North Dakota saw a 5 percent drop in oil and gas production last July following a series of disruptions in five natural gas factories in the state.
Natural gas processing plants at Beer Creek, Lonosome Creek, Lake Robinson, Thioga and Watford City have been offline at various times due to planned maintenance and improvement projects.
North Dakota Minerals Director Lyn Helms said the cuts have reduced the region’s oil production by 5 percent and natural gas production from June to July by 4 percent.
The downturn surprised government officials, who are still expecting a return to oil production.
Helms’ decline came despite healthy oil prices and improved job prospects in Buccaneer.
North Dakota produced 1,077,789 barrels a day in July, up from 1,133,498 barrels a day in June. The state’s highest production in November 2019 was 1,519,037 barrels per day.
Up, he said, the work of the oil rig is at an all-time high.
At the peak of the epidemic, unemployment in the Wilson Basin was rising by 12 to 15 percent. Oil industry unemployment rose to 7 percent last June, but only 5 percent today.
Friday’s crude oil price was $ 72.61 a barrel in West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and North Dakota’s market price was $ 69.06.
North Dakota’s highest oil price was in June 2008 when it sold in Dakota Sweet Crude for $ 125.62 / barrel.
North Dakota 2021 Oil Production
June 2021 – 1,133,498 barrels / day
July 2021 – 1,077,789 barrels / day – 55,709 barrels / day
Oil and Gas sector unemployment / Wilson Basin
May – August 2020 12 – 15 percent unemployment
June 2021 7% unemployment
September 2021 5 percent unemployment
Source – North Dakota Department of Minerals
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