Despite last week’s rally in crude oil prices, North Dakota continued to witness a decline in exploration and production activity, state data show. The state government reports 32 rigs engaged in exploration and production activities in the state, an 8.5 percent decline from last week and 71 percent less than this date last year. Rig counts were in the single digits in the 1980s and exploded to more than 200 in 2012. The all-time low point is zero. Lower crude oil prices mean energy companies have designated less capital for exploration and production activity during the first quarter. Continental Resources and Hess Corp., two of the largest players in the state’s Bakken shale oil basin, separately announced […]