Buried Secrets

Gas Drilling's Environmental Impact

South Dakota

How to read these graphs:

The graphs on the left show the rate of growth compared to the earliest year for which we have data -- in most cases 2003. The gray lines represent a theoretical constant annual rate of change.

The bar charts on the right show the actual values for each year we have data. For example, in 2008, South Dakota had 35 new wells drilled.

State Data

2 enforcement staff for 224 wells in 2008

Wells Drilled: Change Since 2003

Wells Drilled

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
9
9.0
 14
14.0
 23
23.0
 31
31.0
 41
41.0
 35
35.0
 32
32.0

Enforcement Actions: Change Since 2003

Enforcement Actions

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
4
4.0
 22
22.0
 24
24.0
 3
3.0
 5
5.0
 9
9.0
 10
10.0

Enforcement Staff: Change Since 2003

Enforcement Staff

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2
2.0
 2
2.0
 2
2.0
 2
2.0
 2
2.0
 2
2.0
 2
2.0

Total Wells: Change Since 2003

Total Wells

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
219
219.0
 219
219.0
 219
219.0
 224
224.0
 230
230.0
 224
224.0
 253
253.0