Here are the week's top North Dakota energy stories

August 9, 2019

Williams County Offers Grants to Schools

Williston #1 District in Line to Get $4.1 Million

It's not everyday more than $4 million falls into your lap, but that's basically what happened this week to the Williston #1 School District when the Williams County Commission approved a plan to offer a total of $6 million to the county's six school districts.

Townships in Williams County will also be able to grab a share of $4 million to maintain and improve rural roads. The money for the township grants comes from frost law permits issued by the county each spring.

Williston School Board President Joanna Baltes said the money will be immensely helpful to the district, which has been struggling to come up with funds to expand classroom space in response to rapidly growing enrollment in the district. Baltes said she appreciated the fact that funds will be shared among all districts in the county because other schools are also seeing significant growth in student populations.

Click here to listen to Baltes' comments.

The Williston #1 districts saw two bond issues to fund expansion of its high school and build two new elementary schools fail by narrow margins earlier this year. Among other school districts in the county receiving funds, Williams County No. 8 would get the biggest share at about $631,000. The money must be used either to fund school construction projects or pay off debt.

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Work Underway on Williston's Innovation Academy

School district staff in Williston have cleared out a building that housed a swimming pool and are moving forward with plans to turn the 20,000 square foot structure into an "innovation academy."

The district is in the midst of a campaign to help raise funds to pay for the renovation work that will gut the building, shore up its foundation and add a second story. Williston has been struggling to find classroom space for its growing student population. Board President Joanna Baltes said the facility will help address that issue and provide educational benefits as well.

Click here to listen to Baltes' comments.

The estimated cost of the renovation work is about $12 million, of which the Williston School Board hopes to raise $5 million through private donations. Baltes said she's also looking forward to meeting with other Williams County school districts on Monday to seek ways to cooperate to meet the needs of students.

Click here to listen to Baltes' comments.

The meeting was organized by Governor Doug Burgum, who will participate in the gathering. It will be held at Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative beginning at 1:30 p.m. on August 12.

Baltes was interviewed by WDEA Executive Director Geoff Simon this week on the radio program, Energy Matters. Click here and advance to the 19:02 mark to listen to the full interview.

Innovative Education Summit Next Week

North Dakota educators and others will converge on Jamestown next week for the third annual Governor’s Summit on Innovative Education. The event will be held August 14-15 at Jamestown High School.

This is the first year the event will cover two days. State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler said it was expanded to facilitate the growing need for North Dakota school districts to address behavioral health issues.

Click here to listen to Baesler's comments.

Baesler said innovative schools offer students a lot of flexibility so young people are best prepared to address rapidly changing opportunities in the 21st century economy.

The 2017 Legislature passed SB 2186 that empowered the superintendent of public instruction to consider innovative education proposals that improve the delivery of education, provide additional educational opportunities for students or improve academic success. Baesler said innovation success stories will be discussed at the event, and she would like non-educators to be part of that conversation.

Click here to listen to Baesler's comments.

Among the featured presenters is Dr. Stuart Ablon, director of Think:Kids in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, who will address the topic of school discipline. Ablon conducts training for parents, educators and clinicians using a model designed for children and adolescents with a wide range of social, emotional and behavioral challenges.

Click here to see the summit agenda. Baesler made her comments during an interview on the radio program What's on Your Mind. Click here and advance to the 2:15 mark to listen to the full interview.

Whiting Petroleum Restructuring Operations

Addressing Needs of Employees Affected by Layoffs

Whiting Petroleum Corporation announced a organizational redesign and cost reduction strategy last week that resulted in the layoff of 254 company employees.

About 100 of those are North Dakota employees in the Williston, Watford City and New Town areas. Whiting is the No. 2 oil producer in the state, so the announcement caused considerable concern in the communities. Whiting's Director of Government and Corporate Affairs Ashley McNamee said the company's action is a response to challenging times in the oil and gas industry and the need to improve its competitiveness.

Click here to listen to McNamee's comments.

Some industry observers speculated that Whiting's move reflected the belief by some that production in the Bakken is headed for a decline, but McNamee said that is not accurate.

Click here to listen to McNamee's comments.

Overall the company reduced its workforce by 33 percent. McNamee said the reduction included 94 executive and corporate positions. As for North Dakota employees affected by the layoffs, she said Whiting is a family company and is taking steps to help affected workers transition to new employment.

Click here to listen to McNamee's comments.

McNamee was interviewed by WDEA Executive Director Geoff Simon this week on the radio program, Energy Matters. Click here and advance to the 33:40 mark to listen to the full interview.

Ethics Commission Members Announced

Former Williston Mayor Koeser Named to Panel

A committee tasked with selecting members of North Dakota’s newly created Ethics Commission appointed the first five members this week.

