Well name question

What do the numbers after the Well Name mean? Example Lois No. 1-26 Is the No. 1-26 random or the legal description or ? Thanks

It depends upon the company. Sometimes it can be the 26th vertical hole drilled in a certain place. Sometimes it is part of the legal description of the surface hole. Sometimes it makes no sense at all to an outsider.

No standard form. Quite often they do have a piece of the legal in it, but not always. Usually the company has some internal code. It is hopefully a unique name for the area. The API number is the unique identifier.

Okie, thanks for reminding me because, I've wondered the same.

Also, I wonder if anybody knows why they would change the wells name and who has the authority to do so?

A slight well name change happens when they drill a sidetrack off an original borehole. It usually just adds ST to the name and changes the end digits on the API number since it is a new well. A radical name change can happen before a well drills. A geologist might call it one name when he/she is designing the well, but the final name as permitted and drilled can change if the proposed well name is offensive or too similar to another well name in the nearby area. Not good to have two Smith #1 wells near each other. Too confusing. I know of some name changes that changed offshore due to Native American sensibilities or corporate copyright names. Usually the well names are changed internally within a company. The governing body can also request a name change. It really varies.

Is there one in particular that you are curious about?

Do you know anything about the Frank 24-18N-2W 1MH Well? Surface location in the SW/4 SW/4 of Section 19-18N-1W with a BHL in the NE/4 NE/4 of Section 24-18N-2W. Devon is proposing this well as a "9,400' Mississippian horizontal test and other possible potential formations". Any info you have on this well would be great! Thanks!!

M Barnes said:

A slight well name change happens when they drill a sidetrack off an original borehole. It usually just adds ST to the name and changes the end digits on the API number since it is a new well. A radical name change can happen before a well drills. A geologist might call it one name when he/she is designing the well, but the final name as permitted and drilled can change if the proposed well name is offensive or too similar to another well name in the nearby area. Not good to have two Smith #1 wells near each other. Too confusing. I know of some name changes that changed offshore due to Native American sensibilities or corporate copyright names. Usually the well names are changed internally within a company. The governing body can also request a name change. It really varies.

Is there one in particular that you are curious about?

I could not find it officially posted yet. Did they send you a letter? Sometimes they do that before it is an official permit Devon is very active in the area and is drilling the Mississippian and Woodword with great success. Maybe Hunton. Good luck!

IrishCal said:

Do you know anything about the Frank 24-18N-2W 1MH Well? Surface location in the SW/4 SW/4 of Section 19-18N-1W with a BHL in the NE/4 NE/4 of Section 24-18N-2W. Devon is proposing this well as a "9,400' Mississippian horizontal test and other possible potential formations". Any info you have on this well would be great! Thanks!!

M Barnes said:

A slight well name change happens when they drill a sidetrack off an original borehole. It usually just adds ST to the name and changes the end digits on the API number since it is a new well. A radical name change can happen before a well drills. A geologist might call it one name when he/she is designing the well, but the final name as permitted and drilled can change if the proposed well name is offensive or too similar to another well name in the nearby area. Not good to have two Smith #1 wells near each other. Too confusing. I know of some name changes that changed offshore due to Native American sensibilities or corporate copyright names. Usually the well names are changed internally within a company. The governing body can also request a name change. It really varies.

Is there one in particular that you are curious about?

M Barnes, thank you!