Oil production in the Bakken Shale during October remained flat month/month at 1.22 million b/d while natural gas output increased by 2% to 89 Bcf, the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) reported Monday.

Bakken Production

Oil production levels are not likely to grow until 2022, DMR director Lynn Helms said during a monthly webinar.

“The resurgence we saw in July through September is pretty much done, and essentially all of the shut-in production has been put back online,” he said. Oil output was slightly above the state’s revised projection level of 1.2 million b/d. 

“Gas grew at the same time, which is sort of the history of the Bakken/Three Forks reservoirs, and we’re starting the phase where we see enough reservoir depletion and new wells are coming on with higher...