On average, North Dakota oil production, which surged past the 1 million b/d mark earlier this year, will continue to grow steadily at a rate of about 18,000 b/d each month through 2019, according to a study completed in September for the state legislature. Commissioned last year by state lawmakers (see Shale Daily , Oct. 14, 2013 ), Bismarck-based engineering/planning firm Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson (KLJ) completed the work in partnership with North Dakota State University, concluding that daily production could hit the 2 million b/d level during the period. KLJ and the university used three approaches to forecast the sustainability of oil and gas production: economic analysis of the Bakken/Three Forks shale formation; projections on population, employment and housing needs; and potential for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The study showed that even at $70/bbl oil prices, economic payback times can be kept relatively short (four years and under) […]