First comprehensive random survey of groundwater finds no contamination. Increased employment from Bakken spreading towards Black Hills in South Dakota, and another reason production will fall for the next few months.
11/17 – Dickinson Press – Groundwater study shows no contamination – Sampling of shallow groundwater drawn from 30 randomly selected private wells by U.S.G.S. shows no water contamination from oil drilling. Zero. None. Nada.
Article says this is the first comprehensive study of groundwater in the Bakken area.
11/17 – Million Dollar Way – No Evidence of Ground Water Contamination in the North Dakota Oil Patch – Mr. Oksol points out that since drilling started in the 1950, steel pipes with cement casings on the outside of the pipe has been required. He also points out that oil used to be sprayed on dirt roads to hold down dust and was used for weed control in ditches. There have been many reported spills and he assumes many unreported spills. There are currently over 11,000 producing wells in the state. Yet there is no contamination from ground water wells in a random sample. None, as in zero, zippo.
11/15 – Bismarck Tribune – Strong wind, blowing snow in Sunday’s forecast – For future reference, when the stats for November production are released around January 15, 2015, Williston set a record low of minus 15 for the day on Friday, 11/14. The six inches of snow that fell in the region will be blowing around into drifts on Sunday due to high winds.
11/15 – Rapid City Journal – Oil boom’s employees, jobs spread to Black Hills – The oil boom is reaching into western South Dakota. Housing is short in Spearfish (298 miles from Williston and 48 miles from Rapid City) because workers are moving there to live while on their two-week break from the oil field.
Article covers an interview of business owner who set up shop in Belle Fourche (286 miles from Williston and 55 from Rapid City). This owner makes items that can easily be shipped to the oil patch. Housing and prevailing wages are far more reasonable in the Black Hills region.
I enjoyed four years living in Rapid City, oh so many years ago.
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