Oil Activity Sees Strong Second Quarter
Roosevelt County received more funds from oil revenue in the second quarter, April through May, than it did in the year’s first quarter.
For the second quarter, the county received $731,922.24 compared to $657,800 in the first quarter. Roosevelt County had $4,109,220.71 in collections, and the state returned $1,878,324.52 to Roosevelt County entities.
Richland County topped the state with $16,067,789.05 in collections.
Fallon County ranked third, behind Richland and Roosevelt, with $3,784,735.71 in collections.
Of the collections for Roosevelt County, the Bainville School District received $612,165.53. The Culbertson School District received $126,047.93.
Amounts for other school districts in the county were Poplar at $15,260.32, Froid at $10,382.61, Wolf Point at $4,147.08 and Brockton at $982.58.
Other funds included $186,517.62 for elementary retirement, $138,432.52 for high school retirement and $51,466.09 for countywide transportation.
Roosevelt County Commissioner Gordon Oelkers noted that Phoenix Energy has joined Kraken Oil as a major player in the county. Companies have been gaining rights for section units which cover four miles.
Interest is running from the Missouri River to McCabe south to north, and from the Big Muddy River to the North Dakota border west to east.
“That’s where all the spaces are,” Oelkers said.
There seems to be a large increase of interest in the Culbertson area.
“If oil stays at least $60 a barrel, it will keep rolling,” Oelkers said of activity.
He hopes for a “slow, constant” growth in the area.
