Helms Issues Update

Lynn Helms, director of the North Dakota Industrial Commission's Oil and Gas Division released the following update today...

Jan Oil 7,319,521 barrels = 235,925 barrels/day
Feb Oil 7,310,457 barrels = 261,088 barrels/day (preliminary) all time record high

Jan Gas 7,894,018 MCF = 254,686 MCF/day
Feb Gas 7,856,503 MCF = 280,589 MCF/day (preliminary) all time record high

Jan Producing Wells = 4,628
Feb Producing Wells = 4,655 all time record high

Jan Permitting: 101 drilling (0 shallow gas) and 3 seismic
Feb Permitting: 94 drilling (0 shallow gas) and 2 seismic

Jan Sweet Crude Price = $68.57/barrel
Feb Sweet Crude Price = $67.58/barrel

Today Sweet Crude Price = $72.59/barrel ND all time record high was $136.29 July 3, 2008 (Current spot price is $6/BO below ND Sweet).

Jan rig count 81
Feb rig count 93
Mar rig count 102
Today’s rig count is 107

Comments:

Bakken and Three Forks continue to dominate with over 95% of all drilling. Bowman County Red River production continues to decline with just one well drilling. Williston Basin crude pipelines have excess capacity with about 10% of our crude being shipped by rail and another 10% trucked to Canada. The EOG rail facility in Stanley is shipping three train loads per week. There are 5 additional pipeline projects in the review or engineering stage to increase export capacity in the 2011-2014 time period. Price differentials are running less than 10%. Tesoro has begun their turnaround. Rig counts in the basin are still rising. Rig utilization rate in the northern Rockies is now about 70-75% for drilling and 60-65% for work-over rigs.

Drilling permit activity is very high.

The number of wells drilling on federal surface in the DPGL
 is up to 2.

Seismic activity is steady with 3 active shoots.

Leasing activity is high as well, but mainly renewals and top leasing in the mature Bakken area. Bottineau County is also very active.

Natural gas production remains volatile due to the high pressure air project in Bowman county, rapidly expanding gathering systems in Mountrail county, and the slow start up of the Stanley to Alliance line. Plant expansions plus new export pipelines are under way. US storage level is now 12% above the five-year average. North Dakota Shallow gas is likely not economic at this point.

Natural gas Watford City Delivery to Northern Border price is up to $3.72/MCF.