State On Pace for Active Rig Record

Williston Herald:

North Dakota Oil and Gas Division Director Lynn Helms said the level of oil activity is approaching full capacity for the infrastructure the state has to handle it. However, he expects the activity to continue to climb.

Helms states infrastructure can support about 150 active rigs. The highest number of rigs reported in the current boom has been 138, just a couple days ago. Today it is 136, but the number varies on a daily basis as rigs are moved or refurbished.

Helms states that it will take two to three years for infrastructure to catch up to be able to support 175 rigs.

The all-time record for active rigs in North Dakota was 146 in October, 1981. However, that is comparing apples to oranges. Those rigs were drilling vertical wells; it is said that some of the current horizontal wells are equal to eight of those 1980's vertical wells.

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