Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Bakken Oil
USGS ^ | 04/10/2008 | USGS

Posted on 04/10/2008 11:30:14 AM PDT by reluctantwarrior

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered volumes of 3.65 billion barrels of oil, 1.85 trillion cubic feet of associated/dissolved natural gas, and 148 million barrels of natural gas liquids in the Bakken Formation of the Williston Basin Province, Montana and North Dakota.

(Excerpt) Read more at pubs.usgs.gov ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; US: North Dakota
KEYWORDS: bakken; energy; oil
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-5051-97 next last

1 posted on 04/10/2008 11:30:14 AM PDT by reluctantwarrior
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior

And we are using our food to make our cars go?? /S


2 posted on 04/10/2008 11:33:43 AM PDT by biff
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior
The Goristas and other whackos will now run out there and identify some previously unknown “endangered species” or some new “sacred” Indian land. Just watch.
3 posted on 04/10/2008 11:36:14 AM PDT by ElkGroveDan (The road to hell is paved with the stones of pragmatism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior
Quick, we've got to declare North Dakota a wildlife refuge so’s nobody can drill for this oil!
4 posted on 04/10/2008 11:36:29 AM PDT by colorado tanker (Number nine, number nine, number nine . . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior

I guess 3.65 b barrels is kind of disappointing


5 posted on 04/10/2008 11:36:33 AM PDT by gusopol3
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior

bump


6 posted on 04/10/2008 11:36:55 AM PDT by lesser_satan (Vote McCain - The Choice who Sucks Less!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior

We are all going to die. Common sense in today’s time tell’s me that everyone should be tooling down the expressway backwards.


7 posted on 04/10/2008 11:37:48 AM PDT by gathersnomoss (General George Patton had it right.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior

Is this Breaking News?


8 posted on 04/10/2008 11:38:24 AM PDT by RightWhale (Repeal the Law of the Excluded Middle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gusopol3

Yea that’s only 170 days or so of US consumption... not all that much, really.


9 posted on 04/10/2008 11:39:33 AM PDT by farlander (Try not to wear milk bone underwear - it's a dog eat dog financial world)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: gusopol3

The USGS is not well known for it’s truth in volume estimates in the region. To begin with, they can only survey federal lands. Since most of the oil in the region is on private or Indian lands, the results are very misleading.

The actual industry seismic surveys reveal closer to 200 billion barrels.


10 posted on 04/10/2008 11:40:05 AM PDT by PSYCHO-FREEP (Juan McCain....The lesser of Three Liberals.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior

There has never been a shortage of energy. The problem has been environmentalists and government.


11 posted on 04/10/2008 11:40:15 AM PDT by detective
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RightWhale

Not really, and the 3.85 billion barrels is EXTREMELY LOW, by other articles I’ve seen. Most of those articles place more along the lines of 250 billion and 500 billion, which fits the natural gas estimates better.


12 posted on 04/10/2008 11:40:50 AM PDT by fightinbluhen51 ("...If it moves, tax it, if it moves faster, regulate it, if it stops, subsidise it.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: biff

This is the first post of this report on the internet so FR is out front again......

actually we use a small percentage of our food for fuel so I still am trying to find out why prices are so high MTF

RW


13 posted on 04/10/2008 11:41:38 AM PDT by reluctantwarrior (Strength and Honor, just call me Buzzkill for short......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior
I thought it was closer to 200B barrels.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)

LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

14 posted on 04/10/2008 11:41:55 AM PDT by LonePalm (Commander and Chef)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kellynla

ping


15 posted on 04/10/2008 11:42:50 AM PDT by patton (cuiquam in sua arte credendum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: biff
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered volumes of 3.65 billion barrels of oil...

Indeed, if true it, it is a great find and would be able to supply the United States with all of its oil needs for an entire five and a half months.

16 posted on 04/10/2008 11:42:54 AM PDT by trumandogz ("He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and it worries me." Sen Cochran on McCain)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: RightWhale
Is this Breaking News?

More like Bakken News.

17 posted on 04/10/2008 11:42:55 AM PDT by jdm (With coffee, all things are possible (just kidding, Father).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: RightWhale

It is the first post of this report on the interent and it is interesting news about the USGS number versus the estimates

3.65 vs 200-500


18 posted on 04/10/2008 11:43:07 AM PDT by reluctantwarrior (Strength and Honor, just call me Buzzkill for short......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: PSYCHO-FREEP

First Casinos and now oil wells...Damn those indians have it good!


