The U.S. Department of Energy announced on May 8 it will invest $36 million to support the University of North Dakota’s Energy & Environmental Research Center in advancing enhanced oil recovery technologies in the Bakken formation.
The funding aims to improve methods for extracting additional oil from existing reserves, which could have significant economic and national security implications for North Dakota and the country.
According to the announcement, initial development in the Bakken region typically recovers only about 10-15% of available oil. The new investment from DOE’s Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office, along with $9 million in cost-share funding from EERC and its partners, will fund one of six pilot projects designed to boost recovery rates using captured carbon dioxide.
“North Dakota is a model for the rest of the country and demonstrates energy production and energy innovation go hand in hand,” said Senator Kevin Cramer. “This investment recognizes years of work by the EERC, industry partners, and state leaders to unlock more of the Bakken’s enormous potential while utilizing captured carbon dioxide productively. We know the Bakken still holds billions of barrels of oil just out of reach of our current technology, but through the combined efforts of the Department of Energy and industry partners, those barrels of oil will enhance our national security and increase our economic growth. While there is still more work to be done, this announcement represents a commitment to the future of North Dakota’s oil industry—and a promise to America we will not step away from the resources God gave us.”
Cramer has been involved in efforts aimed at improving federal policy related to energy production in North Dakota. He serves on Senate committees overseeing environment, veterans’ affairs, banking, housing and urban affairs according to his official website.
Broader implications include potential increases in domestic energy supply as well as advancements that could serve as models for other regions seeking similar improvements.