Among those named to the commission is Ward Koeser, who served as the mayor of Williston from 1994 to 2014. Koeser is a former teacher, military veteran and telecommunications business owner.

North Dakota voters approved a constitutional amendment in November 2018 establishing the Ethics Commission. The measure, now Article XIV of the state constitution, provides that the five members are to be appointed by consensus agreement of the Governor and the Senate majority and minority leaders. The three made their selection from of list of nearly 70 applicants.

Other appointees include:

David B. Anderson of Bismarck, a retired brigadier general in the North Dakota National Guard,
Ronald Goodman of Oakes, a former attorney and retired judge,
Paul Richard of Fargo, retired former general counsel at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, and
Cynthia Lindquist of Devils Lake, who has served as president of Cankdeska Cikana Community College in Fort Totten since 2013.

Legislation passed in 2019 clarified that the members’ terms were to be staggered. Goodman and Lindquist will each serve a four-year term, Anderson will serve a three-year term and Koeser and Richard will each serve a two-year term, effective September 1.

State Leaders Travel to Canada

Tour Alberta Petrochemical Facilities

Gov. Doug Burgum led a delegation of state officials and legislative leaders on a tour of petrochemical facilities in Canada this week.

The group toured industrial facilities in the province as part of the state's ongoing efforts to bring the petrochemical industry to North Dakota to add value to the state’s abundant natural gas resources.

The group included Burgum, Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner, House Majority Leader Chet Pollert, Commerce Commissioner Michelle Kommer, Bank of North Dakota President Eric Hardmeyer, Department of Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms and Commerce Deputy Commissioner Shawn Kessel.

They toured petrochemical facilities in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland and met with industry officials to learn more about the opportunities, workforce needs and economic impacts associated with the industry.

“North Dakota has abundant, rich natural gas that could be processed right here in our state to create jobs, diversify the economy and grow wealth in our communities,” Burgum said. “Gaining a better understanding of how Alberta developed its petrochemical industry will help us choose the right path for processing North Dakota gas at home."

The Department of Commerce estimates that primary and secondary refinement of North Dakota’s rich natural gas could draw more than $9 billion in capital investment while providing hundreds of good-paying jobs and generating additional tax and royalty revenue.

Work Underway on New Long X Bridge

Grading work is underway on what will be the site of a new bridge over the Little Missouri River south of Watford City. The new structure will eventually replace the historic Long X Bridge on Highway 85.

The ND Department of Transportation awarded a nearly $34 million contract to Ames Construction to build the new bridge and dismantle the old one. The company is based in Burnsville, Minnesota.

Work on the new Little Missouri River crossing is scheduled for completion in July 2021.

The current truss bridge has been something of a nuisance to truckers over the years. Its vertical clearance is just over 16 feet, so it’s been hit a few times by oversize trucks. The new bridge, to be built east of the current structure, will be four lanes wide in anticipation of future construction that will widen other segments of Highway 85 between Watford City and Belfield.

Click here to see DOT’s eight-page handout from public hearings on the project held last spring. The handout includes an artist's conception of what the new bridge may look like.

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REMINDER: Highway 83 will be shut down August 12 between Underwood and Washburn to accommodate removal of a coal conveyor across the highway.

Registration Open for WDEA Annual Meeting

Sponsorship/Exhibitor Opportunities Available

Registration is now open for the annual meeting of the Western Dakota Energy Association to be held October 30-31 at the Grand Hotel in Minot.

Sponsorships and exhibit space are available to companies or organizations interested in supporting the communities in the energy-producing region of western North Dakota. Click here for the form.

The event kicks off at 1:00 p.m. on October 30 with an update on enhancements and expansion of WDEA's LoadPass Permits system, to be followed by an update on the association's Wise Roads weather station project. The presentations will be followed by a panel discussion about truck permitting issues between industry representatives and county highway managers. The balance of Day One will be devoted to issues associated with North Dakota's growing natural gas production. The day will be capped off by an evening social at 5:30 featuring remarks from Cal Klewin regarding the Theodore Roosevelt Expressway Association and efforts to improve Highway 85.

Day Two opens with a perspective on ethics issues from Minot Senator David Hogue, to be followed by a discussion of workforce issues and an update on the Western Area Water Supply Authority and the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute's update of its county roads needs study. The morning agenda also features a presentation from the North Dakota Geological Survey about the potential for oil production in different benches in western North Dakota, a panel discussion about the education funding needs of western communities and an interim legislative report from Senator Rich Wardner.

Lt. Governor Brent Sanford is scheduled to deliver a keynote address during the noon luncheon. The afternoon agenda includes details on lignite research and marketing efforts, and will conclude with a traditional county-by-county production report from Lynn Helms, director of the Department of Mineral Resources. The association's annual business meeting and election of officers will wrap up the event.

