Alison Ritter: There's No "Fudging" On Flaring

In a recently published letter to the editor, Shelly Ventsch of New Town questioned whether the North Dakota Oil and Gas Division is accurately reporting the amount of natural gas flared in western North Dakota.

The answer is yes.

Every month, the Oil and Gas Division reports the total amount of natural gas flared in North Dakota.  No amount of Bakken gas is excluded from the Oil and Gas Division’s monthly report, the Director’s Cut.

You can also find those raw numbers every month on the General Statistics page on the Oil and Gas Division website.

The Industrial Commission requires that energy companies submit a gas capture plan for all Bakken wells permitted after June 1, 2014. These gas capture plans must be submitted before a drilling permit can be considered.

Every month, the Oil and Gas Division evaluates the performance of each and every energy company to make sure they are complying with the state’s requirement to reduce flaring.  A few companies have demonstrated the need for an extension to meet these capture goals. But to be clear, the total amount of natural gas flared in North Dakota is documented and reported every month.