Eloise Ogden/MDN North Dakota’s oil production increased 3.49% from May to June, with output of 1.15 million barrels per day in June.

BISMARCK – North Dakota produced 34.5 million barrels of oil in June or 1.15 million barrels per day, an increase from May when the state produced 34.4 million barrels of oil or 1.11 million barrels a day, according to the latest report from the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources.

This was a 3.49% increase from May to June, Ashleigh Thiel, of the Mineral Resources Department, said.

The majority of the oil production (97.3%) comes from the Bakken and Three Forks formations.

Natural gas production climbed to 3.4 billion cubic feet per day in June. In May, the state produced 3.3 BCF per day. This was an increase of 1.46% from May to June.

Production numbers are normally about two months behind.

The North Dakota rig count has remained at 29 in August and July. In June and May, 32 rigs were actively working in the state.

“This is a drop of three rigs as expected based on conversations with operators over their billing schedules,” Thiel said.

A total of 31 rigs, including two in Montana, are working in the Williston Basin.

“The total rig count in the U.S. is at 539 rigs. Texas is currently at 242 rigs, which is approximately 44.9%,” Thiel said. “The U.S. rig count has declined, as expected, over the last three months and a notable decline in the Texas rig count from 262 rigs in June to 242.”

The current West Texas Intermediate crude price is $63.76 and in June, it was $60.40, below the state’s revenue forecast of $70 per barrel.

She said production on the Fort Berthold Reservation was up in June at 161,167 barrels of oil, an 8% increase or 11,938 barrels per day from May when the reservation produced 149,229 barrels of oil. Two rigs were actively working on Fort Berthold. The number of active wells totaled 3,010 and 134 drilling permits have been approved on the reservation.

The statewide gas flared volume from May to June increased by 45.07 million cubic feet (MMCF) per day to 188.25 MMCF per day. The statewide gas capture decreased to 94.5% while Bakken gas capture also decreased to 94.8%,