Television and Radio talk show host Sean Hannity will give keynote address
By Tessa Sandstrom

“The Best is Yet to Come!”

This was the promise from the 2012 Williston Basin Petroleum Conference (WBPC) when it was last held in Bismarck. The slogan, of course, spoke about the potential of the Bakken and Three Forks formations in North Dakota, Montana and Saskatchewan and the tremendous economic and career opportunities it brings to our region. With the WBPC now just weeks away, however, that slogan could also apply to this year’s conference, with more than 400 exhibitors and a great line-up of speakers signed up to attend.

The 2012 conference sold out in a record time of 17 minutes, but that record was eclipsed this January when booth space sold out within four minutes and more than 800 people were still online trying to secure their space. Hotel rooms for Bismarck-Mandan are already booked, and this year is promising to be the largest WBPC yet.
It’s no wonder; the Bakken continues to draw national and international attention, with reporters, ambassadors and leaders visiting from countries like Japan, Norway, Australia, India, Germany and others as the Bakken has helped make North Dakota a Cinderella Story of sorts. Where our state once only topped the lists of states with the largest outmigration of young people or states with the oldest population, North Dakota has now found itself atop lists ranking the best states for young people, the best states for job creation, and the happiest states.

HANNITY PHOTODespite being more than eight years into what is often called the Bakken “Boom” (a boom it is not, but rather a continually growing play and industry), this limelight and attention is still a rather new phenomenon for North Dakota, which was once cast aside as nothing more than a flyover state or a buffalo commons. Now, we continue to attract renowned journalists and commentators, including television and radio personality, Sean Hannity. After interviewing Billings County Commissioner and industry leader Jim Arthaud of MBI Energy Services on his radio program, Sean Hannity agreed to see the Bakken for himself and will be the keynote speaker at this year’s WBPC. Arthaud personally invited Hannity to the conference to be a keynote speaker and will also host Hannity on a tour of the Bakken.

Hannity has often highlighted North Dakota on his show and in his blog as an example for the nation in creating jobs, growing our economy, and moving us toward energy independence. “Unleash our resources. Unleash the ingenuity of American innovators. Unleash the work ethic of Americans desperate to work hard and earn a good living. We have the ability to be a thriving nation,” he wrote. And, as we will see and learn from many of the speakers at this year’s WBPC, that’s exactly what we’ve done in North Dakota and will continue to do.

As a well-known speaker, journalist, author and political commentator, Hannity has no doubt traveled the nation. We are excited to hear Hannity’s perspective about how our little state of North Dakota and our neighbors, Montana and Saskatchewan, are making a difference throughout the nation and even the world. We also look forward to introducing him to the many men and women who have helped develop the Bakken through technology and innovation that has helped make the Williston Basin a leader in the national energy renaissance, bringing us closer to energy security and reviving the American Dream.

Hannity, of course, is not our only well-known and renowned speaker. Also joining him will be some of the energy leaders themselves, including Continental CEO Harold Hamm, Oasis Petroleum CEO Tommy Nusz, Marathon CEO Lee Tillman, and Whiting Petroleum CEO Jim Volker who will discuss the industry’s future in North Dakota. More than 70 other speakers will addressing topics covering Bakken pipeline and rail infrastructure, impacts, flaring technologies, Bakken optimization, geology and more.

While all of these great talks will be open only to WBPC attendees, new to this year’s conference will be two Bakken Education Sessions. These sessions will be held at the Ramkota Ballroom and are free and open to the public. Ron Ness of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, Kathy Neset, a geologist and owner of Neset Consulting Service, and Alison Ritter of the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources will each give presentations on the basics of Bakken geology, drilling, and hydraulic fracturing and take questions from the audience. Two separate sessions will be held Tuesday, May 20, with one beginning at 1:30 p.m. and another beginning at 3:30 p.m., and we encourage the public to come and learn more about this burgeoning industry.

For more information about the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference, visit www.wbpcnd.org.

oilgasawards-logoWith an unprecedented number of entries received for the Rocky Mountain region in the Oil & Gas Awards this year, the organizers are pleased to announce the finalist companies selected by the judges as best in class for the Rocky Mountain region.

The Oil & Gas Awards will be holding the “Conference for Excellence” during the day of the gala dinner. The Conference for Excellence will provide a fantastic opportunity for selected finalists to speak on matters important to their business and to the industry. Professionals attending the conference will have further opportunity to network with other finalists and listen to the wide variety of keynote speeches from leaders in the market. There will also be the chance to contribute to panel debates on key topics. Should you wish to attend the conference and dinner, please contact us.

