KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/DickinsonGeologist Speaker Has Dual Interest in "Fracking" Future

Geologist Speaker Has Dual Interest in "Fracking" Future

An experienced well site geologist talks openly about the future of "fracking".

While the impacts of hydraulic fracturing have left several other states divided, her message for North Dakota, is rock-solid.

Kathleen Neset is the president of Neset Consulting Service, based in the heart of oil country: Tioga.

She is the keynote speaker at the Bismarck/Mandan Development Association's annual meeting.

"We provide crews to the geo-steering operation while the wells are drilling, we help the oil companies target and stay in the Bakken." says Neset.

A formation that she considers one of the best situations in the nation.

 "I think it's important we North Dakotans understand just how special the Bakken is, our surface aquifers are in the top 2000 feet of the drilling process and they're drilled with fresh water, then we seal them off with casing and cement, totally seal that off from fracking that will happen down in the Bakken formation at 10,000 feet of true vertical depth, that puts about 8000 feet of overburdened rock between fracking and aquifers." says Neset.

She cares as a geologist, and a farmer.

 " I'm a farmer, I farm northeast of Tioga, I rely on rural water on a well, so I have to take care of our surface aquifers just as much as the next North Dakotan does." says Neset.

 Neset says while there have been growing pains during drilling exploration and development, this process is ultimately helping secure energy independence across the nation.

"You bet there's still concerns out there, and my answer is, that's good, that means we're doing our homework, as I talk from the farmer's standpoint, we have to continue to work for our resources as a geologist I can help understand and share what our North Dakota geology is about." she says.

She says the technologies in the oilfield are constantly evolving and advancing.

 "By nature in this industry it will be an ongoing improvements, what we're doing today, we're going to be doing different three years from now, three months from now, we're doing things better than we did a year ago." says Neset.

Neset's business currently has more than 70 crews on-site, mostly in the Williston basin.

They are usually at a well site for three to four weeks at a time.