2009: North Dakota Crude Oil Reserves Increased 83% / 481 Million Barrels

This article was a bit confusing to me simply because it mixed reserves of crude oil and natural gas. One has to read it closely to keep things straight.

Reserves of both natural gas and crude oil increased in 2009. I won't talk about natural gas in this posting because I think of North Dakota as a crude oil state, not a natural gas state.

Proved reserves increased in each of the five largest oil and condensate areas: Texas, the Gulf of Mexico federal offshore, California, Alaska, and North Dakota. Nearly all of Texas’ 11% gain of 529 million bbl was in the Permian basin. North Dakota was up 83% or 481 million bbl.

In my simple mind there's not a lot of difference between 481 million barrels and 529 million barrels especially when you consider the size of the two states, Texas compared to North Dakota.

However, there is a heck of huge difference between an eleven percent gain and an eighty-three percent gain.

Of course these numbers will change significantly after 2010 when the  Eagle Ford in Texas is more fully developed.

I think one can safely say the Gulf of Mexico federal offshore is in a world of hurt in the near future; Alaska and California, perhaps less so.