North Dakota's gas flaring challenge lingers on
Nearly a decade into its hydrocarbons boom, North Dakota, the US’ second-largest oil producing state, still struggles to limit natural gas flaring
Oil production continues to surge in North Dakota. The state's gas infrastructure capacity has always lagged output increases, despite a programme to control gas flaring put in place in 2014. North Dakota's challenge has been that most of its produced gas is associated gas, dependent on oil production volumes. The state's oil output, dominated by the prolific Bakken play, has skyrocketed this decade, to 1.27m barrels a day this July from an average 308,000 b/d in 2010, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Gas output has more than kept pace, with gross production sextupling to 688.9bn cubic feet in 2017 from 114bn cf in 2010. North Dakota's difficulties with gas reflec
Also in this section
10 March 2026
From Venezuela to Hormuz, the US—backed by the most powerful military force ever assembled—is redrawing not only oil and gas flows but also the global balance of energy power
10 March 2026
By shutting the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has cut exports of distillate-rich Middle Eastern crude, jet fuel and diesel, and is holding the energy market hostage
10 March 2026
Eni’s director for global gas and LNG portfolio, Cristian Signoretto, discusses how demand will respond to rising LNG supply, and how the company is expanding its own gas and LNG operations through disciplined, capital-efficient investments
9 March 2026
Petroleum Economist analysis sees increases in output from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Kazakhstan among others before region’s murky descent
