Diamondback Energy is one of the most disciplined operators in the Midland Basin, known for repeatable, capital-efficient horizontal development across de-risked core acreage.
The Heidelberg 30-31 program in Martin County is a clean example of how modern Permian operators execute stacked bench co-development using a true factory model — tightly sequencing permitting, drilling, completions, and centralized production infrastructure into a single integrated workflow.
This is not exploratory drilling. This is manufacturing.
📍 Surface Persona – Full-Section, Zero-Dispersion Pad Development
Play: Permian Basin – Midland Sub-Basin
County: Martin County, Texas
Total Wells: 24
All activity is confined to a single survey footprint:
- Block: 35T1N
- Abstract: 50
- Section: 19
- Total Wells: 24
This one-block, one-section concentration confirms unitized pad development with zero surface dispersion — a hallmark of factory execution rather than step-out or appraisal drilling.
Lease Design Signals Intent
The repeating HEIDELBERG 30-31 lease series (A through P) shows evenly distributed wells across lease segments. That pattern only appears when the surface layout, pad spacing, and infrastructure routing are pre-engineered upfront, not discovered well-by-well.
Rig Deployment: Parallel, Not Opportunistic
Four rigs executed the program in parallel:
- Ensign 777 – 6 wells
- Independence 323 – 6 wells
- Ensign 775 – 5 wells
- Ensign 773 – 4 wells
Balanced utilization across four rigs signals planned throughput, not reactive scheduling. Each rig operated as part of a coordinated system, not as an independent campaign.
Surface Persona Summary:
This is a tightly clustered Midland Basin pad program executed entirely within a single section in Martin County. Coordinated lease design and parallel multi-rig execution confirm a factory-style surface strategy optimized for repeatability, infrastructure efficiency, and speed.
🔬 Sub-Surface Persona – Standardized Spraberry Stacked Bench Co-Development
Primary Field: Spraberry (Trend Area)
Well Type: Horizontal production wells
Total Wells: 24
Depth Profile (All Wells):
- Minimum MD: 12,500 ft
- Maximum MD: 12,500 ft
- Average MD: 12,500 ft
- Total Feet Drilled: ~300,000 ft
Identical reported depths across all wells confirm fixed landing windows and zero tolerance for geologic variance — a prerequisite for manufacturing-style subsurface execution.
Why This Is Stacked Bench Co-Development (Not Single-Zone Drilling)
1️⃣ One subsurface cube, developed all at once
All 24 wells sit in the same block, section, county, and Spraberry trend. That’s a single development cube, not staggered acreage capture. Operators only commit to this when the vertical column is fully de-risked.
2️⃣ Parallel rigs = concurrent bench development
Four rigs drilling simultaneously across four pads means:
- Benches developed at the same time
- Pressure depletion managed across the section
- No parent-child lag risk
That execution pattern is classic stacked co-development behavior.
3️⃣ Identical MD does not mean single bench
In the Spraberry, identical measured depths often mask:
- Upper / Middle / Lower Spraberry landings
- Tight vertical separation
- Bench differentiation driven by TVD and frac design, not headline MD
Depth normalization simplifies reporting — it does not imply single-zone exploitation.
4️⃣ Pad-level manufacturing confirms the strategy
Each pad:
- Hosts ~5–6 wells
- Runs as a closed execution system
- Uses coordinated frac timing and spacing
That only works when all benches are planned together, not tested sequentially.
Sub-Surface Persona Summary:
The Heidelberg program reflects a uniform, full-section Spraberry cube development. Identical depths, shared surface footprint, and parallel execution strongly indicate stacked bench co-development built for manufacturing-scale delivery.
⏱ Full Development Timeline – Permit to Production
The Heidelberg 30-31 Battery air permit anchors the final stage of the workflow, marking the transition from drilling and completions into sustained production.
Phase Date Timing Signal First License Date (Project Start) 06/20/2025 Regulatory positioning First Activity Date (Drilling Begins) 07/07/2025 +17 days Last Activity Date 09/23/2025 78-day drilling window Facility Air Permit Received 02/17/2026 +~147 days Total Cycle Time ~242 days ~8 months end-to-end
Eight months from first regulatory action to full facility authorization is compressed cycle time, enabled by upfront planning and execution certainty.
🏭 The Factory Workflow in Action
The Heidelberg 30-31 program checks every box of a Permian factory model:
- Permit Phase: Early surface and facility positioning
- Rig Mobilization: Multi-rig batch drilling within one section
- Execution Cadence: ~3.5 days between drilling activity events
- Completion Phase: Late 2025 into early 2026
- Facility Authorization: Battery permit aligned with production readiness
- Production Mode: Centralized infrastructure brought online
Only one well remained not yet drilled during the activity window — a strong signal of capital discipline and execution alignment.
Minor downhole optimizations (e.g., torque-ring adjustments) were handled in-line, without stopping or redesigning the program. That’s manufacturing behavior: fix the process, don’t pause the factory.
Why This Qualifies as a True Factory Model
1️⃣ Standardized design, not bespoke wells
Same section, same play, same well type, same depths, same pad size. The system is optimized — not each individual well.
2️⃣ Parallel execution drives throughput
Four rigs operating simultaneously eliminates serial dependency and learning-curve pauses. This only happens when the rock, benches, and economics are fully understood.
3️⃣ Stacked bench co-development enables predictability
By developing the entire vertical column at once, Diamondback converts acreage into inventory with confidence — the economic backbone of factory development.
4️⃣ Real-time optimization, not redesign
Issues are corrected during execution without changing the plan. Speed and cadence are preserved.
5️⃣ Surface behavior confirms intent
Tight clustering, shared infrastructure, no dispersion, no outliers. This is pad manufacturing, not opportunistic drilling.
Factory Persona Summary (Blog-Ready)
The Heidelberg 30-31 program in Martin County represents a full-section Spraberry cube developed using a true factory model. Standardized well designs, stacked bench co-development, and four-rig parallel execution enabled Diamondback Energy to move from permit to production readiness in roughly eight months. Minor downhole optimizations were handled in-line without disrupting cadence, reinforcing a manufacturing-first strategy focused on throughput, repeatability, and capital efficiency rather than experimentation.
