July 11, 2019
Tribe, industry want to address flaring
By Jerry W. Kram
Any dark evening around the western end of Lake Sakakawea isn’t very dark these days. Bright orange fires light up the sky as excess natural gas that can’t be connected to a gathering line is burned off.
Everybody – mineral owners, the MHA Nation, environmentalists, industry and government regulators – all agree the practice is wasteful. At the 2019 MHA Nation Energy Expo, leaders in the Bakken gathered to discuss how barriers to moving the gas to market can be overcome.
MHA Nation Energy Division Director Carson Hood Jr. said that there are only three major “midstream” pipeline operators on the reservation, and their lines are very close to full capacity already. Those companies are Targa, Crestwood Midstream, and OneOK. The state of North Dakota has a goal of reducing flaring to less than 15 percent of gas produced, but on Fort Berthold the figure is more like 24 percent. Outside of the reservation, the flaring rate is half that.
Everybody – mineral owners, the MHA Nation, environmentalists, industry and government regulators – all agree the practice is wasteful. At the 2019 MHA Nation Energy Expo, leaders in the Bakken gathered to discuss how barriers to moving the gas to market can be overcome.
MHA Nation Energy Division Director Carson Hood Jr. said that there are only three major “midstream” pipeline operators on the reservation, and their lines are very close to full capacity already. Those companies are Targa, Crestwood Midstream, and OneOK. The state of North Dakota has a goal of reducing flaring to less than 15 percent of gas produced, but on Fort Berthold the figure is more like 24 percent. Outside of the reservation, the flaring rate is half that.
