Aug 1, 2013

North Dakota has seen a boom in oil production thanks to new drilling techniques including horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. The promise of well-paying jobs has generated an influx of workers from around the world.

$An oil drilling rig is seen in an aerial view in the early morning hours of July 30, 2013 near Watford City, North Dakota. North Dakota has been experiencing an oil boom in recent years, due in part to new drilling techniques including hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. In April 2013, The United States Geological Survey released a new study estimating the Bakken formation and surrounding oil fields could yield up to 7.4 billion barrels of oil, doubling their estimate of 2008, which was stated at 3.65 billion barrels of oil. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)$: An oil drilling rig is seen in an aerial view in the early morning hours of July 30, 2013 near Watford City, North Dakota. North Dakota has been experiencing an oil boom in recent years, due in part to new drilling techniques including hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. In April 2013, The United States Geological Survey released a new study estimating the Bakken formation and surrounding oil fields could yield up to 7.4 billion barrels of oil, doubling their estimate of 2008, which was stated at 3.65 billion barrels of oil. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Ray Gerish, a floor hand for Raven Drilling, works on an oil rig drilling into the Bakken shale formation on July 28, 2013 outside Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: A gas flare is seen at an oil well site on July 26, 2013 outside Williston, North Dakota. Gas flares are created when excess flammable gases are released by pressure release valves during the drilling for oil and natural gas. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

$Sections of pipe wait to be welded together and placed into the ground sit in preparation on July 28, 2013 outside Watford City, North Dakota. North Dakota has been experiencing an oil boom in recent years, due in part to new drilling techniques including hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)$: Sections of pipe wait to be welded together and placed into the ground sit in preparation on July 28, 2013 outside Watford City, North Dakota. North Dakota has been experiencing an oil boom in recent years, due in part to new drilling techniques including hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: A trailer park occupied mostly by oil workers is seen in an aerial view in the early morning hours of July 30, 2013 near Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Pumpjacks are seen in an aerial view in the early morning hours of July 30, 2013 near Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

$A sign advertises a new neighborhood on July 28, 2013 in Williston, North Dakota. North Dakota has been experiencing an oil boom in recent years, due in part to new drilling techniques including hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)$: A sign advertises a new neighborhood on July 28, 2013 in Williston, North Dakota. North Dakota has been experiencing an oil boom in recent years, due in part to new drilling techniques including hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: New townhouses are seen next to a highway on July 29, 2013 in Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: A boy plays with toy motorcycles in a trailer park on July 29, 2013 in Watford City, North Dakota. The trailer park is intended for oil workers traveling to the state. It has no running water, and bathrooms are found in a communal building nearby. North Dakota has seen an influx of workers come from around the globe as a new oil boom has begun. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Ramone Garcia (L) and his brother Samuel Garcia play music in their trailer on July 29, 2013 in Watford City, North Dakota. The Garcia brothers live in the trailer with their two other brothers and all work in the oil industry; prior to moving the North Dakota a year ago, they lived in Arizona, where their wives and children still reside. North Dakota has seen an influx of workers come from around the globe as a new oil boom has begun. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Ray Gerish, a floor hand for Raven Drilling, works on an oil rig drilling into the Bakken shale formation on July 28, 2013 outside Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Ray Gerish, a floor hand for Raven Drilling, works on an oil rig drilling into the Bakken shale formation on July 28, 2013 outside Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Construction workers specializing in pipe-laying grill lunch while working on a pipeline that will stream line oil production from drill sites to train yards and oil refineries on July 25, 2013 outside Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: A construction worker smokes a cigarette and watches television on an iPhone while waiting for the day’s orders on July 25, 2013 outside Watford City, North Dakota. North. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

