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April blizzards drive down North Dakota oil production

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — State officials say a pair of blizzards that smacked North Dakota in April caused a dramatic reduction in oil production.

The Bismarck Tribune reported that State Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms provided state regulators updated production estimates Friday.

The state’s oil industry had been producing about 1.1 million barrels daily until the blizzards hit, Helms said. The first storm began on April 12 and lasted three days. Helms says it caused production to fall to about 750,000 barrels per day. The industry had rebounded to 950,000 barrels per day when the second storm hit on April 23. That blizzard caused production to drop to just 300,000 barrels per day. Production has since increased to about 700,000 barrels per day, Helms said.

He called the damage the storms caused in the western part of the state “incredible,” noting widespread power outages that affected the oil patch and snowy roads that prevented oil workers from accessing well sites and other infrastructure.

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Two families with generations of ranching in their backgrounds are now part of the new faces at Lemmon Livestock. Pictured are Rowdy and Miranda Benson and their children (left to right) Tymber, Creed, Remi and Retro. The Ham Family, Brady and Kristen (not pictured) are also part of the team.(Courtesy Photo)

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Rapid City, US
3:32 am, March 29, 2024
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