MDN File Photo North Dakota’s oil and natural gas production declined in December

BISMARCK – North Dakota produced 1.121 millions barrels of oil per day in December, a decline from the previous month when the state produced 1.198 million barrels of oil per day.

Natural gas production dropped from 106.4 billion cubic feet in November to 103.5 BCF in December.

Nathan Anderson, director of the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources in Bismarck, released on Monday, Feb. 23, the oil and natural gas production numbers for December, the most recent numbers available. Reasons for the drop in oil production included the cold snap in December.

He said 97.4% of the oil production is from the Bakken-Three Forks and the remainder from outside the Bakken-Three Forks.

Currently 26 rigs are actively drilling in the state, the same number as in January, according to the report. A total of 28 rigs were drilling in the Williston Basin, including North Dakota and Montana.

Thirty-two percent of the oil production in N.D. is coming from McKenzie County. McKenzie, Williams, Dunn, Mountrail and Divide counties make up 96.1% of N.D. oil production.

Total U.S. production reached a record high of 13.9 million barrels a day in October. In November, there was a slight decrease to 13.8 million barrels a day, according to the report.

In January, 72 permits were issued in N.D., 85 in December and 75 in November. In January, 63 wells were completed, 83 in December and 37 in November.

The total number of producing wells is down 172, month over month, and the number of inactive wells increased by 625, month over month, Anderson reported.

Producing wells were at an all-time high of 19,625 in October.

Fort Berthold Reservation produced 136,745 barrels of oil in December, a 2.6% decrease. In November, the reservation produced 140,336 barrels of oil. Three rigs were operating on the reservation. There were 154 active permits, an increase from last month, and 3,019 active wells.

The statewide gas flared volume from November to December decreased by 14.8 million cubic feet per day to 151.3 MCF. The statewide gas capture remained steady at 95.2% while Bakken gas capture increased to 95.8%