Bakken faces inventory concerns

The North Dakota shale basin nears a looming acreage problem

Forecasters see the Bakken shale delivering growth in 2023, and the basin remains a cash cow for its operators. But it also sits on the cusp of migration away from its sweetest spots. The Bakken is expected to contribute to growth of c.140,000bl/d, according to Ryan Duman, research director for the Lower 48 upstream at consultancy Wood Mackenzie. “While it cannot deliver the same magnitude of increases that we expect from West Texas, the Bakken remains an important contributor to the overall US supply picture,” he says. Research firm Enverus is less bullish, predicting year-on-year Bakken growth of 50,000bl/d. “For the Bakken, the primary tailwind for producers of late has been an improvemen