The most important thing said here is that they expect phase 3 production to last at least 20 years in the Baaken.
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During his address to members of the council, Lynn Helms, director of DMR, explained the phase of development certain portions of the Williston Basin are currently in. According to Helms, the Sanish and Parshall areas are in phase three of development with high density drilling inserting multiple laterals into individual geologic formations such as the middle Bakken or upper Three Forks formations. Phase three of development in those areas could last for twenty years or longer.
In addition to the Bakken and Three Forks formation, Helms also reported on activity in the Tyler and Spearfish formations. Marathon Oil Corp. is planning to put horizontal test wells into the Tyler starting next year. “The Tyler is at the stage the Bakken was at in 2003 or 2004,” he said. In the Spearfish formation near Bottineau, N.D., one operator has applied for spacing units that would allow the operator to drill roughly 400 wells.
In the Williston Basin, it will take 185 drilling rigs roughly 20 years to create 45,000 new wells, he added. “The Bakken has reached its cruising altitude, it is safe to get up and walk around in the Bakken, but there will be turbulence,” he said.
http://thebakken.com/articles/338/nd-mineral-director-shares-bakken-update-research-plans
When we get rid of Salazar out of office hopefully oil companies will be able to drill on land they leased and open up public lands to development. Open free markets make the best price for the people but then the government looses its dictatorial powers and skimming off the top like Chicago mobsters and call it taxes.