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

Also in this section
23 May 2025
LNG projects need the certainty of long-term contracts, but Henry-Hub–linked deals put buyers at significant risk
22 May 2025
Industry says compliance is near-impossible and have called for more clarity to prevent cargoes being redirected
22 May 2025
The next energy crisis could come from the severing of the link between oil and gas prices, with potentially severe economic consequences
22 May 2025
With contract awards looming on the Kuwait-Saudi backed Dorra field, the long-stalled gas project appears finally to be gaining traction—despite Iranian objections