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We spoke with Burr Silver, CEO, Olympic Exploration & Production Company this week who took part in an exclusive interview sharing his views on the importance of mapping the extent, contribution and distribution of both reservoirs to accurately determine sweet spots and fully exploit both resources.

See A Preview Of The Interview Below:

Why is it important to accurately map the extent, contribution and distribution of the Bakken and Three Forks reservoirs to determine sweet spots?

If the Bakken/Three Forks is in fact an unconventional play, a well drilled anywhere in the Williston Basin where the Bakken is mature will recover 80 to 100,000 BO. Of course this is insufficient reserves to make the play profitable. However, if you have accurately mapped the members of the Bakken/Three Forks, you will have a better chance to predict sweet spots. Elm Coulee Field is an excellent example where facies mapping of the Bakken middle member along with production from vertical wells isolated a sweet spot. However, production from Bakken/Three Forks is a result of the sum of the history of the Williston Basin. For example, Antelope Field is a Bakken/Three Fork sweet spot caused by maximum flexure on a Laramide structure. Another possible natural fracture play could be produced by collapse of BOS members into salt voids caused by the solution of the Prairie Evaporite. So in that case, the Prairie Evaporite and age of the solution front would have to be accurately mapped.

Download The Full Interview Here

If you have any questions related to the summit, then please do not hesitate to call (1) 800 721 3915 or email info@american-business-conferences.com

If you are interested in joining E&P and Solution Provider peers at this unique event, and haven’t already registered, then secure your place online here today.

On behalf of American Business Conferences, I look forward to welcoming you to the Bakken and Three Forks Completions Congress 2013, returning to Denver on May 13-14.

Oil Price Information Service
April 26, 2013
By: Edgar Ang

TransCanada said on Friday that it is now expecting the Keystone XL pipeline to be in service in the second half of 2015 due to ongoing delays in the issuance of a Presidential Permit for the controversial pipeline project.

This is slightly later than the previous projected start-up date of end 2014/early 2015 for Keystone XL pipeline.

Based on its pipeline construction experience, TransCanada said that the $5.3 billion cost estimate will increase depending on the timing of the permit. As of March 31, 2013, TransCanada had invested $1.8 billion in the project.

In January 2013, the Governor of Nebraska approved our proposed re-route after the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality issued its final evaluationreport noting that construction and operation of Keystone XL is expected to have minimal environmental impacts in Nebraska.

On March 1, 2013, the DOS released its Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Keystone XL Pipeline.

The impact statement reaffirmed that construction of the proposed pipeline from the U.S./Canada border in Montana to Steele City, Nebraska would not result in any significant impact to the environment.

The DOS is in the process of reviewing comments on the impact statement that it received during a 45 day public comment period that ended on April 22, 2013.

Once the DOS has completed its review, it is anticipated that it will issue a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and then consult with other governmental agencies during a National Interest Determination period of up to 90 days, before making a decision on our Presidential Permit application.

Apart from Keystone XL, TransCanada also said that construction on the $2.3 billion Cushing-Port Arthur crude pipeline project, excluding the Houston Lateral, is now 70% complete, and it is on track for first flow at the end of 2013.

This Gulf Coast Project includes a 36-inch pipeline from Cushing, Oklahoma to the U.S. Gulf Coast and will deliver crude oil to Port Arthur, Texas.

The Gulf Coast Project will have an initial capacity of up to 700,000 b/d.

TransCanada said that its construction of the 76 kilometer (47 mile) Houston Lateral to transport crude oil to Houston refineries is expected to begin in mid-2013 and be complete by mid-2014 at a total cost of approximately $300million.

TransCanada also said that it has launched an open season for the Energy East Pipeline Project to obtain firm commitments to transport crude oil from western receipt points to eastern Canadian markets. The open season began on April 15, 2013 and closes on June 17, 2013.

The Energy East Pipeline Project involves converting natural gas pipeline capacity in approximately 3,000 km (1,864 miles) of our existing Canadian Mainline to crude oil service and constructing up to approximately 870 miles of new pipeline.

Subject to the results of the open season, the project will have the capacity to transport as much as 850,000 b/d, increasing access to eastern Canadian markets.

TransCanada has begun Aboriginal and stakeholder engagement and field work as part of our initial design and planning. If the open season is successful, we will apply for regulatory approval to build and operate the facilities, with a potential in service date of late 2017.

