How is there more money in the economy?
First, you have lease fees of up to $4500.00 per acre for mineral rights, and for some who farmed several sections (each a square mile--640 acres), that added up fast.
Add in up to 20% royalty interest for produced oil and gas as well, and the checks were fairly significant.
Then consider the rig count went up to 218, each of which directly employing over 30 people in full time jobs paying from $60,000/yr to $300,000/year. For every job on the rig, consider there are nearly as many in support occupations from truck drivers to equipment operators, sales, specialized oilfield services, cementers (for casing), frac crews, production personnel, supervisory positions, supply companies, and state inspectors, to name a few.
Taxable sales for the county (Williams) exceeded those in Fargo (the most populous city in the state) and environs, the highest of any county in the state.
With unemployment below 3%, in most quarters around 1%, there is more money in the local economy than most areas.