Why The Zabolotny Wells Can Be In Two Different Counties -- March 6, 2025

I believe this is correct. 

A reader asked how the Zabolotny wells could be located in different counties.

The "Zabolotny drilling unit" is a 1280-acre unit (two sections): sections 4/9 - 144 - 98, Billings County.

The "Zabolotny drilling unit" is inside the Little Knife oil field. The Little Knife oil field is a huge oil field, located in Dunn County, McKenzie County, and Billings County.

With horizontal drilling, it does not matter (in this context) in which county the well is sited. What matters is what drilling unit (sections, acres) the horizontals drain as determined by the NDIC.

The original Zabolotny well was drilled outside the "Zabolotny drilling unit." It was drilled just outside the unit, to the north of the unit, in McKenzie County, and not in Billings County. But the horizontal well ran south into section 4/9 - 144 - 98.

Much later, Petro-Hunt established a five-well pad inside the "Zabolotny drilling unit," near the south line of section 9. There are currently five wells on this pad. Three run south and are not Zabolotny wells. Two run north and are the NEW Zabolotny wells. These two wells, sited in section 9 - 144 -98, are sited in Billings County.

So, at the surface, McKenzie County is involved with the original Zabolotny well, and Billings County is involved with the new Zabolotny wells. 

The maps:

Disclaimer: this was done quickly. It was not reviewed by the editor / proofreader. To the best of my knowledge it is correct, but I often make typographical and content errors. I will correct them when I find them. The editor / proofreader was in school and unavailable at the time this blog was posted.

Rough notes:

• 37987, Z 144-98-4A-9-1H —sited in section 36-145-98, runs south into sections 4/9-
• 40203, Z 144-98-9C-4-2H — sited in section 9, runs north into sections 4/9
• 40325, Z 144-98-9C-4-3H — sited in section 9, runs north into sections 4/9