November Oil Production | Video

Jennifer Joas | 1/11/2013

Oil production increases in the Bakken have been a sure bet since May of 2011. Much to everyone`s surprise, that run came to an end in November. The oil and gas division says Mother Nature had something to do with it.

Month after month, oil production kept increasing in the Bakken, regardless of the rig count or how many frack jobs were completed. Until November. Williams County had the snowiest day since 1901, causing an interruption in fracking and oil transportation.

"When you encounter something like that winter storm, then you have to shut wells in because you cannot move the oil from the well sites to the rail terminals or to the pipeline terminals," said Lynn Helms, Department Mineral Resources Director.

Helms says it makes you stop and realize just how concentrated the Bakken is geographically, and how dependent it is on fracking and truck transportation. "Unlike a state like Texas where you maybe have the Eagle Ford, you have the Permian Basin, and you have east Texas all producing. Our eggs are sort of getting all in one basket."

Helms does not expect the decrease in production to continue. Also in the month of November, the number of wells waiting to be fracked rose to 410, the rig count dropped to 186, and there is more oil being exported by rail instead of pipeline.

COMMENT ON THIS STORY