North Dakota Oil Industry Still Studying Flaring Challenge -- April 15, 2018

See this post to see natural gas production as percent of total boe (crude oil + natural gas produced in North Dakota).

From the Director's Cut for February, 2018, data:

Natural gas production increased slightly, setting a new all-time record:

• February: 2,102,266 MCF/day (350K boepd)
• January: 2,071,820 MCF/day

Flaring:

• statewide, 88% capture
• statewide, Bakken: 89% capture
• FBIR Bakken: 87% capture
• ND goal: currently 85%
• ND goal: will increase to 88% capture in November, 2018; increasing to 91% beginning November 1, 2020

Now, this, from The Bismarck Tribune:

North Dakota’s oil industry is advocating for the state to keep its current gas capture targets but make some tweaks to the policy that regulates natural gas flaring.

North Dakota oil production held flat in February at 1.17 million barrels per day while natural gas production hit a new record at 2.1 billion cubic feet per day, according to preliminary figures the agency released Friday.

Flaring decreased from 310 million cubic feet per day in January to 256 million cubic feet per day in February. Companies captured 89 percent of Bakken gas produced statewide in February, exceeding the state’s requirement of capturing 85 percent.

The state requirement is set to increase to 88 percent in November, a level regulators and industry leaders had cautioned could be difficult to meet as natural gas production is expected to continue breaking records.