For the Northern Courier Pipeline, the Fort Hills Energy Limited Partnership has not indicated that their recent decision to cancel the Voyageur upgrader project has changed their current plans for Northern Courier.

TransCanada has nearly completed the field work and Aboriginal and stakeholder engagement necessary to allow us to file the permit application with the Energy Resources Conservation Board and expect to file the application in second quarter 2013.

-Edgar Ang, eang@opisnet.com
Originally published by Oil Price Information Service (OPIS), Gaithersburg, MD. Additional reproduction is strictly prohibited. For more information on other news, contact Scott Berhang, +1 301.287.2332.

By:  Bob van der Valk

Bakken crude oil production in North Dakota was up back up in February to a record 779,000 barrels a day. “The record likely will be shattered repeatedly this summer”, said Lynn Helms, director of the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources, ” A dozen more rigs have been added to the arsenal drilling in the state” .

Helms forecasted, during his press briefing in Bismarck, ND on April 16, 2013, these numbers to go even higher in the summer and said: “Those middle five months of the year will see a big surge in production,” Crude oil production took a hit in the months of November 2012 thru January 2013 due to the extreme harsh weather conditions during those months shutting down most new drilling activity.

The Tale of the Tape:

New all-time high for production: 778,176 barrels per day — compared to February 2012: 737,787 barrels per day. That’s a five percent increase.

The number of producing wells is also at a new all-time high: 8,492

Permitting:

• March:     218
• February: 185
• January:   218

Comments:

The number of completions is well above the threshold needed to maintain production so oil production rate rose sharply, up 5.6%. The number of well completions doubled in February, over January, to 170.

The NDIC estimates that at the end of January there were about 375 wells waiting on completion.

Link: the Director’s Cut at the NDIC home page

With the soon-to-hit-the-streets April issue of the Bakken Oil Business Journal, reports on oil and gas exploration from Fairfield Sun Times’ Publisher Darryl L. Flowers will occasionally appear in the magazine, which is based in Livingston, Montana.

“We’re pleased to have Darryl joining our list of contributors,” said Journal Publisher Mary Edwards. “Darryl’s way of presenting the complexities of oil and gas exploration in an easy to read manner will be a welcome addition.”

“It’s quite an honor to be published in such a prestigious publication,” said Flowers, who has owned the Sun Times since 2008. “Moving forward, I hope to not only contribute stories from the Sun Times, but to develop stories specifically for the Bakken Oil Business Journal.”

The Bakken Oil Business Journal, a bi-monthly magazine, is distributed by direct mail to companies and businesses operating in the Bakken region and is hand-delivered at top energy shows related to the Bakken Oil Play.

The Sun Times, celebrating a century of reporting in NW Montana, actually has a long history of oil and gas reporting under its belt. “Our oldest copy on file, from the early twenties, tells the story of some Fairfield residents who travelled to Bynum to witness the drilling, by bucket, of an oil well,” said Flowers.

Since 2011, the Sun Times has been reporting permitting activity as well as reports from the “oil patch.” It was the first Montana newspaper to report on the permitting status of all oil and gas wells in the state. Recently, the Sun Times was the first to report that Anschutz Exploration was ceasing exploration operations on the Blackfeet Reservation in Glacier County.

More information on the  Bakken Oil Business Journal can be found at bakkenoilbiz.com. You can catch current and past issues of the Journal online, optimized for mobile and tablet, at https://bakkenoilbiz.com/digital-journal/.

Retrieved 4-25-2013. Fairfield Sun Times.

Consultancy of the Year – Antea Group

Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of the Year – Aon Corporation

Drilling & Well Services Company of the Year – Marquis Alliance Energy Group

E&P Company of the Year, sponsored by TEEMCO – QEP Resources, Inc.

Engineering Company of the Year, sponsored by Cosential – Spartan Engineering Inc.

Environmental Initiative of the Year, sponsored by Austin Exploration – TEEMCO, LLC

Future Industry Leader – Megan Starr

Health & Safety Initiative of the Year – FTS International

Industry Leader – Mark C. Peterson

Industry Supplier of the Year – Frank Henry Equipment USA, LLC

Insurance Provider of the Year – IMA, Inc.

Law Firm of the Year – Burleson LLP

Manufacturer of the Year – Cobra Manufacturing & Sales LLC

Midstream Company of the Year, sponsored by Spartan Engineering – High Sierra Energy, LP

Recruitment Agency of the Year – Precision Placement Services, Inc.

