Report Questions Oilfield Oversight

An AP report this afternoon raises questions about the level of oversight in the oilfields of North Dakota's Williston Basin. According to the report, oilfield spills and waste disposal sites are being untended or are infrequently monitored due to inadequate personnel and funding. North Dakota's energy resources department is funded and staffed to handle 100 rigs and about 5,000 wells, the report points out, whereas a record 169 active rigs were reported today and more than 5,300 wells were pumping oil. Up to 2,000 more new wells reportedly are expected by the end of the year. Read more...