While states often report a well status, the meaning can vary widely across our dataset. We have created a more standard status and this is how it is defined.
Well statuses can be a challenge. States have a massive inconsistency on what they even consider a status option. Trying to do any kind of searching or analytics based on these statuses can be a challenge. This is why we have created our own well status. This status is based on the information we have on a well. In an effort to be transparent, here is the process we use to define the well status.
Is the well active?
Determining the type of well has different paths for wells that are active producers, injectors, or disposals. Determining if a well is active is defined by a well that has reported volumes in one of those three places at least once in the past 3 reporting periods. With states reporting data at different frequencies, this is a variable calculation based on the state we are working with.
Active Wells
Wells determined to be active are pretty straight-forward. The primary status of these wells is just that, Active. We do append the type of activity, primarily to make searching easier. The active well options are Active Producer, Active Injector, & Active Disposal. We do allow for special circumstances where a well has been marked as Shut In or Plugged & Abandoned. This only goes into effect if a well has a specific filing listing the status as one of those two. Since we have a lag in marking a well as "inactive", we are watching specifically for these filings.
Inactive Wells
Wells are inactive for a number of reasons, many of which are a part of the standard lifecycle of a well. Here are the possible well statuses used for inactive wells and what conditions cause the status to be applied.
The first set of statuses are first checked for being plugged & abandoned. This is done by looking for a plug & abandon filing or the population of a plug date from the regulatory agency. If neither of these conditions are true, the status is considered Active and is appended with the well type defined.
- Active Test
- Active Gas Storage
- Active Storage
- Active Observation
- Active Sulfur
- Active CO2
If a well has a plug date or a filing indicating that the well was plugged, we will set the status to Plugged & Abandoned.
After confirming that the well has not been plugged, we can continue with additional statuses that are identified through the data we have for the well.
- Shut In - Well either marked as shut in from the regulatory agency or a well that has not produced in at least a year.
- Dry Hole - A well that was completed more than 6 months ago, but has no production, injection, or any other type of activity.
- Completed - Not Active - A well that has completion records filed with the regulatory agency, but has no production yet.
- DUC - Drilled Uncompleted - Wells that have spud dates or a rig on site over a week ago, but no completion data filed.
- Active Drilling - Wells that have an active rig on site.
- Cancelled Permit - Wells that have a no other data but a permit that has been marked as cancelled.
- Expired Permit - Wells that have no other data but a permit that has passed it's expiration date.
- Permit - New Drill - Wells that only have a permit in good standing.
- Permit - Existing Well - Wells that have a full history, but with a new permit filed and in active status. This status will be superseded with the active well statuses above if the well is currently active.
- Inactive - Wells that have data to show they were previously active, but are non longer are producing or injecting. This status is only used if every other condition is not met.
- Unknown - Final catch-all for wells that do not fit any other status.
One last item to add. Some regulatory agencies publish a list of orphaned wells. We make it a point to grab this data set. Any well identified as orphaned will be prepended with the term Orphaned. An example might be Orphaned - Shut In or Orphaned - Dry Hole.