North Dakota Well Under Control

Train Derails in North Dakota
Well Blows in North Dakota

Oasis Petroleum reported today that it was finally able kill a well that blew out over the weekend in North Dakota.

Related:Bakken Oil Safety

CNBC is reporting that the well leaked more than 67,000 gallons of oil, causing law enforcement to close several roads around the site due to concerns about the effects of leaking gas.

The well is located in Mountrail County about 15 miles south of White Earth. This is one of the more prolific oil-producing regions in Bakken, with nine oil and gas rigs running in this county alone.

The cause of the blowout is still under investigation, but state officials suggest that it may have been caused by hydraulic fracturing of a nearby well in a situation referred to in the industry as "communication" between wells. Oasis worked all weekend to regain control of the well, which blew in the morning on Saturday, Oct. 17.

There was initial concern that the explosion might endanger a tributary of the Missouri River as oil was carried by a light wind to the White Earth River.

Oasis Petroleum is an independent exploration and production company focused on the acquisition and development of unconventional oil and natural gas resources and has approximately 506,000 acres in the Williston Basin.