The state put its numbers out Monday.
Average completed lateral this quarter is 13,798 feet. All time high. 2.6 miles of hole per well.
9 crews working the whole state.
Monday's Numbers
- Average completed lateral, Q3...13,798 feet
- Producing wells...20,072, an all time high
- Frac crews, mid September...9
- Wells completed in August...96
- July oil...1,156,641 barrels a day
- ND market oil price, July...75.56
How Far That Has Moved
Average completed lateral by year, per the state.
2023...10,554 feet
2024...11,138
2025...11,769
- Q3 2026...13,798
3,244 more feet of hole per well than 3 years ago. The state still calls the Q3 number pending more data.
Permits now run about 46% 2 mile, 46% 3 mile and 8% 4 mile. 1,532 3 mile permits issued. 393 for 4 mile with 89 completed. 51 out for U shaped laterals.
The Crew Count
The Department of Mineral Resources publishes how many frac crews are working this state. Mid August it counted 8. Mid September it counted 9.
The national spread count goes up every Friday and it tells a hand in Watford City nothing. This one is ours.
What Those Crews Did
Wells completed in North Dakota, by month.
- May...55
- June...65
- July...74
- August...96
Up 75% since May. The crew count moved by one.
The state says its cycle times keep improving on both ends. Spud to stimulation is dropping. So is stimulation to first production.
What It Means On Location
Producing wells hit 20,072 in July. Inactive wells fell by 499 in a month.
Production is running 5.15% over what the state budgeted. Bakken and Three Forks made 97.6% of it. McKenzie County alone is about a third of the state.
9 crews are covering ground that used to take more hands.
The Two Rig Numbers
The state's own deck lists both on the same page. Baker Hughes had North Dakota at 28 for September. The state's daily list read 34 when they pulled it mid month.
Tonight that list is 31. Two counts, two methods, and the agency publishing them does not pretend they match.
Why It Holds
The state budgeted 57 dollars a barrel. North Dakota crude brought 75.56 in July.
WTI closed near 91.83 today. It was over 100 on Friday. Nobody stacks iron over one bad week.
Who's Hiring
Outfits are hiring in North Dakota, Wyoming and Texas this week, including seats that need no CDL.
The current board is the one to check.
Field Report
Drop your basin and what you are seeing on location this week.
If you are on a spread out here, tell us how many stages you are putting away in a day now against a year ago.