Half Million Bbls Daily -- By End of Year -- Guaranteed -- NDIC -- The Bakken, North Dakota, USA

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North Dakota oil drillers have outdone last year's record crude production and are nearing a milestone of a half-million barrels of oil a day, according to an Associated Press analysis confirmed by state and industry officials.

The AP count based on current drilling activity and production estimates found the state already has surpassed the 113 million barrels produced through all of 2010.

Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, confirmed the numbers on Wednesday and said the state should end the year with about 150 million barrels of oil.

Helms said the state would surely hit the half-million daily barrel mark by year's end.