Category Archive: Education/Research

1. State-Owned Power Plant Receives Grant to Study Uses for Excess Capacity

   July 25, 2014 Leave a Comment

   The Agricultural Products Utilization Commission has awarded a grant to the Red River Regional Council to study whether excess capacity at a state-owned power plant in Grafton can be successfully utilized to support a proposed greenhouse and other industrial energy park projects. The plant is located at Grafton’s Life Skills and Transition Center, which has had declining demand for energy produced from the facility. Read more in Prairie Business Magazine and Farm and Ranch Guide.

2. Core Library ‘Model for the Country’

   July 18, 2014 Leave a Comment

   The Wilson M. Laird Core and Sample Library, housed on the campus of the University of North Dakota, is home to core samples from more than 4,000 oil wells. The library also houses cuttings from more than 20,000 wells. The facility was established in 1951 by the state legislature, at the urging of then state geologist Wilson Baird. An estimated record 79,000 feet of core were examined by the oil and gas industry last year. Several industry officials view the core library as a model for the rest of the country. Read more in the Bakken Breakout.

3. UND’s Collaborative Energy Complex Receives Major Gift

   July 2, 2014 Leave a Comment

   UND’s College of Engineering and Mines has received $5 million from Hess Corp. to help fund the proposed Collaborative Energy Complex. The project has also been awarded $2.5 million from the North Dakota Higher Education Challenge Fund. The Hess Corp. gift will be used to enhance the petroleum engineering program. UND needs $15.5 million to capitalize the project, and $11.8 million has been pledged to date. Read more in The Bakken Magazine.

4. GPEC Annual Energy Report Now Available

   June 11, 2014 Leave a Comment

   The 4th Annual “Spotlight on North Dakota Energy” is now available. You can request a printed copy or view the publication online at www.energynd.com/spotlight.

5. Higher Ed Officials Tour Oil Patch

   May 30, 2014 Leave a Comment

   Campus presidents, state board of higher education members and university officials toured the oil patch this week at the invitation of state board of higher education member Kathy Neset.  The group toured several oilfield locations to gain a better understanding of what educational tools and skills are needed to train and support oil workers.  Dickinson State University President D.C. Coston said that nearly a quarter of his school’s graduates that stay in the state work in the energy field.  Read more in the Oil Patch Dispatch.

    

6. Russia shale formation a giant

   February 24, 2014 Leave a Comment

   Russia currently produces over 15 percent of all oil productions in the world, and several shale reserves should ensure that number won’t change. The Bazhenov formation is the source for almost one-half of the country’s income, and is the largest shale oil formation in the world. The Russian government estimates that the reserves could potentially produce between 180 and 360 billion barrels of oil. In comparison, the Bakken-Three Forks formation could potentially produce 7.4 billion barrels of oil. Read more about Russian oil production from the Bismarck Tribune.

7. Informational website launching

   December 17, 2013 Leave a Comment

   A new website, www.downdeep.com, has been developed by WPX Energy to help clear the air about fracking. The website was developed to help share a video that was produced by WPX that examines the truth about hydraulic fracturing. It features conversations with “experts, landowners, neighbors and WPX executives.” The website provides information on how individuals can reach out to government representatives to make sure their voices and opinions are heard. Read more from The Bakken.com.

8. Niobrara Formation to be explored

   December 17, 2013 Leave a Comment

   Strata-X Energy has acquired several permits to explore the potential for shallow natural gas in Emmons and McIntosh counties. Lynn Helms, of the Department of Natural Resources Oil and Gas Division, said that “it’s rare to see permits issued so far east of Highway 83.” He was not able to share additional information because the permits have confidential status until six months before drilling will begin. This will be the second time that the area has been explored for natural gas. The first time was in 2006. See the full article in the Bismarck Tribune.

9. Global partnership established

   November 15, 2013 Leave a Comment

   The Lignite Energy Council as had a research and development program since the 1980s and recently extended that program through a partnership agreement with a company in Australia. Brown Coal Innovation, of Melbourne, Australia, and the Lignite Energy Council will work together to learn more about reducing, capturing, and storing carbon dioxide produced by coal-powered plants. Read more from the Bismarck Tribune.

10. Technology advances continually improve future of oil

    November 4, 2013 Leave a Comment

    At a recent convention in Dickinson, fossil fuels expert Bernard Weinstein projected that “we will have plenty of fossil fuels around” for the next century. He said that there are many factors that contribute to how long oil will be available. There is no definitive end to oil production in sight, and, he says, when that time comes, there “will be something else in place of fossil fuels.” He estimates that for the next century, there will be plenty of fossil fuel to go around. Read the full article from the Dickinson Press.