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Bakken Basics
Question
What is the potential for Bakken activity to extend outside of traditional oil counties?
Answer

The success of Bakken and Three Forks wells in Saskatchewan and Manitoba indicates that this activity may extend 50-100 miles east and north of historical producing areas.
 

Bakken Basics
Question
What is the difference between upper, lower, and middle Bakken formations?
Answer

The Bakken Formation has three informal members, an upper and a lower black, organic-rich shale, separated by an arenaceous limestone to siltstone.
 

Bakken Basics
Question
What is the API gravity of Bakken crude oil? Explain its relative quality.
Answer

Bakken crude oil gravity ranges from 36 to 44 degrees API. The quality of this oil is excellent, almost identical to WTI. The benchmark crude oil is West Texas Intermediate, which is 40 degrees API sweet crude. It is the benchmark because it requires the least amount of processing in a modern refinery to make the most valuable products, unleaded gasoline and diesel fuel.
 

Bakken Basics
Question
On a frac job - how far back into the formation does it extend?
Answer

The distance into the formation a fracture stimulation extends depends on the mechanical properties of the rock as well as the rate, pressure, and physical properties of the fracturing fluid. The typical current Bakken fracture stimulation creates cracks that may be as long as 1,000-1,200 feet.
 

Bakken Basics
Question
How thick is the Bakken formation?
Answer

The Bakken formation thickness varies from about 11 feet at the erosional edge, or subcrop, to about 180 feet just east of Tioga at the depositional center.