BAKKEN BREAKOUT • November 2011


Highway 22 section reopens since being closed in May The Bismarck Tribune — State Highway 22, about 19 miles north of Killdeer, reopened Nov. 9 nearly six months after it was closed for two separate landslide repairs. The road was rebuilt and paved. The roadway, about one mile south of the Lost Bridge, has been closed since May. The emergency repairs cost $2.7 million.


The project finished six weeks before its Dec. 15 deadline, said Larry Gangl, district engineer for the Dickinson District of the state Department of Transportation. The repairs forced motorists to use a lengthy detour from state Highway 200 west to U.S. Highway 85 toward Watford City.


Gangl said the damage was caused by saturated soil on the road’s base. “We’ve had heavy amounts of rain or snow there in the last couple of years. We have deep ravines there — 150 feet deep. That Badlands soil is not very stable anyway,” he said.


Both landslides occurred on the same half-mile stretch of road, Gangl said. The first happened in May. Gangl said crews were about to reopen the highway from first slide repairs in early July when the new landslide was found, just one- quarter mile south of there.


“It’s the same route as before,” he said of the repairs. “The new section was shifted 500 feet to the west.”


For other road projects:


• Construction is complete on 40 miles of U.S. Highway 85, between Watford City and Williston. The project added turn lanes and passing lanes that will help ease road congestion and improve safety for drivers.


• Other road repairs for landslides have been completed for state Highway 73, U.S. 85 and state Highway 1804.


• State Highway 1806, north of Watford City, to Tobacco Gardens, is open to traffic.


• State Highway 23, west of New Town, is open to traffic.


• Traffic signals are being installed at highway intersections near Tioga, at two U.S. Highway 2 intersections west of Williston and three intersections in the Watford City area.


• The state is working with the city of Williston and Williams County officials to develop a Williston bypass.


• The state has provided $142 million for 59 county road projects.


A Mile High wrap on the Bakken WILLISTON (AP) — Local officials are saying that Williston Basin conference held late October in Denver was a success, providing education to investors considering coming to the region.


Approximately 350 people attended the second annual Bakken Infrastructure Finance and Development Summit in downtown Denver.


Investors from around the country converged to hear about the economic opportunities of the Williston Basin. Attendees also heard about the infrastructure, labor and housing challenges that face the area communities due to the explosive growth in oil activity in recent years.


Williston Economic Development Director Tom Rolfstad said it was a productive summit between networking and taking part in a panel discussion.


“It was pretty clear that people see Williston as the being the center of the oil industry. We had a good cross-section of people from Williston who were on panels,” Rolfstad said.


He added that the summit organizers have done a great job both years the show has been held. Rolfstad said he expects it to grow even more in 2012.


60 80


20 40


North Dakota Average Rig Count


120 140 160 180 200 220


100


2007 2008


2009 2010


2011


Page 31


Jan


Feb


Ma Apr r


Ma Jun y


Jul Aug Source: Industrial Commission of North Dakota, Oil & Gas Division


Sept


Oct


Nov


Dec


North Dakota Monthly Oil Production


10 12 14 16


6 8


4


0 2


2007 2008


2009 2010 2011


Jan


Feb


Ma Apr r


Ma Jun y


Jul Aug Source: Industrial Commission of North Dakota, Oil & Gas Division


Sept


Oct


Nov


Dec


Oil Production in millions of Barrels


Average Rig Count


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