BISMARCK, N.D. – The petroleum industry, the state and communities will come together on Wednesday, June 25 in Tioga, N.D., to celebrate North Dakota’s climb to one million barrels of oil production per day and to show appreciation for the many hard-working men and women who have supported western communities and the industry during the past decade of growth.

The celebration will include remarks from Gov. Jack Dalrymple, Ron Ness, president of the NDPC and Kathy Neset, president of Neset Consulting Service, which is hosting the event at their location. Speakers, a mini museum and tours to the first oil well will highlight North Dakota’s oil and gas history, as well as the state’s role as a top producer of energy for the world and its positive influence on national security.

“We are thrilled to be hosting this celebration and to recognize this remarkable milestone,” said Neset. “One million barrels per day is an impressive level of production. The Bakken – along with other oil resources around the country – have lifted the United States to a more secure level on the global stage of security and independence by providing a safe and reliable source of energy for our country.”

What: One Million Barrels – One Million Thanks Celebration

Where: Neset Consulting Service, 6844 Highway 40, Tioga, ND
When: Wednesday, June 25, 2014
11 a.m. Welcome – Ron Ness, NDPC
North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple
11:15 a.m. Kathy Neset, Neset Consulting Service
11 a.m. – 3 p.m. ND Oil & Gas Industry Mini-Museum Open
11:30 a.m. Ribbon cutting, airshow and flyby by the Texas Flying Legends
12-2 p.m. Community BBQ
12 – 3 p.m. Bus tours to Clarence Iverson No. 1 Well
12 – 3 p.m. Air tours of the Tioga area
12 – 3 p.m. Live music by the Tin Star Band

More Info: The event is free and open to the public and media. Parking and shuttle services will be available at the Tioga Farm Festival Building. For more information about the celebration, visit www.ndoil.org/events.

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Million-Barrels-Infographic
North Dakota is now member of an exclusive group, placing it among world leaders of energy production

BISMARCK, N.D. – Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council (NDPC), welcomed today’s Director’s Cut report announcing North Dakota has surpassed 1 million barrels of crude oil production per day.

“This is a significant milestone that few countries and even fewer states have ever reached, underscoring the influence North Dakota has in enhancing our national security and our state and national economies,” said Ness. “Until April, only Texas, one Canadian province and 19 countries were producing 1 million barrels per day, putting North Dakota among the top oil producers in the entire world.”

Daily production of one million barrels per day is significant because it is a level only four other states – Alaska, California, Louisiana and Texas – have ever reached and until April, only Texas has maintained that level or above in the United States. In addition:

· Only one Canadian province – Alberta – and 22 countries have ever produced 1 million barrels per day. Today, Alberta and just 19 countries continue to meet or exceed that level of production.
· The Bakken has become the 10th oilfield in the world’s history to ever reach 1 million barrels of production per day. The oilfields include the Ghawar in Saudi Arabia, Burgan in Kuwait, Cantarell in Mexico, Daqing in China, Samotlor in Russia, Kirkuk in Iraq, Prudhoe Bay in Alaska, and the Eagle Ford and Permian in Texas.
· One million barrels per day is the equivalent of about 75 percent of our nation’s average daily imports from Saudi Arabia.
· Since 2006 when North Dakota’s first Bakken well was drilled, U.S. reliance on oil imports has dropped 18.5 percent.

“The Bakken is undisputedly a world-class resource that is providing a secure and reliable energy source for our nation,” said Ness. “While many of these oil resources have been producing for decades, the Bakken is a modern, technology-driven field that produces a significant amount of oil through horizontal drilling while reducing impacts on the surface allowing continued use for agriculture, community development, or wildlife and habitats.”

In addition to benefitting our national security, 1 million barrels of production per day also has positive benefits for the state and national economies and job growth, said Ness.

One million barrels is estimated to generate $50 million per day in economic activity and will contribute more than $11 million per day at the current oil price for a Bakken sweet crude barrel. Once refined, 1 million barrels of oil is enough to fuel more than 48,200 cars with gasoline and over that many vehicles with diesel.

“North Dakota’s oil and gas industry has been a boon to the state’s economy,” said Ness. “Drilling is expected to at least 14 to 17 more years, if not more with technological advancements, resulting in several more decades of production and economic stability and longevity that will allow our state to invest in its people and communities for many, many years to come.”

To recognize this milestone that has come as a result of the many hard-working men and women who are living, working and investing in our strong and growing communities, the NDPC will host a “One Million Barrels – One Million Thanks” Celebration on June 25 in Tioga. The celebration will be free and open to the public and will include a BBQ, talks from state and industry leaders, tours of the Clarence Iverson No. 1 well, a mini museum, aerial tours of the Tioga area, and an airshow by the Texas Flying Legends. For more information about the event, visit www.ndoil.org/events.

Since 1952, the Petroleum Council has been the primary voice of the oil and gas industry in North Dakota. The Petroleum Council represents more than 500 companies involved in all aspects of the oil and gas industry, including oil and gas production, refining, pipeline, mineral leasing, consulting, legal work, and oil field service activities in North Dakota, South Dakota, and the Rocky Mountain Region. For more information, go to www.ndoil.org.

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NDGovernorsPipelineSummit_logo_FINALGovernor’s Pipeline Summit

The North Dakota Governor’s Pipeline Summit will take place the morning of Tuesday, June 24, at the National Energy Center of Excellence, located at 1200 Schafer Street on the Bismarck State College campus.

View a Tentative Agenda for the Governor’s Pipeline Summit.

Pipeline industry leaders will be on hand to talk about their investments in building the state’s pipeline infrastructure to help reduce impacts in North Dakota’s oil country. Pipelines provide great opportunity for helping to:

  • reduce impact to roads and highways,
  • increase safety both on roads and product handling,
  • and provide reliable and efficient routes to key market destinations.

There is no cost to attend the summit. If you plan to attend, please take a moment to pre-register now. On-site registration the day of the event will also be available.

For those unable to attend in person, the summit will be available via video stream at www.governor.nd.gov.

Register for the 2014 Governor’s Pipeline Summit

Wind River Hotel and Casino Ad Banenr

Press Release – June 12, 2014

With insurgents having overrun Mosul and now heading toward Baghdad, virtually all of the media focus has been on the military aspects of this conflict as well as a possible alliance between Iraq, Iran, and Syria.

Lost in the shuffle has been the “fear factor” building into the world price for crude oil. This may very well happen to oil prices should the ruling government in Iraq be toppled, or if the conflict turns into a civil war.

Already the price of oil has spiked in the past two days with tensions escalating and may very well drive the price for a barrel of oil oil up another $10 a barrel.

The US has the means to insulate itself against such price spikes: Thanks to the unending supplies of oil and natural gas unlocked by frac’ing, we can free ourselves of our dependence on imports from volatile North Africa and Middle East regions.

These price spikes almost immediately will translate into higher prices for gasoline and diesel at the pump. In an market such as this “Prices shoot up like a rocket and drift back down like a feather”.

Let me know if you are interested in speaking with me.

Bob van der Valk
Senior Editor
Bakken Oil Business Journal
406.853.4251
editor@bakkenoilbiz.com

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The Williston Basin Chapter of the American Petroleum Institute (Williston API) has established endowed scholarships at Montana Tech of the University of Montana and the University of North Dakota.

The Williston API is a nonprofit organization comprised of service oriented individuals who serve the local oil and gas industry, as well as the surrounding community. Our members are dedicated to providing a forum for the discussion of energy related issues and promoting improvement of the energy industry through education and community action.

Williston API members are committed to develop and adhere to the highest level industry standards, protect the environment, and lead in health and safety performance. The Williston API raises funds for scholarships, promotes education, and makes an impact in the community where we live and work.

In 2008, the organization established the Williston API Scholarship program at Montana Tech offering two $2,000 scholarships annually to support one junior and one senior in the Petroleum Engineering Program. The scholarships are part of a continued effort to meet the increasing demand for a skilled workforce in the growing oil and gas industry in the Williston Basin.

The University of North Dakota (UND) has recently established the Department of Petroleum Engineering and the Harold Hamm School of Geology and Geological Engineering in the College of Engineering and Mines offering for the first time a petroleum engineering degree program.

The Education and Scholarship Committee presented a proposal to the board of directors and subsequently to the membership to establish a similar scholarship program at UND as the one at Montana Tech. Ultimately the decision was made to establish the Williston API Endowed Scholarship at UND and fund two $2,000 scholarships to be awarded annually for Petroleum Engineering. Additionally, the chapter also established the Williston API Endowment to fund the scholarships at Montana Tech.

“The education and scholarship committee and our board of directors presented the endowment proposal to our members and they voted with great enthusiasm to establish these endowed scholarships,” commented Ken Callahan, president of the Williston API Board of Directors. “The endowments will enable these scholarships to be funded in perpetuity and our members see this as an investment in our future and a legacy of our chapter.”

“This was a record year for Montana Tech with 405 students enrolled in Petroleum Engineering,” explained Luke Meyer with the Montana Tech Foundation. “We are truly pleased to see the Williston API strengthen their commitment to the program by now creating an endowment for their scholarships that were established in 2008.”

“This represents the very first endowed scholarship for our relatively young Petroleum Engineering program which now has over 200 students in its fourth year in existence,” stated Dan Muus, Chief Development Officer, UND Alumni Association & Foundation. “We are excited to have this ongoing support for our students from the Williston Basin API chapter. UND students graduating with degrees from the Harold Hamm School of Geology and Geological Engineering and the Petroleum Engineering department today, will be leaders within the industry for decades to come.”

Contribution Challenge
The endowments have been initially funded with $25,000 to each institution and will only partially fund the annual scholarships. The Williston API will continue to fund the balance of the scholarships until the endowments are fully funded, approximately $50,000 each. The chapter plans to make future contributions as finances allow and as approved by the membership.

The Williston API education and scholarship committee along with the board of directors would like to challenge and encourage its members and their companies to join in the effort to support the future of our industry by making additional contributions to the endowments. Contributions may be made to either or both endowments by contacting the foundations directly. More information is available at the chapter website at www.WillistonAPI.com.

Brent Eslinger, Sr. District Manager for Halliburton and past president of the Williston API added “This is an outstanding achievement for the Williston API Chapter and its members. It is an opportunity for our industry and our chapter members to give back to our community and prepare our youth for success.” He added “This next step of an endowed scholarship will become a standing legacy for the API chapter.”

“I am proud of our organization and the commitment our members have made to this effort,” stated Kathleen Neset, president of Neset Consulting, past board member of the Williston API, and member of the Education and Scholarship Committee. “I for one would like to encourage other companies to support this initiative and I look forward to fully funding these endowments in the near future.”

Companies and individuals interested in contributing to either or both of the endowments can find more information on the chapter website at www.WillistonAPI.com.

Contact
Williston Basin Chapter API
Ken Callahan, President
701-770-5030
Ken.Callahan@mdu.com