Terminal of the Year – Savage

Transaction of the Year, sponsored by mergermarket – Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc.

Trucking Company of the Year – Brady Trucking, Inc.

Water Management Company of the Year – BeneTerra

Congratulations to all of the 2012 Rocky Mountain Oil & Gas Awards winners. Thanks to all of the sponsors and partners.

For full information on the awards please visit: http://www.oilandgasawards.com/?page_id=12

If you would like to arrange interviews, or review video and photo assets and for anything else please contact: Marc Bridgen on +1 (210) 591 8475 or email marc@oilandgasawards.com.

About the Awards:

The Oil & Gas Awards recognize the outstanding achievements made within the Upstream and Midstream sectors of the North American Oil & Gas Industry. The Awards are a platform for the Industry to demonstrate and celebrate the advances made in the key areas of the environment, efficiency, innovation, corporate social responsibility and health & safety. The Awards show the Industry’s motivation to develop by recognizing and rewarding the efforts of corporations and individuals.

The Oil & Gas Industry is of upmost importance to the U.S. National Economy and instrumental to both National and Energy Security. In its areas of operation the Oil & Gas Industry also plays a key role for local communities and their economies. Through innovation the Industry has driven forward technological developments, which have created a renaissance in the energy sector, enabling the U.S. to tap into one of the worlds largest natural gas reserves. In spite of its significance, the Industry still has its critics and gets more than its fair share of negative press. The Oil & Gas Industry has made great gains in meeting its responsibilities to the environment, to corporate social responsibility and the health & safety of staff and the public alike.

The awards take place in the six main onshore Oil and Gas producing regions of North America, including; Gulf Coast, Mid Continent, Northeast, Rocky Mountain, Southwest and West Coast. The Awards are designed to focus on specific regions of North America to allow geographically relevant organizations the ability to network at the gala dinner, and to ensure successful companies can utilize and benefit from their ‘winners status’ within their business community. In combining the Midstream and Upstream sectors, the awards bring together partners, and enable these co-dependent markets to acknowledge one another’s achievements. A number of the Award categories recognize service providers to the Industry, who play a vital role in its success and contribute to its reputation. The Awards welcome entries from organizations of every size and each entry is judged on its individual merits, and on a level playing field with its competition.

The Awards and the Organizations involved will be publicized in local, national and international trade publications and general press, in the run up to and after each ceremony. The core aim of the Oil & Gas Awards is to advertise and promote the Industry’s drive to improve and develop by rewarding organization’s achievements.

The Oil & Gas Awards mission is to become the most prestigious and sought after Awards in the Industry. The reputation of the Awards is paralleled to those of its judges and the Organizations they represent. To this end, appropriate candidates for the judging panels have been carefully researched and recommendations sought to find Industry thought leaders. Each judging panel consists of a mix of highly respected individuals from market leading E&P and Midstream companies.

For additional information, or to arrange interviews with staff, judges or partners please contact Marc Bridgen, Chief Marketing Officer on +1 210 591 8475 or marc@oilandgasawards.com.

Contact: Jeff Zarling
Phone: 701-577-1100
Email: info@bakkenconference.com

Minot, ND—The Bakken Investor Conference employs Attendee Communication System and the Dawa Events Mobile App to facilitate attendee communications and connections before, during and after the event.

Dawa Solutions Group has partnered Sleep Inn & Suites Minot to host the 3rd Annual Bakken Investor Conference on April 24 through April 26 to connect investors with oil and gas companies and real estate developers to explore investment and development opportunities in the Bakken Shale play.

“The oil and gas industry is driving the economy in the Williston Basin and with it the need for more housing and real estate development. Although the Williston Basin is growing, it still has a local feel,” noted Jeff Zarling, President, Dawa. “If you want to do business in the Bakken, you have to get here. Face-to-face interactions and connections are key factors in successfully doing business in the Williston Basin.”

The Attendee Communication System is a private systems platform that allows attendees to view and connect directly and confidentially with other attendees before, during and after the conference.

Attendees can comfortably contact one another through the system without having to worry about their information being freely circulated. Attendees have complete authority over who receives their information.

The Dawa Events Mobile App gives attendees access to the conference agenda, list of exhibitors, and list of attendees directly from their phone or other Apple or Android mobile device. Like the Attendee Communications System, the app allows users to privately message one another before, during and after the event.

