Pretty neat animation by the Energy Information Administration, showing the growth of oil and natural gas production in the Bakken shale play between 1985 and 2010. You can see the locations and the yields of different wells within the Bakken in time-lapse fashion. EIA:

“Oil production growth in the Bakken shale play mirrors somewhat the growth in natural gas production in the Barnett play (Texas). Like the Barnett, the Bakken drilling and production animation … shows that drilling activity built up gradually and eventually led to rapid growth, particularly from 2006 to 2010. Production grew because of increased use of horizontal drilling and the addition of hydraulic fracturing, coupled with elevated prices for crude oil and other natural gas liquids.”

That last sentence is v... more »

The Western Energy Alliance (WEA) has a new analysis showing that oil and natural gas leasing on federal lands in the Rockies is significantly down since 2008.

How down? Using Bureau of Land Management (BLM) leasing data from 2008 through the current federal fiscal year (ending Sept. 30), WEA says the number of parcels offered has declined 70 percent. Acreage is down 81 percent and revenue 44 percent. The numbers would be worse if not for production gains in the Bakken formation in North Dakota and Montana and the Niobrara in Wyoming.

The question is, why? Answer: Lack of access to federal lands for energy development. For example, WEA says, just four parcels in Colorado have been offered for lease in 2011 and just 17 in Utah. WEA's Kathleen Sgamma:

"High value lease sales in these areas i... more »

After months of mixed economic news and 9-10 percent unemployment, it's heartening to read about areas of the country that seem to be doing well.

As we pointed out last week, North Dakota's record oil production for 2009 and its ongoing "oil boom" has had a very positive impact on the state's economy, revenue and jobs.

Recently, North Dakota Petroleum Council (NDPC) president Ron Ness said he expected 2010 North Dakota oil production "to be way off the chart."

He was right.

Carpe Diem blogger Mark Perry highlights the state's record monthly oil production for May 2010 in a blog post from this week. Mark says:

"Total Monthly Production: 9,189,101 barrels in May, the first time that monthly production topped 9 million barrels. Amazingly, oil production in North Dakota has doubled in just... more »

North Dakota produced a record amount of crude oil last year, putting it ahead of Louisiana as the fourth-largest oil-producing state. The state produced 79.7 million barrels of crude oil in 2009, and it expects to produce even more this year.

"Oil production was off the chart in 2009," Ron Ness, president of North Dakota Petroleum Council, told the Associated Press. "I think 2010 is going to be way off the chart."

According to the annual oil patch statistics released by the petroleum council, North Dakota produced 218,455 barrels per day in 2009 from areas inside and outside of the Bakken Formation, which is an oil-rich shale formation that stretches under the western half of the state. A couple of years ago, the U.S. Geological Survey made headlines when it announced the Bakken could hol... more »