Whiting Petroleum Acquires Kodiak Oil & Gas - $3.8 Billion

July 16, 2014 Kirk Eggleston

Whiting Petroleum announced on July 13, 2014, that it would acquire Kodiak Oil & Gas, in an all stock transaction, for $3.8 billion. The deal makes the combined company the largest Bakken/Three Forks producer, unseating Harold Hamm's Continental Resources from the top spot.

Next to the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas, the Bakken Shale is the most prolific shale play in the world, with daily oil production exceeding 1-million b/d. With Whiting's acquisition of Kodiak, the company is positioning itself to be an even more formidable force in the Bakken.

In the first-quarter of 2014, Whiting and Kodiak had combined production of 107,000 boe/d, and officials indicate total 2014 production will be 152,000 boe/d. The combined company has 855,000 net acres and an inventory of 3,460 net drilling locations.

“The addition of Kodiak’s complementary acreage position (approx. 173,000 net acres) and substantial inventory of high return drilling locations will provide the opportunity to drive significant value growth for both Whiting and Kodiak shareholders through an acceleration in drilling and increase in operational efficiencies,” said Whiting CEO James Voulkner.”

Whiting officials said the deal is valued at $6 billion when Kodiak's net debt of $2.2 billion is absorbed.

Kodiak shareholders will receive 0.177 share of Whiting stock in exchange for each of Kodiak common stock they hold, representing a value of $13.90 per share based on the closing price of Whiting shares on July 11, 2014.

The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Kodiak Oil & Gas 2013 Bakken Sales Volumes Up 103% in 2013 from 2012

February 12, 2014 Kirk Eggleston

Kodiak's average daily sales volume in the Bakken went up 98% to 36,100 boe/d in the fourth-quarter of 2013 from 18,200 boe/d in the fourth-quarter of 2012. Crude oil made up most of the company's sales volume at 89% in the fourth-quarter.

Average daily sales volumes increased 103% for the year to 29,200 boe/d in 2013 from 14,400 boe/d in 2012.

Kodiak Bakken Acquisitions and Drilling Operations in 2013

In 2013, Kodiak invested approximately $672 million on acquisitions net of divestitures in the Bakken. In June 2013, Kodiak Oil & Gas signed a purchase and sale agreement with Liberty Resources for 42,000 net acres in the Williston Basin for $660 million.

The acquisition included acreage prospective for the Bakken and Three Forks formations in McKenzie and Williams counties.

For the full year 2013, Kodiak invested ~ $1.0 billion in capital expenditures for drilling and completing new wells, including surface facilities and pipeline connections in the Bakken. In the fourth-quarter of 2013, the company completed 29 gross (21.9 net) operated wells and 40 gross (4.0 net) non-operated wells. Currently, Kodiak has 7 operated rigs in the Williston Basin.

Kodiak Bakken Reserves

Kodiak estimates the value of its proved total reserves increased from $1.9 billion in 2012 to $3.5 billion at the end of the year in 2013. That's an 81% increase.

The company's estimated proved reserves increased 77% to 167.3 million boe from 94.7 million boe in 2012. Total proved crude oil reserves are 138.2 million bbl crude oil and total natural gas reserves of 174 bcf natural gas.

“Lynn Peterson, Chairman and CEO said: “Last year was another exciting year for Kodiak and its shareholders. Our team did a tremendous job of delivering outstanding operating results and reserve growth while, at the same time, we materially expanded our future drilling inventory through downspacing work and an acquisition. In 2014, our focus continues to be on determining the optimum development blueprint for our leasehold while delivering operational excellence.”

Make-up of Kodiak's Proved Reserves at the end of year 2013:

138.2 million bbl crude oil (83%)
174 bcf natural gas (17%)
46% of 2013 proved reserves are developed and producing
54% of 2013 proved reserves are undeveloped

Of the 54% of proved reserves that are undeveloped, Kodiak estimates those properties are a 2.5 year drilling inventory.

Kodiak Sets 2014 Capital Budget at $940 Million - Expects 45% Growth

December 19, 2013 R.T. Dukes

Kodiak Oil & Gas' 2014 capital budget has been set at $940 million. That's down from approximately $1 billion in 2013.

Kodiak expects to spend $890 million drilling and completing ~100 net wells to production 45%.

$50 million is budgeted for infrastructure build-out and acreage acquisitions.

Kodiak has budgeted for seven operated rigs and a dedicated frack crew in 2014. An additional completion crew will be on standby and utilized on an as needed basis.

Production in 2013 is on pace to average 29,000 boe/d and the company believes 2014 production will average 42,000-44,000 boe/d. Kodiak currently has over 26,000 b/d locked in with hedges at $93.29/bbl in 2014.

Polar & Smokey Downspacing Results Look Promising

[ic-r]Two 12-well downspacing tests have yielded promising results. The 12 wells completed in the Polar area have averaged 618 boe/d over the first 120 days and the 12 wells in the Smokey area have averaged 627 boe/d over the first 60 days.

Kodiak estimates the Polar area downspacing unit is on pace to pay out in as little as 18 months.

Kodiak Oil & Gas Grows Bakken Production More Than 50% in Q3

October 29, 2013 R.T. Dukes

Kodiak Oil & Gas grew production more than 50% to 35,400 boe/d in the third quarter. That compares to a little more than 23,000 boe/d in the second quarter and almost 16,000 boe/d in the third quarter of 2012.

Kodiak completed 29 gross (24.5 net) operated wells and participated in 37 gross (6.6 net) non-operated completions during the quarter.

The company plans to continue utilizing seven rigs and has two dedicated completion crews running through the end of the year. Production at the end of the year is expected to grow to ~42,000 boe/d.

“We believe the third quarter of 2013 was a transformational quarter for Kodiak. In addition to accelerated growth in production and reserves, we successfully brought our two down-spacing pilot programs onto full production.”

— Kodiak's CEO, Lynn A. Peterson

Downspacing Test In McKenzie County Proves Successful

Kodiak also released results from the company's first high density downspacing test in McKenzie County. The company drilled six wells targeting the Bakken, three wells targeting the Middle Three Forks, and three wells targeting the Upper Three Forks. The wells are approximately 800 ftt apart and target an approximate 210 acre drainage area.

The wells came online at almost 2,000 boe/d in the first 24 hours and averaged just under 800 boe/d over the first 30 days. The best well produced almost 1,100 boe/d from the Bakken and the worst well produced a little less than 400 boe/d from the Middle Three Forks in the first 30 days.

Oasis Petroleum Is Testing Bakken & Three Forks Well Spacing

October 9, 2013 R.T. Dukes

Oasis Petroleum believes the company can drill four Middle Bakken and four Three Forks wells on each 1,280-acre unit, but the future might be more dense drilling than they currently suggest.

Oasis is testing up to seven wells per formation in the Bakken and the first bench of the Three Forks (TFS 1).

The company also notes that other operators are testing as many as eight wells per formation in the Middle Bakken and Three Forks 1st, 2nd, and 3rd benches.

Watch for results over the next few months to determine how many wells can be drilled in the Bakken and the Three Forks' first bench. It will probably be late next year before we know how many wells can be drilled targeting the lower Three Forks intervals.

Oasis and Continetnal Resources have the most downspacing pilots being tested, but we'll see results from Kodiak and Whiting as well.