The app is available to download from both the apple store for apple devices and the Google play store for android devices. Instructions to login and use these tools are posted at www.BakkenConference.com/attend.

“It’s paramount for the successful growth and development of our community to bring together these two key industries and their investors,” he added. “With the Attendee Communications System and the DEMA, making connections at an event has never been easier.”

In addition to the technology tools, the conference also hosts an Attendee Connection. The Attendee Connection is a forum which allows each attendee 30 seconds to introduce him/herself and tout any other relevant information. As part of the forum, conference attendees receive a numbered list of attendees, noting their name, title and represented entity. During each introduction, the attendee states what number represents him/her. Using the list, attendees can quickly and easily identify the speaker and make notes next to those attendees with whom they want to personally meet or contact.

“The Attendee Connection is a significant aspect of the conference,” stated Zarling. “It’s the equivalent of speed dating but for business relationships and has been a hit with attendees at our past conferences.”

For more information on the Bakken Investor Conference, please go to www.BakkenConference.com.

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Bob van der Valk recently joined the Bakken Oil Business Journal as their Managing Editor of the bi-monthly print and digital journal editions, connecting business and resources for the greater Bakken area. Bob has collaborated & contributed to the editorial voice of the Bakken Oil Business Journal since its inaugural issue in May of 2012. He has been the source of information on the petroleum industry, as a whole, in addition to paying specific attention to the booming growth of Oil & Gas industry in the Bakken Oil Shale Region. Bob is quoted regularly in the national media for his expertise on petroleum industry matters and fluctuations in the prices of petroleum products.

Bob has over 50 years of experience in the downstream refining and marketing sector of the petroleum industry with particular expertise on the U.S. western region. He is also a regular guest on Tom Egelhoff’s “Open for Business” radio program on KMMS-AM 1450 from Bozeman discussing current events in the petroleum industry for the region.

Mary Edwards is the Publisher of the every other month edition of the Journal teeming with petroleum industry articles about the current news, technology advancements, and information pertaining to the businesses and services operating in the Bakken Oil Shale Region. In addition to the glossy color print edtionof the Journal, a corresponding digital version is available via the Internet designed for today’s popular computer tablets & smart phone mobile devices. Up to 4,000 of the Journal’s print editions are mailed direct to a demographic of businesses & companies active in the regional petroleum industry. They are also being made available to individuals attending the top Bakken Oil Regional Conferences & Energy Trade Shows.

By: Amy Dalrymple, Forum News Service
THE DICKENSON PRESS

BISMARCK – Oil companies operating in North Dakota are keeping the brakes on this spring, but a “big surge in production” is expected this summer and fall, the director of the Department of Mineral Resources said Tuesday.

Lynn Helms said he expects the drilling rig count will increase from today’s count of 186 to 198 this summer, bringing as many as 2,000 more workers to Oil Patch communities.

Helms said he expects winter weather and spring road restrictions will continue affecting oil production for a few more months.

“It is going to be May, maybe even June, before production seriously gets underway,” Helms said.

Oil production rose 5.6 percent in February to 778,971 barrels per day, according to preliminary figures Helms released Tuesday.

The figure represents a new all-time high for North Dakota, but Helms said the increase was more modest than what he had projected.

“It’s still difficult to operate an oilfield and drill and frac wells in February, even a good February in North Dakota,” Helms said.

The department expects that winter storms will affect oil production in March and April. Helms projects it will take until May before the state hits 800,000 barrels per day.

“They’re keeping the brakes on as they ramp up a little bit this summer,” Helms said.

But once conditions improve, companies are expected to continue increasing their efficiency and drill more wells in less time.

Helms said the industry is proposing more multi-well pads, with seven wells on one location being the most popular number.

“It’s a positive thing because it decreases the footprint, increases the production and allows us to recover more of the Bakken and Three Forks oil,” Helms said.

One location in North Dakota has 14 wells that have been drilled. Helms said he’s signed three orders approving 18 wells on one location and he knows of two proposals that will come before him requesting to drill 24-well pads.

Flaring of natural gas rose about 1 percent in February to 30.4 percent, the second month in a row with an increase. The high was 36 percent in September 2011.

However, there has been huge improvement in the average number of days a well flares, Helms said. In 2007, a typical well flared for 380 days. In 2011, the average was 172 days and in 2012 the average was 51 days, Helms said.

Helms said he anticipates more progress will be made on reducing flaring this summer.

