2012 Out with a Bang and in with a Boom

2012 goes out with a bang and 2013 comes in with a boom – oil boom that is . . .

It’s been an interesting year to say the least. While most states and communities are feeling the effects of a slow economy, businesses in the Williston Basin continue to prosper. Companies struggle to compete for employees to fill their vacant positions and housing for job seekers continues to be an issue.

Mitchell’s Oilfield Service – headquartered in Sidney, MT and serving all of the Williston Basin since 1977, was recently bought out by The Wood Group PSN, but still holds true to their motto, “We can build it, fix it, lift it and haul it!” Their goal is to provide services from start to finish.

“Mitchell’s Oil Field Service is the leading provider of roustabout, crane, trucking, and related oil field services in the Williston Basin,” and 2012 was a fantastic year for Mitchell’s as they increased their employees by over 20%, going from approximately 400 employees to over 500 employees – a substantial leap from previous years.

When Duane Mitchell was asked what his thoughts were on the oil boom, his reply was, “I love it! I grew up in it. It’s like everything else; there are good years and bad years. Now is a phenomenal time. There’s unbelievable growth. I hope there isn’t an end in site. This country needs the oil.”

Golden Field Services – A Sidney based company that specializes in Surveying, Drafting, Inspection, Right-of-Way and Project Management is actively surveying pipeline throughout the Williston Basin. Although their corporate office is in Tulsa, OK they have a permanent office in Sidney, MT with field offices in Wolf Point, Montana and in Tioga and Beach, North Dakota.

GFS prides themselves on keeping in step with technology. 2012 was a great year for them and 2013 looks to have even better things in store.

Ray Bozlee, Project Manager at GFS, is very optimistic about the outlook for 2013. “The volume of work has been growing every year and we anticipate this to continue.  Based on various reports, work in the Bakken will continue at current rates until around 2025 and potentially continue ten years or longer after that. Our work load varies but we have had up to 20 plus survey crews working out of Sidney. We also have right of way agents working out of Sidney.”

GFS takes a unique approach; “All activities are managed with the owners’ perspective in mind. We have a clear understanding of our client’s priorities and requirements.”

Maintaining positive relationships with land owners, the public, municipalities, local utility companies and permitting jurisdictions is of the utmost importance to GFS personnel. They are excited and proud to be a part of such an extraordinary time.

Oneok Partners is the largest independent operator of natural gas gathering processing facilities in the Basin, with a natural gas gathering system of more than 5,000 miles and acreage dedications of more than 2.7 million acres.

Supervisor of External Communications, Brad Borror, states, “ONEOK Partners is investing $2.1 billion to $2.4 billion from 2011 to 2014 to build natural gas gathering and processing and natural gas liquids (NGL) infrastructure related to the Bakken Shale in the Williston Basin.  In September, we completed the second of four new, natural gas processing facilities in western North Dakota – the Stateline I plant in Williams County.  In late 2011, our Garden Creek plant came on line in eastern McKenzie County.”

2013 is looking great for Oneok. The Bakken NGL Pipeline will be completed during the first quarter. This pipeline is approximately 500 miles long. It begins just south of Sidney, MT and travels south near the eastern Montana and Wyoming borders to a connection with over 50 percent owned by Overland Pass Pipeline in northern Colorado. In addition to this, the Stateline II natural gas processing facility will be completed during the first quarter – and they are building a 270-mile natural gas gathering system in Divide County, ND which will be completed during the third quarter of 2013.

Brad goes on to say, “With crude oil production expected to exceed 1 million barrels per day over the next several years in the Bakken, Oneok Partners remains committed to serving Williston Basin producers, whether it is for natural gas, natural gas liquids or crude-oil infrastructure needs.”

Oneok currently employs more than 130 people and that number is expected to increase by 50 after the completion of the Stateline II plant. In order to be competitive and to attract the most talented and qualified people, Oneok offers a competitive compensation package which include three weeks paid vacation, 401(k)-match and relocation assistance if applicable.

All in all, 2012 seems to have been a great year for businesses working in the Williston Basin and 2013 has excellent potential to exceed 2012.