$A bison is seen in Theodore Roosevelt National Park outside Watford City, North Dakota. North Dakota has been experiencing an oil boom in recent years, due in part to new drilling techniques including hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. In April 2013, The United States Geological Survey released a new study estimating the Bakken formation and surrounding oil fields could yield up to 7.4 billion barrels of oil, doubling their estimate of 2008, which was stated at 3.65 billion barrels of oil. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)$: A bison is seen in Theodore Roosevelt National Park outside Watford City, North Dakota. North Dakota has been experiencing an oil boom in recent years, due in part to new drilling techniques including hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. In April 2013, The United States Geological Survey released a new study estimating the Bakken formation and surrounding oil fields could yield up to 7.4 billion barrels of oil, doubling their estimate of 2008, which was stated at 3.65 billion barrels of oil. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Oil industry equipment is seen in an aerial view in the early morning hours of July 30, 2013 near Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Tractor trailers at a salt-water treatment plant are seen in an aerial view in the early morning hours of July 30, 2013 near Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: A Bentley Continental GT is parked on the side of the road in Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: A gas and oil refinery is seen in an aerial view in the early morning hours of July 30, 2013 in Bismarck, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: A gas flare is seen in an aerial view in the early morning hours of July 30, 2013 near Watford City, North Dakota. Gas flares are caused when pressure release valves release excess natural gas from an oil pumpjack; the gas is then ignited to burn off the fumes. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: A gas flare is seen in an aerial view in the early morning hours of July 30, 2013 near Watford City, North Dakota. Gas flares are caused when pressure release valves release excess natural gas from an oil pumpjack; the gas is then ignited to burn off the fumes. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: The Missouri River and the Badlands region is seen in an aerial view in the early morning hours of July 30, 2013 near Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Drilling equipment sits in preparation on a drill site on July 28, 2013 outside Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: A construction worker specializing in pipe-laying sandblasts a section of pipeline on July 25, 2013 outside Watford City, North Dakota. Pipelines are being constructed across the state in part to streamline the movement of oil from drill sites to train depots and oil refineries. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Sections of pipe are lined up before being used to drill at Raven Drilling’s oil rig on July 28, 2013 outside Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: A trailer park occupied mostly by oil workers is seen in an aerial view in the early morning hours of July 30, 2013 near Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Two men sit in their car in a trailer park on July 29, 2013 in Watford City, North Dakota. The trailer park is intended for oil workers traveling to the state. It has no running water, and bathrooms are found in a communal building nearby. North Dakota has seen an influx of workers come from around the globe as a new oil boom has begun.(Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Pumpjacks are seen in an aerial view in the early morning hours of July 30, 2013 near Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: A foreman with JMac Resources reviews a site being cleared for construction in the middle of a canola field on July 26, 2013 outside Williston, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Rob Thomasson works at a residential construction site on July 28, 2013 in Watford, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Ramone Garcia (L) and his brother Samuel Garcia play music in their trailer on July 29, 2013 in Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Ramone Garcia waits for his brother to get home to unlock their trailer on July 29, 2013 in Watford City, North Dakota. Garcia lives in the trailer with his three other brothers – they all work in the oil industry; prior to moving the North Dakota a year ago, they lived in Arizona, where their wives and children still reside. The trailer has no running water, and bathrooms are found in a communal building nearby. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Fielding (R), and Jerome (L) ride their bikes on July 28, 2013 in Alexander, North Dakota. Fielding’s dad, who works as a mechanic and welder, moved the family to North Dakota from Mexico after learning of work being offered. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

$Fielding (L), Zach (C) and Jerome play on the street on July 28, 2013 in Alexander, North Dakota. Fielding's dad, who works as a mechanic and welder, moved the family to North Dakota from Mexico after learning of work being offered. North Dakota has been experiencing an oil boom in recent years, due in part to new drilling techniques including hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)$: Fielding (L), Zach (C) and Jerome play on the street on July 28, 2013 in Alexander, North Dakota. Fielding’s dad, who works as a mechanic and welder, moved the family to North Dakota from Mexico after learning of work being offered. North Dakota has been experiencing an oil boom in recent years, due in part to new drilling techniques including hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Fielding (on bike), jumps over Zach on July 28, 2013 in Alexander, North Dakota. Fielding’s dad, who works as a mechanic and welder, moved the family to North Dakota from Mexico after learning of work being offered. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Fielding (L), Jerome (C) and Zach bounce on a trampoline on July 28, 2013 in Alexander, North Dakota. Fielding’s dad, who works as a mechanic and welder, moved the family to North Dakota from Mexico after learning of work being offered. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Fielding pauses while riding bikes with his friends on July 28, 2013 in Alexander, North Dakota. Fielding’s dad, who works as a mechanic and welder, moved the family to North Dakota from Mexico after learning of work being offered. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Ray Gerish, a floor hand for Raven Drilling, works on an oil rig drilling into the Bakken shale formation on July 28, 2013 outside Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: Scott Berreth, a derrick hand for Raven Drilling, works on an oil rig drilling into the Bakken shale formation on July 28, 2013 outside Watford City, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: People rush into Walmart after the doors open on July 28, 2013 in Williston, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: People wait for a Walmart to open on July 28, 2013 in Williston, North Dakota. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

: A gas flare is seen at an oil well site on July 26, 2013 outside Williston, North Dakota. Gas flares are created when excess flammable gases are released by pressure release valves during the drilling for oil and natural gas. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

$An oil drilling rig is seen in an aerial view in the early morning hours of July 30, 2013 near Bismarck, North Dakota. The state has seen a boom in oil production thanks to new drilling techniques including horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)$: An oil drilling rig is seen in an aerial view in the early morning hours of July 30, 2013 near Bismarck, North Dakota. The state has seen a boom in oil production thanks to new drilling techniques including horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

One Comment

Dean Atkinson
Aug 02, 2013 @ 18:53:14

I hope everyone can appreciate the sacrifice my state, North Dakota, is enduring to have its beautiful wild landscape carved up forever to supply much need domestic oil. Let’s make sure this sacrifice is not squandered.

North Dakota’s Oil Boom

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