Buried Secrets

Gas Drilling's Environmental Impact

North 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, North Dakota had 465 new wells drilled.

State Data

20 enforcement staff for 4,080 wells in 2008

Wells Drilled: Change Since 2003

Wells Drilled

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
57
57.0
 127
127.0
 209
209.0
 248
248.0
 179
179.0
 465
465.0
 620
620.0

Enforcement Actions: Change Since 2003

Enforcement Actions

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
126
126.0
 95
95.0
 122
122.0
 117
117.0
 100
100.0
 99
99.0
 109
109.0

Enforcement Staff: Change Since 2003

Enforcement Staff

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
16
16.0
 16
16.0
 17
17.0
 17
17.0
 20
20.0
 20
20.0
 21
21.0

Total Wells: Change Since 2003

Total Wells

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
3,260
3260.0
 3,276
3276.0
 3,363
3363.0
 3,559
3559.0
 3,738
3738.0
 4,080
4080.0
 4,363
4363.0