2013 Rocky Mountain Oil & Gas Awards Finalists:

A&W Water Service
AED Group, LLC
Alpha Transport, Inc.
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation
Audubon
Austin Exploration
BeneTerra LLC
Bilfinger Westcon Inc.
Bronco Oilfield Services, Inc.
C&J Energy Services
Canary, LLC
Cartasite
Cathedral Energy Services
Cinco Energy Management Group
DA Nolt, Inc.
Davis & Davis Company
Denbury Resources, Inc.
E&B Green Solutions
Enerplus
Enersight
Enserveco
Express Energy Services
Fortis Energy Services, Inc.
Frank Henry Equipment
Gazelle Transportation, Inc.
GE Oil & Gas Pressure Control
Global Employment Solutions Inc.
Gulf Interstate Engineering
Halker Consulting
HexArmor
High Sierra Energy, LP
JD Field Services Inc.
Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp.
Krohne, Inc.
Loenbro
MDU Resources group, Inc.
NCS Energy Services, Inc.
Northern Plains Trucking
Norton Rose Fulbright
Oasis Petroleum Corporation
Oildex
OleumTech
Precision Drilling
Precision Placement Services, Inc.
Preferred Sands
Profire Energy, Inc
PTI Group
QC Energy Resources
Rockwater Energy Solutions
RTS Corp
Sage Environmental Consulting, LP
Secure Energy Services
Select Energy Services
Spartan Engineering
Steptoe & Johnson LLP
StratCom Advisors, LLC
Summit Midstream Partners, LP
Target Logistics
TaxOps
TEEMCO
TETRA® Technologies, Inc.
Total Safety
Trican Well Service Ltd.
Trinidad Drilling
United NRG
VZ Environmental
Whiting Petroleum Corporation
Worthington Industries

The selected finalists will be invited to attend the conference and the gala dinner on Thursday, March 13, 2014 at the Grand Hyatt in Denver.

For more information, please visit our website on: http://www.oilandgasawards.com/rocky-mountain-2013/
Or contact us on +210 591 8471

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OverlandAviationFracjobBakken_13861980160733PHOTO: OVERLAND AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

The Bakken-Three Forks Shale Oil Innovation Conference & Expo will feature presentations on cutting-edge research and industry work designed to optimize several facets of the Bakken and Three Forks shale plays.

The Bakken-Three Forks Shale Oil Innovation Conference & Expo taking place February 10-12 in Grand Forks, N.D., announced its preliminary agenda this week. The sessions will showcase 100+ industry experts who are currently utilizing or developing new technologies, innovations and approaches to yielding greater efficiencies in the Bakken-Three Forks shale formations. In addition, attendees will learn upstream and downstream advancements in the Williston Basin that are impacting shale oil E&P and logistics globally.

There are three program tracks available to attendees during the three-day event:

– Track 1: Drilling, Retrieval & Production Optimization

– Track 2: Product, Service & Resource Utilization

– Track 3: Logistics & Downstream Infrastructure

“We are excited about the high quality of presentations submitted for this event,” says Luke Geiver, Editor and Program Director of the conference. “Because the speakers who submitted are extremely knowledgeable, we are able to showcase the techniques, strategies and technological know-how accelerating the retrieval and movement of remote Williston Basin crude oil from resource to refinement. We are bringing together high-level oil and gas professionals from every segment of the industry to discuss the latest technologies that will be used to extract oil out of shale plays. This show will offer a glimpse into the next wave of technology.”

Geiver later adds, “We are also developing a poster session where college students and researchers can showcase their cutting-edge research to oil and gas executives attending the event.”

The expo hall has already been expanded from the original estimates and BBI International is looking to possibly expand again, due to the high level of interest. “Exhibitors have identified this conference as a powerful platform to share their latest technologies and services with industry decision-makers who are looking for solutions to the challenges they face in one of the most extreme climates,” says Geiver. “More importantly, these solutions are not just limited to the Bakken play — they are critical to the success of oil recovery from every shale formation across the globe. Much of the agenda is geared towards drilling, operating and completion companies who are looking for new efficiencies to make their process more efficient,” Geiver adds. “One of the panels I’m most excited about is the panel titled, Finding the Next Innovation: Cutting-Edge Research Revealed. The speakers will offer a glimpse into the future of the play, and where the next innovation will come from.”

