North Dakota delays higher gas capture target
Posted November 20, 2018 6:50 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
BISMARCK, N.D. — North Dakota regulators are backing away from targets for capturing the natural gas produced from oil drilling.
The goal was supposed to increase in November from 85 per cent to 88 per cent. But the Industrial Commission on Tuesday delayed that by two years.
Natural gas not captured at oil wells is burned off, a practice known as flaring that can degrade air quality. North Dakota has struggled to build enough infrastructure to capture the gas.
The problem is worse when production speeds up. Record production in September led to just 83 per cent of gas being captured — the fifth straight month the 85 per cent target was missed.
The commission said the gas capture policy must “be balanced with what infrastructure is in place and how the industry is evolving.”
The Associated Press
