Throughout recent years, the oil boom in Western North Dakota has changed the face of several area communities. As new potential within the Bakken begins to emerge, areas never before thought to be hubs for oil production are finding themselves in the path of development.

Dan Erdmann tells us how one county is trying to prepare.

“It’s been more than 150 years since prospectors headed West for the peak of America’s gold rush. Today, a black gold rush is growing in Bottineau County, and it won’t be long before oil prospectors head back East.”

“The oil development has been around for a long time, I mean, I think the first well was probably drilled back in the 50s and was called the Iverson Field, and that is in Western Bottineau County.”

Diane Olson is the Director of Economic Development for Bottineau County, and says its Western portions have long-been a common home for oil wells. Recent testing of the Bakken Shale Formation has provided new evidence that oil may be present in a much larger area of the county.”

“We’re hearing and seeing a lot of leasing of land and mineral rights up in this area, and told that as of February, we will actually see some drilling out in the Souris, North Dakota area.”

For the rest of the story visit, Oil Activity Spreading East