The event is in collaboration with the University of North Dakota College of Engineering & Mines and the Harold Hamm School of Geology & Geological Engineering and will be held at theAlerus Center in Grand Forks, which was the recent site of the North Dakota Petroleum Council’s Annual Meeting. “We decided to hold the conference in Grand Forks for a number of reasons,” says Joe Bryan, CEO of BBI International, the company that owns and operates The Bakken magazine and has 30 years’ experience in managing conferences. “The Grand Forks community is extremely supportive of the developments in the Bakken play and has shown strong support for new and existing businesses that are looking to get involved in North Dakota’s growing oil industry. Second, the facilities in Grand Forks are world-class. The Alerus Center and new surrounding hotels help create a very positive experience for conference attendees.”

To view the agenda or if you are interested in learning more about The Bakken-Three Forks Shale Oil Innovation Conference & Expo please visit www.BakkenOilConference.com.

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Bismarck, N.D. – The North Dakota Petroleum Council (NDPC) will host the Oil Can! Community Day on Monday, Sept. 16 during its Annual Meeting at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks. The Community Day will include two Bakken Basics Education Sessions, a barbecue, activities for kids, and access to the NDPC Members-Only Showcase.

“We are able to host educational sessions about the oil and gas industry in western North Dakota throughout the year through our Bakken Rocks CookFests and other events, but many residents in the eastern half of the state haven’t had the opportunity to attend these kinds of events,” said Tessa Sandstrom, NDPC communications manager. “By holding our Annual Meeting in Grand Forks, we are bringing the Bakken east and giving residents of the Red River Valley the chance to learn more about the Bakken and ask industry experts about oil and gas development in North Dakota.”

The Bakken Basics Education Sessions are scheduled for 2:30-4 p.m. and 4-5:30 p.m. and will include talks by Ron Ness, president of the NDPC; Lynn Helms, director for the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources; and Kathy Neset, president of Neset Consulting Service. A community barbecue featuring smoked pulled pork, smoked sausage and BBQ chicken, courtesy of Halliburton, will follow the educational sessions and go until 7:30 p.m. NDPC member exhibits and activities for kids, including a face painter, balloon artist and bounce house and slide will be open from 3-7:30 p.m. Exhibitors include Grand Forks businesses, as well as leading oil and gas producers and service companies operating in the Bakken. A pumping unit, workover rig, wireline truck, crane and ONEOK’s Natural Gas Mobile Museum will also be on display.

The Oil Can! Community Day is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.northdakotaoilcan.com/events/2013CommunityDay/.

The NDPC Annual Meeting will run from Monday, Sept. 16 to Wednesday, Sept. 18, and will feature a keynote address from legendary Notre Dame coach, Lou Holtz. An agenda and costs for attending the full meeting are available at https://annualmeeting.risprojects.org. Members of the media wishing to attend may contact Tessa Sandstrom at tsandstrom@ndoil.org or 701-557-7744.

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 420 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. Our members produced 98% of the 243 million barrels of oil produced in North Dakota last year. For more information, go to www.ndoil.org.

NEWS Release

Call in registration 1-800-574-4852 for discount: mention code BBOJ-25

We invite you to attend the OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT IN MONTANA conference to be held October 2, 2013 at the Billings Petroleum Club in Billings, Montana.

This seminar presents an overview of several important areas of oil and gas law, including: leasing considerations from the lessor and lessee perspectives, mineral conveyancing, state regulation of oil and gas development, environmental protection/regulation, and contracting. In addition, you will hear a discussion on the future of oil and gas development in Montana.

This program is a must for anyone involved in the oil and gas industry, whether as an attorney, landman, government official or developer. Our distinguished panel consists of experienced and well-known oil and gas attorneys, together with top government officials and industry representatives. By attending, you will learn from the foremost experts on oil and gas development in Montana.

Thank you to the Seminar Sponsors: Bakken Oil Business Journal, The OGM & Montana Energy Review.

Want to promote your company by becoming a Sponsor of this seminar? Call The Seminar Group at 800-574-4852 for more information.

Who Should Attend:

  • Attorneys/Legal Staff
  • Landmen
  • Government Regulators
  • Energy Representatives
  • Developers/Landowners
  • Risk Management Workers
  • Corporate Planners
  • Engineers & Land

The Seminar Group, an educational organization providing quality professional education throughout the United States, sponsors this conference. This seminar is approved for the following credits

This course has been approved by the Montana State Bar for a total of 5.5 CLE credits. (Live Credits for Attending & Webcast) Up to 5.0 self-study hours are available.

This course has been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by the State Bar of Texas Committee on MCLE in the amount of 6.0 credit hours. (Live Credits for Attending & Webcast)

This course may qualify for architect, engineer and land surveyor credit through the Montana Board for Architects, Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors. (Live Credits for Attending & Webcast)

If this seminar has not been approved for the credits you require, let us know and we will look into it for you.

