A North Dakota oil well owned by Exxon Mobil subsidiary XTO Energy blew out on Aug. 29, leaking more than 550 barrels (23,100 gallons) of crude, some of which left the wellpad and seeped into surrounding grasses.
The well, located in a rural area 25 miles southeast of Watford City, was being hydraulic fractured when its pressure control valves failed and it leaked the oil and about 110 barrels (4,620) of saltwater, according to state and company officials.
The well was brought under control on the morning of Aug. 30. No one was injured.
"We are working to understand the cause," XTO spokeswoman Suann Guthrie said on Aug. 31. "We are very sorry this incident has occurred."
The company's emergency response responded to the leak, and local officials were notified. XTO said it has begun cleanup at the site.
The well, Deep Creek Federal 43X-5D, is located on the same drilling pad as four other wells and was first drilled on April 25, according to state data.
Recommended Reading
Equinor Says EQT Asset Swap Upgrades International Portfolio
2024-04-30 - Equinor CFO Torgrim Reitan says the company’s recent U.S. asset swap with EQT Corp. was an example of the European company “high-grading” its international E&P portfolio.
SLB, OneSubsea, Subsea 7 Sign Collaboration Deal with Equinor
2024-05-02 - Work is expected to begin immediately on Equinor’s Wisting and Bay Du Nord projects.
E&P Highlights: March 15, 2024
2024-03-15 - Here’s a roundup of the latest E&P headlines, including a new discovery and offshore contract awards.
Less Heisenberg Uncertainty with Appraisal Wells
2024-03-21 - Equinor proves Heisenberg in the North Sea holds 25 MMboe to 56 MMboe, and studies are underway for a potential fast-track tieback development.
E&P Highlights: April 8, 2024
2024-04-08 - Here’s a roundup of the latest E&P headlines, including new contract awards and a product launch.