Natural gas production outpaced oil in North Dakota’s Bakken Shale during March, according to the state Dakota Department of Mineral Resources (DMR).

North Dakota production

Gas production was 89.2 Bcf (2.8 Bcf/d), compared to 75.7 Bcf (2.7 Bcf/d) in February. Oil production totaled 34.3. million bbl (1.1 million b/d) from 30.3 million bbl (1.08 million b/d). 

The state also set a new high of 94% for gas capture, up 2% from February. 

“It’s a testimony to the $20 billion that has been invested to get gas flaring under control in the Bakken,” said DMR chief Lynn Helms last Friday. “We’re back in the cycle of rapidly increasing gas production, so in March production jumped by 174 MMcf/d, equivalent to the capacity of two gas processing plants essentially, or 6.4 %.”

The increased...