but shale is the hot term of the day. The
formations carbonate content can be as high as 70%. The play is more shallow and the
shale content increases in the northwest portions of the play. The high carbonate content
and subsequently lower clay content make the Eagle Ford more brittle and easier to
stimulate through hydraulic fracturing or fracking. In geological terms, the Eagle Ford
dips toward the Gulf of Mexico.
The formation was first targeted by Lewis Energy in 2002, but most give Petrohawk
Energy (acquired by BHP) credit for discovering the Eagle Ford play many are
targeting today.
Legacy Austin Chalk producing areas (e.g. Giddings Field) have not proven to be the
best drilling targets for the Eagle Ford. One theory is the Eagle Ford Shale formation
improves as you move south due to degradation of the Austin Chalks reservoir
properties, which in turn means the play expelled less oil and retained more.

Pearsall Shale Formation

Maverick Basin Map | Click to Enlarge

The Pearsall Shale is a gas bearing formation that garnered attention near the TexasMexico border in the Maverick Basin before Eagle Ford development truly kicked off. The
Pearsall Shale is found below the Eagle Ford at depths of 7,000-12,000 ft, with a
thickness of 600-900 ft. Several operators, including Anadarko, Chesapeake, and
Newfield, all expect to develop the Pearsall over time (aka when gas prices are better).
Exploration in the play will increase as natural gas prices rise to a level that warrants
activity.
The play does have liquids potential east of the Maverick Basin. As of 2012, only a few
wells had been drilled in the play outside of the Maverick Basin. Early results indicate
there is potential that has largely been overlooked.
TXCO Resources, who later went bankrupt and sold its assets to Anadarko and Newfield,
touted the potential of the Pearsall before Petrohawks Eagle Ford discovery in 2008. The
excitement was short lived as TXCO didnt make it through the recession and the Eagle
Fords liquids yields supported better economic returns in a low natural gas price
environment.

Eaglebine Formation or Eaglebine Shale Geology

The Eaglebine isnt a single geological formation, but is the name used by operators to
describe wells that target both the Woodbine and Eagle Ford formations in a single
wellbore. The Woodbine formation is best known as the prolific reservoir in the
famous East Texas Oil Field. The Eaglebine is largely targeted at the northern extent of
the Eagle Ford region (e.g. Gastar in Leon County, Chesapeake in East Texas).

Eagle Ford Shale Geologic Structure

Source: Chesapeake Energy

Eagle Ford Shale Depths and Isopach Map

The Eagle Ford Shale producing interval is found at depths between 4,000 and 14,000
feet. The shale is up to 400 feet thick in some areas, but averages 250 ft across the play.
Generally, natural fracturing is not prominent. To date, the most prolific area for
production occurs along the Edwards Reef Trend (Stuart City Reef Trend) and where it
converges with the Sligo Reef Trend. Both geologic distinctions are also referred to as the
Edwards Margin and Sligo Shelf Margin.

Source: Chesapeake Energy