Rouge Fractures
April 30, 2012 | Durham University
“The chances of rogue fractures due to shale gas fracking operations extending beyond 0.6 kilometres from the injection source is a fraction of one percent, according to new research led by Durham University. The analysis is based on data from thousands of fracking operations in the USA and natural rock fractures in Europe and Africa.” Quoted from the Durham University press release. |
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Objections to Natural Gas Flaring
April 10, 2012 | FuelFix.com
Drilling for oil in the shale formations of Texas and North Dakota often results in the flaring of natural gas – as some of these areas are not served by natural gas pipelines. Although this practice is somewhat of an industry tradition it is drawing increasing criticism because it wastes a non-renewable energy resource, is an economic loss, produces air pollution and contributes to climate change. |
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State Crude Oil Trends
March 19, 2012 | Energy Information Administration
Five states account for over 50% of the USA’s crude oil production with production rapidly increasing in Texas and North Dakota.
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Hydraulic Fracturing Isn’t the Problem
February 21, 2012 | University of Texas at Austin
“Hydraulic fracturing of shale formations to extract natural gas has no direct connection to reports of groundwater contamination [...] many problems ascribed to hydraulic fracturing are related to processes common to all oil and gas drilling operations, such as casing failures or poor cement jobs.” Quoted from the University of Texas at Austin press release. |
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North Dakota Sets Records for Oil and Natural Gas in 2011
February 15, 2012 | Grand Forks Herald
Oil and natural gas production in North Dakota is at all-time highs, fueled by intense drilling activity in the Bakken Formation, Three Forks Formations and other rock units. |
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Dry Shale Gas Production Trends
February 13, 2012 | Energy Information Administration
The EIA Natural Gas Weekly Update has an interesting graph that tracks the month-by-month dry gas production growth from various shale gas fields in the United States. For example, it shows that production from the Haynesville Shale started to increase significantly in early 2009 and continued until today the Haynesville is the most prolific dry gas producer. |
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Fracking Backlog in North Dakota
January 20, 2012 | Bloomberg
Even though oil production from North Dakota’s Bakken Formation has propelled the state to new production records there is still a backlog of wells to be fracked. |
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Declining Royalty Payments from Natural Gas Wells
January 3, 2012 | Geology.com
Many property owners are very surprised when the royalties that they receive from a natural gas well on their property decline sharply. They are learning about production decline curves. |
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Activity in the Bakken Formation
January 3, 2012 | Globe and Mail
Lynn Peterson, CEO of Kodiak Oil & Gas gives an overview of current activity in the United States portion of the Bakken Formation. |
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North Dakota Oil Production Rising
December 30, 2011 | Energy Information Administration
Rising production from the Bakken Shale has propelled North Dakota up to the fourth largest oil producing state behind Texas, Alaska and California. |
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1/3 of Bakken Gas is Flared
December 29, 2011 | Energy Information Administration
The Energy Information Administration reports that about 1/3 of the natural gas produced from the Bakken Formation of North Dakota is flared instead of marketed because natural gas pipelines are not present in the production area or they can not accept additional gas.
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Learning about Oil and Gas Leases
December 5, 2011 | New York Times
An article in the New York Times reviews some potential rewards and problems that occur when a landowner decides to lease his property for oil and and gas development.
Related: Mineral Rights |
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Supersized Topographic Maps
December 4, 2011 | MyTopo.com
The folks at MyTopo.com are now printing supersized topo maps – large enough make a huge 5′ x 8′ (or 8′ x 5′) map that will look fantastic on the wall of your office, conference room, lobby, cabin or den. These maps are custom-centered on any location that you pick using their online map-making tool. Lots of smaller sizes are also available.
We are affiliates of MyTopo.com and receive a commission on sales. |
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North Dakota: Record Oil Production
November 28, 2011 | FuelFix.com
There is still more than one month remaining in 2011, but oil production in North Dakota has broken the annual record set in 2010. The state is on-target to produce about 150 million barrels. |
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Hiring Boom in North Dakota
October 28, 2011 | MSNBC
Thousands of high-paying new jobs are unfilled in North Dakota where natural gas and oil are being produced from the Bakken Formation, the Niobrara Shale and other rock units. |
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How Much Oil is in the Bakken?
