Price of Oil too low?

Montana Mineral Rights Sheridan County, MT
1

Is the price of oil too low to encourage drilling companies to move rigs from ND to MT?

Or just to get some new rigs over here.


I have been told the fracking Bakken oil price per barrel is $20 below Brent Crude or is it West Texas Intermediate? Anyway, is the price to low for them to come over here?

Does anyone know what the "pull the trigger" price is?

Thanks!

Toby

2

Toby:

Don't know what you mean by "pull the trigger " price but my last check showed WTI at $85.83 bbl and Brent at $100.23 bbl. Bakken is probably going in the $72 - 78/bbl. range but that's just my guess. Several factors are involved in why the slow movement into MT from ND is occurring. One reason is the lack of rigs/equipment in the Williston Basin. Currently, the majority of the rigs are concentrated in the "hot" counties in ND in an effort to get leases in the HBP category. Transportation issues, lack of infrastructure, plays a major role in the price of Bakken crude as it is more expensive to get the product to market. As time goes on, the infrastructure will improve along with the gap between Bakken and WTI crude prices. If you look at a map of the Williston Basin area, there is alot of territory to drill which will be an on going effort for the next several years. Some of the mineral owners in MT will actually benefit from this scenerio as some will be able to negotiate new leases at a much higher bonus/royalty% than was previously negotiated back in 2008 - 2009. I look for increased drilling activity over the next couple of years in the Eastern MT area (Richland/Roosevelt/Sheridan Counties).