North Dakota Oil News from Ron News

New Members – Thank you to new North Dakota Petroleum Council members Dallas Engineering, Inc. and Lufkin Automation.

2009 North Dakota Oil Operator Rankings – Information compiled by Rocky Mountain Oil Journal.

Rank Operator Oil (bbl) Gas (mcf) No. of Wells Producing
1 EOG Resources, Inc. 13,039,929 5,432,015 152
2 Burlington Res. Oil & Gas Co. LP 10,674,304 5,024,277 201
3 Continental Resources, Inc. 8,185,163 16,753,379 319
4 Whiting Oil & Gas Corp. 6,760,500 5,932,582 254
5 Hess Corp. 6,606,082 23,383,673 422
6 Marathon Oil Co. 4,064,548 2,194,440 132
7 Encore Operating, LP 3,067,880 5,460,703 287
8 Slawson Exploration Co., Inc. 1,923,111 726,851 46
9 Murex Petroleum Corp. 1,921,142 1,167,759 117
10 XTO Energy, Inc. 1,917,865 2,489,612 109

2009 Oil and Gas Production by County Rankings
1 Mountrail 29,710,465 bbl 4 Dunn 8,868,951
2 Bowman 13,323,636 bbl 5 Williams 5,654,096
3 McKenzie 10,123,476 bbl

Bakken VOC Emission Control Solutions Session – The NDPC Bakken VOC Task Force, in partnership with the North Dakota Department of Health, is conducting an important informational meeting on March 23 concerning the venting of Bakken gases from crude oil production storage tanks. This meeting will define unacceptable VOC levels and discuss measurement techniques and options for controlling these emissions. The session will run from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. The cost is $35, with lunch included.

To register, complete the PDF “Bakken VOC Meeting form” on the Petroleum Council website at www.ndoil.org and click “Submit Form.” If paying by check, mail $35/person to: NDPC - Bakken VOC
Session Agenda (available on the www.ndoil.org homepage) PO Box 1395, Bismarck, ND 58502

Petroleum Council Education Scholarships Available – The Petroleum Council will provide four $500 scholarships to students attending a North Dakota college who are pursuing a degree in petroleum engineering, geology or a related field, or who have work/internship experience in the oil and gas industry. Scholarship applications must be submitted to the Petroleum Council by April 1, 2010. Scholarship information is available on the Petroleum Council website.

Teacher Education Seminar – The 2010 Teacher Education Seminar will be held June 7-10 in Bismarck. This event expands teachers' knowledge of the North Dakota oil and gas industry, from its prehistoric beginnings to the final product. Two hours of graduate level continuing education credit will be available from UND for a small fee. Seminar information and registration forms are available online. Invite a teacher from your community to join us!

ND Oil PAC Seeking Contributions – Established in 1981, the North Dakota Oil PAC aids political candidates in North Dakota who support the oil and gas industry and work to promote good government and maintain a positive business climate for the industry in North Dakota. In North Dakota, only contributions in excess of $200 are reportable. Sorry, but corporate contributions are not allowed. Only personal checks are accepted. For a donation application or more information, see the Petroleum Council’s website.
REGISTER NOW for the 2010 Williston Basin Petroleum Conference – The 18th Williston Basin Petroleum Conference is quickly approaching and we would like you to be part of the excitement. Register now! A tentative Conference agenda, packed with more than 70 outstanding presenters on key topics, is available online.

Indoor expo booths and outdoor exhibit spaces are SOLD OUT, but sponsorships are still available online. In order to be included in printed Conference material, please register to sponsor by April 5. Be sure to reserve your hotel room and flight soon. A list of hotels with Conference rates is available on the Conference website. When making reservations, state you are with the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference room block. Flight schedules are available on the Bismarck Airport website.

Booking a flight?
Delta: 1-800-328-1111 or www.delta.com United: 1-800-521-4041 or www.undited.com
Event code: NM5BE Event code: 586RL

Jake Selinger Joins North Dakota Petroleum Council as Intern – Selinger is a Dickinson, ND, native currently attending the University of Mary in Bismarck. He will graduate in May with a degree in business administration and plans to pursue a career in the energy industry. Welcome aboard, Jake!

Fighting Oilfield Fires: Keeping Firemen Safe – Firefighters in northwest North Dakota will be able to learn about fighting oil field fires beginning this month when TrainND at Williston State College hosts classroom training in the firefighters’ backyard. Two classes will be held in the spring and fall in Stanley and/or Williston. The classes typically include about a half day of classroom instruction on safety at oil field fires, techniques for fighting the variety of oil field fires, and overviews and videos of oil field fires. The firefighters will then be ready for the hands-on training experience, which is conducted with lit props at the Williston Oilfield Fire Training facility south of Dickinson. For more information, contact Deanette Piesik at 701.774.4246 or deanette.piesik@wsc.nodak.edu.

ND Joins The Energy Council – On March 5, North Dakota became the 12th state to join The Energy Council at its quarterly meeting in Washington, D.C. The Energy Council is a non-partisan, legislative organization consisting of state legislators from energy-producing states. Its international affiliates include representatives from five Canadian provinces and Venezuela. Mexico and China frequently send attendees as well. The purpose of The Energy Council is to participate in the development of federal energy and environmental policy, assist members and affiliates in developing such policies, and promoting dialogue on these issues at all levels – from local to global.

2010 Census: Do Your Part – The 2010 Census is now upon us and North Dakota needs your help to make sure we are getting a complete and accurate count of every person in the state. By responding to the Census, you will help (1) ensure that the state’s roads are well maintained so you are safe doing your job and so you can get home to your families after work is done; (2) ensure that quality medical care is available in our communities and that the fastest emergency response is possible in case something should go wrong on the job site; (3) businesses in your community to be better able to deliver goods and services; and (4) your community to attract new options for business, entertainment and services.

North Dakota Load Restrictions Info – Visit the North Dakota Department of Transportation website for information regarding load restrictions effective as of March 10.

For more information on any of these issues, or to be removed from the mailing list, contact the North Dakota Petroleum Council at
(701) 223-6380, ndpc@ndoil.org, or see www.ndoil.org.