As a marker for future discussions in my blog, just wanted to note that Continental Resources Inc is estimating the Bakken field
holds the equivalent of 903 billion barrels of so-called oil in place, compared with the company’s 2010 estimate of 577 billion,
That is from Bloomberg’s article, Continental Boosts Bakken Estimate 57% After Well Success.
Bruce Oksol points out in The Bakken Pool: A Trillion Barrel Reserve; 45 Billion Recoverable Barrels? The August 2012, CLR Corporate Presentation that particular estimate has been on the record since August.
Other data points Mr. Oksal provides:
folks can correct me, but I believe the official estimate is that the Bakken has about 3 billion barrels of recoverable oil, based on a USGS survey back in 2008
CLR/CEO, Harold Hamm, stated some time ago his company’s estimate is that the Bakken/Three Forks (middle Bakken and upper Three Forks) has about 24 billion barrels recoverable oil