For more information and registration, please call toll free (800) 574-4852. Or visit us online at:

http://www.theseminargroup.net/seminar.lasso?seminar=13.OagmT


BISMARCK, ND – The North Dakota Petroleum Council (NDPC) today announced that legendary Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz will provide a keynote address during the NDPC’s Annual Meeting to be held Wednesday, Sept. 18 at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, ND. Holtz took his Notre Dame teams to nine straight New Year’s Day bowl games from 1987 through 1995 and remains 11th on the NCAA all-time win list for Division I-A coaches.

“The petroleum industry has had incredible success in helping our economy and our country, and I am delighted to be joining the North Dakota Petroleum Council and its members in Grand Forks,” said Holtz. “There are a great deal of similarities between being a coach and one of the many industry leaders who have seized this tremendous opportunity to help move our state and nation forward. Just as on the athletic field, the ability of leaders to adapt, find solutions for evolving challenges and issues, and capitalize on opportunities makes for a winning proposition.”

“We are excited to have a legend like Coach Holtz join us at our 32nd Annual Meeting,” said Ron Ness, president of the NDPC. “Coach Holtz’s record as a coach demonstrates his ability to motivate others, and there is no doubt his talk will be an inspiration for our attendees and the leaders of our state and the industry.”

Also joining Holtz as a featured speaker at the Annual Meeting will be Statoil’s General Manager of North America, Bill Maloney; Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s CEO Matt Rose; and North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple.

In addition to the business meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 18, this year’s Annual Meeting will feature a Community Education Day and BBQ on Sept. 16. The event will be free and open to the public and will include two Bakken Basics Education sessions, which will be held from 2:30-4 p.m. and 4-5:30 p.m. in Ballrooms 4 and 5 in the Alerus Center. A free BBQ will be held from 5-7:30 p.m. and the community is invited to attend and visit the Members Only Showcase, which will be open from 3:30-7:30 p.m.

“We are excited to take our Annual Meeting to Grand Forks this year and showcase the support, products and services that many of the businesses in the Red River Valley provide for the Bakken,” said Terry Kovacevich, NDPC chairman and regional vice president for Marathon Oil. “Many business leaders in eastern North Dakota have capitalized on the opportunities provided by the petroleum industry in western North Dakota, which has created jobs and helped the economies of communities from Pembina to Wahpeton.”

NDPC members will also have an opportunity to showcase their products and services during a Members Only Showcase to be held for Annual Meeting attendees on Tuesday, Sept. 17. For a full schedule and agenda of speakers, visit https://annualmeeting.risprojects.org/agenda.aspx. 

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 420 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. Our members produced 98% of the 243 million barrels of oil produced in North Dakota last year.  For more information, go to www.ndoil.org.

The Bakken Oil Worker’s and Oil Service Expo may just be one of the biggest happenings of the summer in North Dakota. Just three weeks after the North Dakota State Fair, the Expo, nicknamed the “Bakken Oil Expo” will debut on August 20 – 22 at that North Dakota State Fair Center in Minot, ND. The event features networking opportunities, seminars and workshops, privately hosted meals, a reception, job opportunities, and the ability to set up one-on-one appointments in advance with current and prospective business clients and employers. Along with these opportunities, the show has a huge indoor and outdoor exhibit show with companies and organizations coming from 36 states and Canada. Taking up over 400 booth spaces, this is this one of the largest oil industry event in the northern U.S.

Seminars will run concurrently in the mornings and afternoons all three days offering attendees the opportunity to enhance their knowledge in training sessions and hands on classes. Oil producers and other regional employers can enhance their employees’ skills and knowledge by purchasing tickets for their employees. Recent newcomers, both businesses and individuals, will also benefit from the wide range of seminars. Classes range from hands on winter defensive driving classes by the Center for Transportation and Safety, to talks on the economic boom and the resulting challenges and opportunities by the Williston and Minot Economic Development Groups, to seminars on finding the best employees and the best jobs in the industry by RTS Corporation, and a variety talks by the North Dakota State Extension Services on living, surviving, and excelling in the North Dakota boom towns. For a complete list of seminars and descriptions, visit http://www.usasymposium.com/bakken/seminars.htm.