October 4, 2011 | Wall Street Journal
Although the United States Geological Survey estimates that the Bakken Formation beneath parts of North Dakota, Montana and Canada might contain over 4 billion barrels of oil, Harold Hamm, believes that it might contain up to 24 billion barrels. |
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Oh No! Who Really Owns the Natural Gas in Shale?
September 23, 2011 | Business Week
Is natural gas part of the shale or is it a fugitive commodity that is not an integral part of any specific rock unit? Will a refined legal definition of natural gas in Pennsylvania overturn thousands of historic leases? |
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Halliburton Could Hire 11,000
September 7, 2011 | LA Times
Halliburton says that they expect to hire about 11,000 oil field service people in 2011. Many of the jobs will be in North Dakota. |
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Shale Gas and U.S. National Security
July 22, 2011 | Baker Institute for Public Policy
The Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University has published a report titled: “Shale Gas and U.S. National Security”. “This study assesses the impact of U.S. domestic shale gas development on energy security and U.S. national security, with emphasis on the geopolitical consequences of rising supplies of U.S. natural gas from shale and the implications for U.S. foreign policy.” Quoted from the report summary. |
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Projections of North American Shale Gas Production
July 10, 2011 | FuelFix
The FuelFix website has an article that includes natural gas production projections for North American gas shale plays. It is interesting to note that projections of annual production for calendar year 2040 moved upwards from about 14TCF in 2009 to about 19TCF in 2011. |
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EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study Areas
June 27, 2011 | FuelFix.com
The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the potential for hydraulic fracturing activities to impact surface and/or underground sources of drinking water, beginning with well site development and progressing through well abandonment. Seven geographic study areas have been announced. |
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Shale Oil Will Reduce US Imports
June 17, 2011 | Bloomberg
Rapidly rising oil production from rock units such as the Bakken Formation and Eagle Ford Shale are going to put a large dent in the amount of oil that is currently brought into the United States from other countries. |
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Low Production Rates for Niobrara Shale Wells
June 6, 2011 | Denver Post
Drillers hope that wells in the Niobrara Shale will yield similar quantities of oil and natural gas as wells in the nearby Bakken Formation. However, early results show Niobrara wells yielding at less than half the rate of Bakken wells. |
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Brine Contamination Associated with Oil and Gas Production in the Williston Basin
May 24, 2011 | USGS
“U.S. Geological Survey scientists and cooperating partners are examining the potential risk to aquatic resources by contamination from saline waters produced by petroleum development in the Williston Basin of Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.” Quoted from the USGS publication release. |
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Bakken Formation Oil and Gas Reassessment
May 20, 2011 | UPI
In the past three years oil and natural gas production from the Bakken Formation of North Dakota and Montana has increased dramatically causing the United States Geological Survey to launch an update of its last assessment that was completed just three years ago. |
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Shale Oil Holds Up Domestic Production
April 5, 2011 | Houston Chronicle
Domestic oil production rose during 2010 even though problems in the Gulf shut down producing wells. Production from unconventional sources such as the Bakken Shale of North Dakota and the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas was rising rapidly. |
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Foreign Ownership of United States Gas Shales
March 30, 2011 | The Ithaca Journal
A letter published in The Ithaca Journal complains about the many foreign companies who have purchased major stakes in United States gas shale companies. |
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How Much Oil is in the Bakken and Three Forks Formations?
January 28, 2011 | Trib.com
Diverging estimates by three different organizations with significant expertise in oil and natural gas assessments leave one wondering how much oil really is in the Bakken and Three Forks Formations?
Here are the estimates….
| USGS |
4.3 billion barrels |
| North Dakota Geological Survey |
11 billion barrels |
| Continental Resources |
20 billion barrels |
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Mineral Rights
January 13, 2011 | Geology.com
“If we go back in time to the days before drilling and mining, real estate transactions were fee simple transfers. However, once commercial mineral production became possible, the ways in which people own property became much more complex. Today, the leases, sales, gifts and bequests of the past have produced a landscape where multiple people or companies have a partial ownership of or rights to many real estate parcels.” |
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Bakken and Three Forks Push North Dakota to #4 Oil Producer
January 7, 2011 | Houston Chronicle
Strong crude oil prices, new drilling technology and high levels of activity in the Bakken Shale and Three Forks Shale have pushed North Dakota to #4 in the rankings of oil producing states. |
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