North Dakota’s Bakken Shale-driven oil and gas production continued to rise in May from April, according to the state’s Department of Mineral Resources. Preliminary results indicated growth in nearly all of 17 counties — particularly Dunn, McKenzie, Mountrail and Williams, where most of the drilling to date has occurred.

Month-over-month oil production hit 19.8 million bbl, compared with 18.2 million bbl, while natural gas topped 21.3 Bcf, up from 19.5 Bcf, according to statistics posted on DMR’s website. In May 7,188 total wells were producing with 8,026 wells designated as capable of producing, versus April when a total of 7,036 wells were producing with 7,879 considered capable of producing.

Production continued to rise in May in the two biggest producing counties, McKenzie and Mountrail. In McKenzie County oil output reached 4.4 million bbl while gas production was 7.1 Bcf, while in Mountrail oil production totaled 5.6 million bbl and 4.2 Bcf. McKenzie producing wells climbed in May from April to 1,407 from 1,368, and in Mountrail producing wells rose slightly to 1,247 from 1,218.

According to state officials, North Dakota’s robust production growth indicates the need for more infrastructure to move output to market (see Shale Daily, June 12). Justin Kringstad, director of the state’s pipeline authority, in June projected that North Dakota oil production — now No. 2 behind Texas — could double to more than 1 million b/d by 2015.

Kringstad said nearly $3 billion in infrastructure improvements are planned to process more gas and move it to market, and six major oil pipeline projects also are proposed. If all of the pipelines are built, North Dakota’s oil pipeline network would have 1.5 million b/d of capacity, he noted.