In this week's news update, the rig count drops by 9, and a new method of reducing Bakken crude's volatility will be field tested in 2016
An alternative way of reducing the volatility of Bakken crude will be tested next year as North Dakota regulators report a “significant increase” in noncompliance with oil conditioning this winter.
The state’s Industrial Commission gave approval in early December for Hellervik Oilfield Technologies to test a prototype of a new technology for conditioning oil.
The new method proposed by the Bismarck, North Dakota-based company is an alternative to heater treaters. The new units are expected to be installed in the field in the first quarter of 2016. Because the technology is new, field inspectors will closely monitor the units for the first year of operation to make sure it’s working as advertised.
Hellervik Oilfield Technologies has provided field equipment to Bakken oil companies since 2013. The company also has modular natural gas processing units.
Rig Count Drops By 9 to 700
The number of rigs drilling for oil and natural gas dropped by nine to 700 the week ending Dec. 25, according to data released by oilfield services company Baker Hughes.
The Houston-based company says 538 rigs were drilling for oil and 162 for natural gas. Last year at this time there were 1,140 rigs working.
North Dakota and Wyoming each lost three rigs last week. Arkansas and Louisiana each lost two, and Alaska, Colorado and Texas lost one each. Oklahoma added two rigs, while Kansas and New Mexico each added one.
Comments