19 posted on 04/10/2008 11:44:15 AM PDT by Holicheese (Hillary deserves the CMoH for her time in Tuzla!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: colorado tanker

Toooooooo late, they have been drilling in the area for a long time and this has been out for sometime and drilling has been increasing.

In one recent article the total for oil in that area will reach 250-500 Billion barrels of oil.


20 posted on 04/10/2008 11:45:48 AM PDT by stockpirate (A country that doesn't honor it's warriors will be defeated by one that does.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1998772/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1936960/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1960526/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1672249/posts


21 posted on 04/10/2008 11:46:29 AM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

This is the report not the news about the report


22 posted on 04/10/2008 11:48:04 AM PDT by reluctantwarrior (Strength and Honor, just call me Buzzkill for short......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior

There are plenty of bogus numbers floating around when it comes to oil. Always has been so, probably always will be. Plenty of bogus characters, too.


23 posted on 04/10/2008 11:49:06 AM PDT by RightWhale (Repeal the Law of the Excluded Middle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: RightWhale
Is this Breaking News?

Nope....the Bakken Formation has been known since the 50's.......

24 posted on 04/10/2008 11:50:39 AM PDT by Osage Orange (Molon Labe)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior

I think we would all feel better if there was a report that the Bakken formation held not just 500 billion barrels but 500 trillion barrels!

Just keep adding zeros to the reports and our gas prices will begin to fall by that day when Santa Claus brings everybody gifts.


25 posted on 04/10/2008 11:54:20 AM PDT by trumandogz ("He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and it worries me." Sen Cochran on McCain)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: gusopol3

There’s more. This is a big formation. Manatoba’s portion has 25B reserves. Not sure what has happened between the USGS 1995 estimate of 151 BB and today’s 3.5B?

Bismarck, N.D. (AP) Sen. Byron Dorgan says the U.S. Geological Survey is slated to release a study this week on the oil potential of the area known as the Bakken formation.

The shale formation encompasses some 25,000 square miles in North Dakota, Montana, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Dorgan says the study is to be released Thursday. He says it will estimate the amount of oil that is recoverable in the Bakken using current technology.

In 1995, the Geological Survey estimated the amount of recoverable oil in the Bakken at 151 million barrels.


26 posted on 04/10/2008 11:58:11 AM PDT by zek157
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior

I looked at the report. How deep is this oil?............


27 posted on 04/10/2008 11:59:25 AM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Holicheese

Chief WhiteHalfOat and his people have already been kicked off their land.


28 posted on 04/10/2008 12:00:42 PM PDT by steveyp
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

most at greater than 10,000 from other reports and most requires horizontal drilling. 10k foot well 800,000 dollars 10k foot well with 90 degree drilling at 10k 3 million dollars


29 posted on 04/10/2008 12:04:07 PM PDT by reluctantwarrior (Strength and Honor, just call me Buzzkill for short......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: patton

Thanks!


30 posted on 04/10/2008 12:04:52 PM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Smokin' Joe; thackney

Not nearly as good as we thought it would be.


31 posted on 04/10/2008 12:06:43 PM PDT by saganite
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior
Here's the major players.......

WLL, EOG, MRO, CLR, and BEXP

32 posted on 04/10/2008 12:06:50 PM PDT by Osage Orange (Molon Labe)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: colorado tanker

BAKKEN the Saddle Again!

I’m Bakken the saddle again
Out where a friend is a friend
Where the longhorn cattle feed
On the lowly gypsum weed
Bakken the saddle again

Ridin’ the range once more
Totin’ my old .44
Where you sleep out every night
And the only law is right
Bakken the saddle again

Whoopi-ty-aye-oh
Rockin’ to and fro
Bakken the saddle again
Whoopi-ty-aye-yay
I go my way
Bakken the saddle again

I’m Bakken the saddle again
Out where a friend is a friend
Where the longhorn cattle feed
On the lowly gypsum weed
Bakken the saddle again

Ridin’ the range once more
Totin’ my old .44
Where you sleep out every night
And the only law is right
Bakken the saddle again

Whoopi-ty-aye-oh
Rockin’ to and fro
Bakken the saddle again
Whoopi-ty-aye-yay
I go my way
Bakken the saddle again


33 posted on 04/10/2008 12:08:46 PM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Osage Orange

I think that after more actual production data is scrutinized these numbers will be seen as absurdly conservative. MTF


34 posted on 04/10/2008 12:09:52 PM PDT by reluctantwarrior (Strength and Honor, just call me Buzzkill for short......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior

Why the need for 90° drilling?......