A job board featuring oil sector jobs in the Bakken region is available to anyone who visits the Expo website at http://bakkenoilworkers.jobamatic.com/a/jobs/find-jobs. The site allows you to search by job title, company, location and job type (full time, permanent, etc.) There is no cost to search the site or apply for jobs. Employers can post jobs for a nominal fee. At the expo, companies that are hiring will be easily identifiable and you will have the opportunity to talk with employers real-time about job opportunities. Additionally, anyone who registers for the event in advance has the opportunity to set up one-on-one appointments with others attending the event. This tool which can be accessed with the purchase of a $5 expo pass, creates additional opportunities for business to business sales and marketing.

Along with the educational, sales, job, and marketing opportunities at this event, the Expo has been structured to give back directly to the community. Three local charities will be the recipients of 50% of the proceeds from the sale of Expo passes. Attendees who purchase the $5 tickets in advance will have the opportunity to choose which charity they would like to direct their donation to. Featured charities at the 2013 event include the Dakota Boys & Girls Ranch (www.dakotaranch.org), Hope Village (www.hopevillagend.org), and The Williston Salvation Army (www.salvationarmynorth.org/community/williston/).

The event has garnered a lot of momentum and support both in the region and nationally. Expo sponsors include The Associated Press, Bakken Breakout, Bakken Cable Connection, Bakken Field Guide, The Bakken Magazine, Bakken Oil Business Journal, The Bakken Post, BakkenShale.com, The Bella Dangelo Show, The Bismarck Tribune, BW Insurance Agency, Clover Global Solutions, Del Communications, The Drill, ERM Weekly Update, Gravel Products, Inc., Hyatt House Minot, KX News, Minot Area Development Corp., Montana Energy Review, North Dakota State Fair, The Oil Field Efficiency Newsletter, Oiltizer, PennEnergy, Perry Brothers Trucking, Petroleum News Bakken, ShaleMarkets.com, Visit Minot, and World Oils.

For more information on the event, or to register, visit www.usasymposium.com/bakken.

The theme of the 2013 conference is New Energy Horizons.

When the very first Williston Basin Petroleum Conference was envisioned back in 1993, it was planned as a meeting where researchers and industry leaders could sit down and discuss the latest technologies and science to help improve oil production in North Dakota and Saskatchewan.  That first conference in Minot, North Dakota – spearheaded by Dr. Malcolm Wilson who at the time worked for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Industry and Mines, as well as colleagues across the border at the University of North Dakota – sent out 70 invitations.  Over 160 people showed up.

From the get-go, Wilson and the original planners knew they’d come across something big.

“What can you say when you get almost triple the number of people you initially invited to the first conference asking to attend?” notes Wilson, now the CEO of the Petroleum Technology Research Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan. “As the conferences progressed – and began to be managed by the North Dakota Petroleum Council, the Saskatchewan Geological Survey and the PTRC – they expanded to include more and more companies.  It developed a significant tradeshow component, but it’s been very important to keep the technical and scientific sessions expanding as well.”

The conference now alternates, in even and odd numbered years, between North Dakota and Saskatchewan respectively.  In 2012 over 4000 people registered and attended the Bismarck incarnation (no mean feat, for hotel owners and restaurants in a city of under 60,000) and the 2013 event in Regina is expected to attract around 2500 attendees.

The exponential increase in numbers at the conference speaks to the rise of Bakken exploration and development – a formation that contains often difficult-to-access but high quality oil.  The Bakken has become the backbone of the explosive growth in oil production in North Dakota and southern Saskatchewan, and holds enormous potential for additional growth in southwestern Manitoba and Eastern Montana.

What’s in the works for the 2013 conference, which runs April 30 to May 2nd at Regina’s Evraz Place?

“We’re excited by the technical presenters, and special guest speakers we have lined up for this year’s conference,” noted Melinda Yurkowski, assistant Chief Geologist at the Saskatchewan Geological Survey, the Government of Saskatchewan group that has been setting the technical program. “Aside from presentations on important emerging technologies, and  the latest in enhanced oil recovery happening in the Williston Basin, our first day of the technical sessions will also report on the latest news from industry and government players.”

To attend the presentations requires registering and paying a fee of 300.00 (this rate goes up on the day of the conference to 500.00, so register early!) but there are also a number of public presentations that don’t require conference registration and are open to everyone.  One of those, on hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) hopes to provide all the basic information on the technologies employed in this process and discuss in a frank way what it’s all about.  The conference also has two special workshops planned for the conference delegates for a small extra fee – one on core sampling and a second on rock mechanics.  Check out the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference website below for more information.

The some 300 tradeshow booths have been sold out since January, and the tradeshow itself will highlight the best in oilfield technologies.  Special events, a host of receptions, and conference lunches with special-guest speakers will also be provided.

The conference runs April 30 to May 2nd at Evraz Place.  Visit www.wbpc.ca for full information.