Oil rigs start drilling beneath N.D.'s big lake

[ben_meyers]

By JAMES MacPHERSON
Associated Press writer Friday, March 21, 2008

BISMARCK, N.D. -- The drilling frenzy in North Dakota's oil patch has now reached beneath the state's biggest lake.

Oil companies have begun tapping crude oil and gas underneath Lake Sakakawea, using advanced horizontal drill techniques.

Lynn Helms, the director of the state Department of Mineral Resources, said it was a logical extension to the formation known as the Middle Bakken, which lies two miles under the surface in western North Dakota and holds millions of barrels of oil.

Wells aiming for the Middle Bakken are drilled vertically to about 10,000 feet, and then "kick out" for as many feet horizontally. The technology has made huge advances in the past decade, industry officials say.

"Land underneath the lake now becomes accessible without having to locate a well in the lake or right on shore," Helms said. "It can be accessed at an environmentally acceptable distance."

http://www.jacksonholestartrib.com/articles/2008/03/21/news/regional/6df5cd5b292686488725740f00699922.txt

Estimates of 200 up to 300 Billion barrels in the Bakken Formation. The US imported about 15 Million barrels a day in 2007. They expect about 5 years until significant production and then increases of 30% a year.

[Bobbieo]

1. Then, can we get out of Iraq?

[ben_meyers]

2. Well ask yourself

Invade Iraq or invade the Dakotas? Baghdad or Rapid City? I'll have to think on that a while!







(thats a joke)

[newfie11]

8. Rapid has no oil

just tourist driving hugh motorhomes. I worked 15 years in Rapid.

[tom_paine]

3. Um, Ben, the Empire imported 3.7 BILLION barrels of oil in 2007

Here is the EIA.gov site itself, which I presume has reasonably honest information, unlike much of BushGuv's phony numbers.

http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/hist/mcrimus1A.htm

First off, you are incorrect. Not just wrong but off by a factor of 300X!. Badly wrong.

Second, even if you had been correct on either side by a factor of 300X, i.e. if the Empire DID import a mere 15 million barrels last year (instead of about EVERY DAY last year!) or Bakken had, say 90 TRILLION barrels beneath it, it still ignores the fact of oil consumption's impact on the environment.

It ignores the fact that, even IF oil was not peaking nor the population exploding nor global warming (oh, I forgot, you deny climate change evidence) occurring the consequences of business as usual in terms of hydrocarbon use, even if we had a limitless cornucopiua of the stuff, would be a disaster to the environment.

But I digress. I mainly posted this to demonstrate that you were wrong about US Oil Imports. It might be a simple mistake...of over 300X, but naturally the mistake favored your own philosophy of oil cornucopia.

Well, color me surprised!

:rofl:

"If a man's paycheck depends upon him making a mistake, you can count on him making that mistake over and over and over..."
--Unknown

[ben_meyers]

4. Nope, I screwed up

Meant to be 15 million a day.

[tom_paine]

5. Well, still do the math. 3 x 10 to the eighth divided by 3.6 bbl.

= enough oil for the US for 100 years. That presupposes that every drop of that oilfield can be drilled, and impossibility. Let's say 50% of it is accessible, that's 50 years, assuming a cosntant import rate, which it has been going up and up and up so let's say 30 years.

Even if this is a true analysis of the math, the effects of business as usual on the atmosphere and oceans means even IF we had a limitless cornucopia of oil, we wouldn't want to burn it all.

[DCKit]

6. You're being awfully mean.

But I take exception to the claim of 200-300 billion barrels.

Wouldn't that make it one of the largest deposits in the world? EVER? I'm just not believing it.

However, if true, it will provide plenty of oil to pay for the current Republicon debacle and give us time to transition away from oil.

[hatrack]

9. Go-lee!! We had a coupla' Ghawars underneath N. Dakota and we just never noticed it 'till now!!

Shucks!

[4dsc]

7. Drilling for shale oil???

http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:9dusEU-lRtUJ:www.nd.gov/ndic/ic-press/bakken-form-06.pdf+Bakken+Formation&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us

Interesting read. What's really down there with all the shale..

[malakai2]

10. That little piece of North Dakota sucks

Why not drill there? In that patch of wasteland there are 5 or 6 coal power plants, several surface coal mines, Minot AFB, the Minot landfill (former Superfund site), a few thousand existing oil wells, a couple gas plants, the whole area is downwind of a couple really dirty coal plants in Estavan, most of the surface water carries elevated levels of agricultural wastes, and most of the wetlands are contaminated with mercury and a 100 or so year accumulation of lead shot. It's not like the people of North Dakota are going to care about the inevitable oil spills, brine spills, air releases, groundwater contamination, increased emissions from increased traffic, and all the other baggage. What are you, French? They need jobs! Economic development! Terror! 911!

I'm not being serious of course, I think North Dakota as it existed 150 years ago had a lot to offer. However, that's long gone. Try to have a reasonable discussion with someone from the area about the regional and local economy, breaking the boom and bust cycle of the plains, the unfavorable demographic shift they are experiencing, their contaminants problems, anything for the sake of improving the state, and you'll be quickly hit with "You don't understand North Dakota," and that will be the end of the discussion. Same goes for South Dakota-mention prairie dogs or cougars or wolves or coyotes and forget to add that you're in favor of killing them, insist that the state needs to offer more than agricultural jobs to retain the 18-45 age group they overwhelmingly lose, insist the state's dependence on handouts in Federal agriculture bills are killing it in the long run, ask why teachers here are among the worst-paid in the nation, mock the Corn Palace-"You don't understand South Dakota."

The saddest part is that the people doing the planning KNOW THIS STUFF, they acknowledge as much in newspapers, and think that somehow, with a little extra advertising, the fabulous life in the cold continental climate hundreds of miles from any major cultural center (Fort Collins? Minneapolis? Winnipeg? Edmonton?? Omaha??) will draw people and investment and increase the tax base in a lasting fashion. Insert your favorite Mencken quote here.

[hunter]

11. Maybe we can talk down oil prices by making stuff up!

Typical Republican and corporate-kissing Democrat M.O. these days...

I'm highly skeptical. I wouldn't bet money on this.