CenterPoint Energy Bakken Crude Services LLC (CEBCS) said on Tuesday that it has entered into a long-term agreement with XTO Energy Inc., a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, to gather XTO’s crude oil production through a new crude oil gathering and transportation pipeline system in North Dakota’s liquids-rich Bakken shale.

CEBCS is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of CenterPoint Energy Inc. The agreement with XTO is the first agreement entered into pursuant to the open season announced by CEBCS on Feb. 19.

Under the terms of this new agreement, which includes volume commitments, CEBCS will provide service to XTO over a gathering system to be constructed in Dunn and McKenzie counties, N.D. The gathering system will have a capacity of up to 19,500 b/d.

CenterPoint Energy Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission and distribution, natural gas distribution, competitive natural gas sales and services, interstate pipelines and field services operations.

The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. Assets total more than $22 billion. With over 8,700 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 135 years.

–Edgar Ang, eang@opisnet.com

Bakken Investor Conference Features Speakers Dale Brown, Retired Hall of Fame Basketball Coach, and American Petroleum Institute’s Chief Economist Dr. John Felmy

Minot, ND, March 19, 2013 – The 3nd Annual Bakken Investor Conference connects investors with oil and gas companies and real estate developers to explore investment and development opportunities in the Bakken Shale play.

2013 Bakken Investor Conference
April 24-26, 2013
Sleep Inn & Suites
Minot, North Dakota

www.bakkenconference.com

Dale Brown – Author, Motivational Speaker, Retired Hall of Fame LSU Basketball Coach and Minot, North Dakota Native
The conference kicks off with a keynote address from Dale Brown, legendary coach, author, motivational speaker and Minot native. He began his career as a high school coach, teacher and principal in North Dakota. Brown is a member of the North Dakota Sports Hall of Fame and the North Dakota Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.

As a basketball coach at Louisiana State University, he appeared in 15 straight national tournaments and is the second most winning coach in SEC history, leading teams to 17 consecutive non-losing seasons. Now retired, Coach Brown is a professional speaker working with organizations that want to achieve success and inspire a winning attitude towards work and life.

Oil and Gas, and Real Estate Industries
The oil and gas industry is driving the economy in the Williston Basin. The real estate developers and investors build out the housing, industrial, commercial and other infrastructure needed to sustain energy and economic development in the Bakken. Bringing together these two key industries and their investors will help each to better understand the other and expand development for their mutual continued success.

John Felmy, Ph.D, Chief Economist, American Petroleum Institute
Dr. Felmy is responsible for overseeing economic, statistical and policy analysis of the Institute. He has more than 25years of experience in energy, economic and environmental analysis. He will present a survey of current conditions and an outlook for oil & gas.

Emerging Issues and Market Conditions in the Energy Sector
Investors need to understand the opportunities, challenges, and risks of the market. The speakers and panel presenters will provide the latest information on emerging issues in the Williston Basin including: “Market Access and Development Initiatives” – Eric Schaeffer, Business Services Manager, Enbridge, Inc.

Real Estate Investment Information
Investors want to understand the current market conditions, the future outlook and concrete data to analyze their investment options. The real estate topics will allow investors to make better investment decisions.

Dr. Nancy Hodur, Research Scientist, and Dean Bangsund, North Dakota State University
Population and household projections are core metrics used in determining demand for products, services, and real estate development. Dr. Hodur and her colleagues have conducted several studies recently including the population analysis and projections and the recently released economic impact of the petroleum industry in North Dakota.

Increasing Debt Financing in the Bakken
Debt financing has been elusive for developers in the Bakken. The Bank of North Dakota has developed a sub-participation program to help address the problem. The panel will include representatives from the Bank of North Dakota, local and regional lenders, and developers discussing case studies.

Jon Nelson, Hegg Development Group
“Raising Wall Street Money for Bakken Real Estate Projects”
Jon Nelson will share his experience and insights into the current environment for raising money from investors for Bakken real estate opportunities.

About the Bakken Investor Conference
The Bakken Investor Conference is produced by Dawa Solutions Group and Minot Lodging Expo. The conference is sponsored by:

Hegg Companies – www.heggcompanies.com
Evercorp – www.evercorpbuildingsystems.com
Cirrus Aircraft – www.cirrusaircraft.com
Mainstream Investors – www.mainstreamnd.com

Contact
Bakken Investor Conference
Jeff Zarling
701-577-1100
info@BakkenConference.com

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