State oil and gas production rises in November; sets records for gas capture, producing wells

BISMARCK, N.D. (KUMV) – The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources said oil and gas production numbers are up for the month of November.

Director Lynn Helms said oil production rose to more than 1.27 million barrels per day, which is up about two percent compared to October. Gas production also went up about one-and-a-half percent to 3.46 million MCF (Thousand cubic feet) a day.

Helms said he’s hoping another positive climb in December will get the state above 1.3 million barrels per day.

“1.278 and some loose change. I guess 11,500 barrels a day short, which is just two or three Bakken wells, so we’re still hopeful that December will put us at that 1.3 mark, but we are essentially there,” said Helms.

November also set record highs for the most gas captured in a month at 3.27 MCF a day, and the most producing wells at 18,733.

With active rig counts in the high 30s, Helms said the expectation is that North Dakota should get into the 40s sometime next year.

“It looks like budgets are strong. They are either as good as 2023 or up from 2023, so we think we are going to see increased drilling and completion activity,” said Helms.

Helms said he will be meeting with top producers during a trip to Texas in early February.

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