This story will be posted numerous places but I will link the Grand Forks.com story: North Dakota oil production hits a new record, almost 10 million barrels for the month, at 315,000 bbls per day. Of all the statistics in that story, I think this one is most impressive: in June, 2010, there were 4,977 wells were producing; in July, 2009 (one year ago), there were 4,187 producing wells. That's nearly a 20% increase; almost 1,000 more wells at about $6 million a pop.
And the headline story in the Williston Herald.com when this news came out: Stanley, at the heart of the oil boom, will get a new traffic light. That should bring the total number of traffic lights in Stanley to ... drum roll .... three. (Actually, I have no idea how many traffic lights there are in Stanley but I assume it is less than ten.) The cost to re-grade the intersection and place a traffic light at the intersection of US 2 and and ND 8 at Stanley is $21 million. Call me naive, but that seems like a lot of money to re-grade one intersection and place one traffic light.
Meanwhile, Burleigh County (Bismarck) officials want developer to speed up wind farm project. The project was given a permit a year ago and to date there has been no visible action.
In the Minot Daily Press.com, there is a front page story on a proposal for a temporary housing development (a "man camp") to house up to 150 oil workers between Berthold and Burlington. These towns are just west of Minot. I have hitchhiked through them many, many times over the years (years ago).
And, oh, by the way, "we're" back up to 146 active rigs in North Dakota. This is particularly noteworthy since some "North Dakota rigs" have been moved into Montana where a new boom is just taking off.
BZZT....
ReplyDeletethere is a total of *ZERO* traffic lights in stanley nd.... I am here right now....
there are a couple of flashers on main, but that is all.....
:-)
rory
Wow, I am so embarrassed. I have been through Stanley dozens of times when I was growing up. I always thought there were at least two traffic lights. I hesitated to say "ten" because I knew there couldn't be more than five but I didn't want to be wrong on the low side, and make people think I was embellishing.
ReplyDeleteI am shocked. Shocked. I always thought there were at least two; I guess I was thinking of the flashing yellow lights, and I think there is one on highway 2 south of Stanley.
Thank you for setting me straight. How can anyone trust anything I post any more if I am off by that big a number on something as simple as traffic lights. Laugh out loud.
Again, thank you. And thank you for not calling me an idiot! Smile.
I come home (Williston) every summer but I certainly miss North Dakota. I used to hitchhike those roads and I drove them many, many times.
the traffic light is to go at the corner of HWY 2 and HWY 8 - that is used quite a bit by trucks.... and other folks here... but please, you are *NOT* an idiot - you provide plenty of great info, so to miss a traffic light or two - I think there are more important things to worry about!!!!
ReplyDeleterory
Thank you. I just felt "bad" that having just been in the Bakken, driving often to Bainville, Montana, area, and over to Minot, I did not spend more time in Stanley, or Tioga, or Ray.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind comments. I also appreciate all your input at the Bakken Shale Discussion Board, probably the best source for information on individual wells and drilling in the Bakken in general.