Oil Activity In State On Increase

Based on information heard at a conference by the Montana Petroleum Association last week, activity appears to be on the increase in eastern Montana.

Roosevelt County Commissioners Gordon Oelkers and Gary Macdonald both attended the conference held in Billings on Wednesday, Aug. 30.

Oelkers said they were told that four drills will soon be active in Montana.

“That would be the most rigs in Montana for the last six years,” Oelkers said.

He explained that with oil now at more than $80 a barrel, it’s profitable for companies to expand these operations into different areas.

Oelkers said that Kraken Oil is the largest producer of oil in Montana.

Kraken Operating is ranked No. 1 in the state of Montana based on a total production of 25,834,385 barrel of oil equivalent reported during the month of April. The company has an estimated daily production of 18,047 BBLs oil and 18,047 MCF of gas, coming from 119 actively producing wells in the state.

Kraken currently has a well located between Culbertson and Bainville.

The commissioners have heard of the possibility of another well being added in the county.

“There’s a lot of positive things happening in the oil industry right now,” Oelkers said.

Another topic during the conference was the helium play in the Shelby area.

“That could be another industry,” Oelkers said.