Click here for the agenda and registration details. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Grand Hotel. To receive the discounted rate, guests should mention WDEA Annual Meeting when registering. Contact the hotel at: 701-852-3161 or (800) 735-4493.

New Season for Williston Works Podcast

Williston Economic Development has officially launched the second season of its podcast Williston Works.

The series features entrepreneurs, small business owners and stakeholders who have used the Williston STAR Fund to help grow their business.

The first episode of this season features Tanner Overland, owner of Overland Aviation, addressing the expansion of his business at the new Williston Basin International Airport.

Click here for the library of podcasts from Season 1.

UMary Offers “Work Smarter” Training

The University of Mary’s Workforce Development Program is offering a series of training sessions that will begin this month in Watford City.

Called “Work Smarter,” the series focuses on creating smarter work habits that develop better organizational outcomes and greater personal satisfaction. The training will be offered in a bi-weekly format designed for employees at any career stage. The sessions will engage participants in interactive experiences designed to improve communication, manage change and conflict, and develop effective writing and messaging strategies.

Cost per session is $350. Lunch is included with each session.

Dates for the sessions:

• Managing Change and Conflict While Building a Team – Tuesday, August 13

• Effective Writing and Messaging Strategies – Tuesday, August 27

All sessions will be held at the University of Mary campus facilities at Watford City High School, located at 2209 Wolves Den Parkway, Suite 129A.

For more information or to register, click here.

WDEA Offering Energy Scholarships

The Western Dakota Energy Association will award five $1,000 scholarships this fall to students in an energy-related field at a North Dakota college, university or technical school.

WDEA President Gary Wilz said the association is offering the scholarships to help the industry and western communities meet the workforce challenges now being experienced with the surge in oil industry activity.

“We recognize that North Dakota will see benefits from higher oil prices only if the industry is able to attract the workforce it needs,” said Wilz, who is Superintendent of the Killdeer Public School District. “We want to do everything we can to encourage young people to explore the many opportunities for a rewarding career in the energy industry.”

Funding for the scholarship program is generated by sponsorships of WDEA’s annual meeting, as well as royalties from advertising in Basin Bits magazine.

Click here to learn more about the selection criteria and how to apply.

Click here to view or download an application form.

The application deadline is August 31, 2019. Scholarships will be awarded in September.

Quick Connect

ND state officials tour Alberta petrochemical facilities -- Bismarck Tribune

Williams County approves $152 million preliminary budget -- Williston Herald

City of Minot's preliminary budget gives taxpayers a break -- KFYR-TV

BSC, DSU failed procedures for documentation, finances -- Fargo Forum

Universities working on solutions as audits show widespread procurement issues -- KFYR-TV

North Dakota officials to study decline in availability of rural groceries -- Associated Press

Lower bond referendum for schools set for vote in Dickinson in September -- KFYR-TV

4 BY 5: Halliday hybrid plan brings a big change to small school -- Dunn County Herald

North Dakota regulators look at rules for dismantling solar facilities -- Bismarck Tribune

Standing Rock Tribe files hearing request on DAPL pipeline expansion -- Associated Press

North Dakota's 1st low-level radioactive waste facility to be located in Williston -- Williston Herald

North Dakota wages are on a fast rise, climbing 49% in just ten years -- KXMB-TV

Burke County wind project could impact Divide County setbacks for homes -- The Journal

Another refinery dispute near national park goes to state Supreme Court -- Bismarck Tribune

Water-oil world shows trend toward automation for safety and economics -- Williston Herald

Dickinson city commissioners to begin event center feasibility study -- Dickinson Press

Job Service ND workshops planned for Whiting, other laid-off employees -- Williston Herald

Ward County to vote on weather modification; commission struggles to agree -- Minot Daily News

Williston has 3rd highest airfares in U.S., looking to lower plane ticket prices -- KFYR-TV

Missouri River Basin runoff increases again; slight increase for Sakakawea -- Minot Daily News

Continental Resources' new Bakken crude project to start producing in 2020 -- NGI's Shale Daily

Oil production in Bakken formation faces natural gas flaring constraints -- Offshore Technology

ND leads in personal income growth, western states rise faster than other states -- US News

Gasoline prices under the Green New Deal would reach $13.00 per gallon on new tax -- IER

Oregon Supreme Court blocks wind farms due to endangered species threat -- Hood River News

Note to Democratic presidential candidates -- be honest about natural gas -- Inside Sources

The great American oil and natural gas pipeline boom continues strong -- Forbes

Factoid of the Week

The largest officially recognized hailstone on record in the United States fell near Vivian, South Dakota, on July 23, 2010. It measured 8.0 inches in diameter, 18 ½ inches in circumference, and weighed in at 1.9375 pounds. Click here to see a photo of the giant hailstone.

Source: National Weather Service