Gas production ratios climb in North Dakota

The ratio of fuel to grease from hydrocarbons produced in North Dakota’s Bakken area elevated abruptly in 2021 as pure fuel withdrawals outpaced oil manufacturing within the area. The gas-to-oil ratio (GOR) has risen as a result of producers from the area are capturing extra pure fuel and sending it to pure fuel processing vegetation reasonably than flaring it, a latest examine has proven.

The GOR within the Bakken area has step by step elevated since 2008 and has produced at a quicker charge in recent times. The ratio can vary from close to zero, which displays little or no related pure fuel, or infinity, which signifies no liquids or oil produced from pure fuel. The ratio is an indicator of the quantity of pure fuel that’s launched with the oil initially of manufacturing from a given properly. As these wells mature, the ratio sometimes will increase, the U.S. Power Data Administration reported.

The examine confirmed that the Bakken’s annual oil manufacturing peaked at 1.45 million b/d in 2019 earlier than falling 17% in 2020 and 6% in 2021. In the meantime, gross pure fuel withdrawals have typically climbed in most years. Nevertheless, gross pure fuel withdrawals within the Bakken fell by 8% in 2020 as demand fell and a few manufacturing was shut in in 2020.

In 2021, gross pure fuel withdrawals rose by 9%, reaching a brand new common annual excessive of two.97 Bcf/d, surpassing the earlier excessive of two.95 Bcf/d set two years earlier.

As fuel manufacturing has climbed, North Dakota’s regulators and operators have undertaken a number of steps to cut back pure fuel flaring on the wellhead. The North Dakota Industrial Fee (NDIC) raised pure fuel seize targets rom 74% in October 2014 to 91% six years later. The pure fuel seize goal displays the quantity of pure fuel captured on the wellhead reasonably than flared. As of December 2021, North Dakota’s pure fuel flaring charge averaged 7.5%, a seize charge of 92.5%, the EIA reported.

To satisfy these climbing seize targets, midstream operators within the area expanded the capability of pure fuel processing vegetation within the state from 1 Bcf/d in 2013 to 4.0 Bcf/d in 2021. The NDIC expects it to extend additional to 4.2 Bcf/d in 2023.

IN February, WBI Power put the 100 mile North Bakken Enlargement pipeline into service. This new line has the capability to move 250 mmcf/d of pure fuel from manufacturing facilities in Tioga, North Dakota to demand facilities in McKenzie County. The corporate mentioned the brand new pipeline would additional scale back flaring within the area.