200 Days For Federal Permit

200 days to get a permit to drill on federal land.

The Bakken Oil play has taken off like wildfire. But oil companies say there are still several delays at the federal level. So independent oil and gas producers went to Washington to advocate for better policies to enhance drilling in the west.

Two hundred days is the average amount of time it`s taking oil companies in North Dakota to get drilling permits on federal land. That`s just one of the policies the Western Energy Alliance wants to change at the federal level.

I have mixed feelings on this one. With such a huge backlog of wells to be drilled, is 200 days all that important? Are there better issues to fight? Exactly what does the approving agency base its decision on anyway -- for granting a permit? Is 200 days even enough time to do an adequate job? I really don't know. The number of days required to issue a permit is way beyond me.