The Bakken pool is a resource play in southeast Saskatchewan with original oil in place estimated at 4 to 5 billion boe of light sweet oil and associated natural gas and liquids. The pool is the second largest conventional light oil pool discovered in Western Canada, and is the largest conventional pool discovered in more than 50 years in Western Canada. Crescent Point has a dominant and controlling position in this play, with production of more than 14,000 boe/d, 380 net sections of undeveloped land and 1,050 net development drilling locations. Only 358 of these locations have been booked to reserves.

Recovery to date at the Viewfield Bakken resource play is 0.3 percent, with independent engineers booking a recovery factor of 3.9 percent as of year end 2007. Crescent Point’s Bakken technical team conservatively expects that a recovery factor of 15 percent is achievable on primary recovery over time. This is based on detailed simulation work that suggests up to 19 percent recovery at eight wells per section. Studies of analog light sweet pools also suggest that at least 15 percent recovery is achievable. At 15 percent recovery, the Trust’s proved plus probable reserves would increase by 165 mmbbls. This has the potential of adding more than $4 billion of value through this reserve upside.

In 2007, the Trust drilled a total of 88 (60.0 net) Bakken horizontal wells, including 11 step out exploration wells, and fracture stimulated 46 (38.3 net) Bakken horizontal wells. Utilizing a series of improvements to the fracture stimulation technology, the Trust increased average initial post fracture stimulation production rates to more than 200 boe/d per well.