An unconventional play in the Bakken

Last week the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released its long-awaited reassessment of the undiscovered recoverable oil potential in the Bakken Formation of North Dakota and Montana. The USGS estimated “mean undiscovered volumes of 3.65 billion barrels of oil,” which sounds like a lot. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND), who commissioned the study, was delighted with the result, saying “this is great news, this is 25 times the amount of the previous assessment.”

Oil is now being produced in the Elm Coulee section (graph left) of the Bakken and more oil will be produced there and elsewhere as the years go by. Although one can quibble about the USGS numbers


A proper understanding of the likely conversion rate of Bakken recoverable oil to flows (measured in barrels per day) reveals that this unconventional play will have little effect on peak oil concerns or America’s perilous oil dependency. This understanding comes from an examination of the geology and production practices in the Bakken.

Energy Bulletin