According to North Dakota production data, the length of time that an oil well has been drilled but remains uncompleted—meaning it has not yet started producing—has little effect on its initial production level. Oil wells are sometimes drilled but remain uncompleted for other operational or economic reasons. The North Dakota data provides insights into oil well completion practices. The drilling and production process of an oil well starts with the initial drilling, or spudding. Once an oil well is drilled, the well must be completed before it can produce hydrocarbons. The completion process involves casing, ... (full story)