Old Story -- Flaring Increased -- Christian Science Monitor

Link here to PennEnergy.

With developing investment in shale oil exploration in North Dakota, as well as some other unconventional resources, many oil companies have seen a dramatic rise in the amount of natural gas being flared, burnt off to reduce the emission of harmful methane.

Under pressure from the World Bank, many of the largest producers of natural gas have begun to scale back flaring, instead setting up the necessary infrastructure to capture the gas. However, the U.S. saw flaring rise 223 percent from 2007 to 2011, making it the fastest growing offender in the world.

Many businesses are upset about the wasted resources, aside from any environmental concerns, but at present some regions of North Dakota's Bakken shale simply lack the necessary infrastructure. 

The time period studied: 2007 to 2011. Well, duh, this is when the boom took off. I can think of a lot of others things to say, but I don't want to go there. And I have better things to do.