35 posted on 04/10/2008 12:09:53 PM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior

I can’t find it but i seem to remember talking about this earlier in the week and the estimate was in the trillion barrels. the math worked out to about a 97 year supply.


36 posted on 04/10/2008 12:11:48 PM PDT by lakeman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: thackney

ping

3.65B?

“the total amount of oil in the Bakken Formation have varied wildly over the years, from 10 billion barrels to 500 billion barrels. The higher estimate was done by Leigh Price, a USGS geologist who died in 2000 before his study was published.”
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8VTDV9G0.htm


37 posted on 04/10/2008 12:12:10 PM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Without horizontal drilling, the formation would be virtually unproducible.


38 posted on 04/10/2008 12:12:24 PM PDT by PSYCHO-FREEP (Juan McCain....The lesser of Three Liberals.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

The formation isn’t very thick.


39 posted on 04/10/2008 12:13:23 PM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: saganite

This only reference undiscovered oil? I was expecting a report about the quantity of the previously discovered field.


40 posted on 04/10/2008 12:14:09 PM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
This is how I understand it....Natural gas extraction is done by going vertical to a certain depth to the "sweet spot" and then going horizontal to get the gas out of the rock. Picture a sandwich....drill through the bread to the cheese layer, then go horizontal through the cheese.

I'm not sure of the range, but I believe horiz drilling is more efficient....you don't really see those horizontal only oil rigs side by side like the old days.

41 posted on 04/10/2008 12:15:19 PM PDT by stainlessbanner
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: saganite

It’s much much better than you have been lead to believe. It has only begun to be drilled. The current producing well volumes double this recent propaganda from the USGS. The remaining 95% of the field has yet to be drilled.


42 posted on 04/10/2008 12:15:23 PM PDT by PSYCHO-FREEP (Juan McCain....The lesser of Three Liberals.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: reluctantwarrior

This is the report? Then the thread title should be changed.


43 posted on 04/10/2008 12:16:40 PM PDT by txflake
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

I am not a geologist or have any monetary interest in any of the players so its a laymans take on it.

Some of the best deposits are under a large lake in ND, some of the shale is accessible best from the side because of the overlaying rock .


44 posted on 04/10/2008 12:17:49 PM PDT by reluctantwarrior (Strength and Honor, just call me Buzzkill for short......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: stainlessbanner

The Bakken yields mostly oil. Higher concentrations of liquid methane are only a very small percentage of the overall production in the field.


45 posted on 04/10/2008 12:18:41 PM PDT by PSYCHO-FREEP (Juan McCain....The lesser of Three Liberals.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: gusopol3

Assuming 45M/day imports that’s about 81 years worth. We might be able to buy Wall Street back from the Arabs and Chinese.


46 posted on 04/10/2008 12:20:27 PM PDT by bnacat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: txflake

Then please suggest a better one to the mods.....


47 posted on 04/10/2008 12:22:58 PM PDT by reluctantwarrior (Strength and Honor, just call me Buzzkill for short......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: stockpirate; Admin Moderator

Thread title change request: this IS the USGS report on the Bakken.


48 posted on 04/10/2008 12:28:09 PM PDT by txflake
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: bnacat

WINNER WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER... The only thing you can be sure of is that the numbers are nuts. If the Government had anything to do with it they don’t know anything for sure. All of the geological reports I have seen and the reports from Mobile say we have in excess of 200,000,000 Billion with a B. The Oil companies still do not know the exact extent of this formation. What ever it is a real blessing for all of the U. S. Now if we don’t fool around and sell it all to China..


49 posted on 04/10/2008 12:30:37 PM PDT by BooBoo1000 (Some times I wake up grumpy, other times I let her sleep/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: saganite

the last USGS report cited 151 million barrels and this one cites 3,647 million barrels so I think it is about as good as a bureacrat will go out on a limb


50 posted on 04/10/2008 12:30:41 PM PDT by reluctantwarrior (Strength and Honor, just call me Buzzkill for short......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-5051-97 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson