North Dakota Continues To Produce More Oil - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

North Dakota continues to produce more oil.

In October the state produced more than 747,000 barrels of oil, up nearly 18,000 more from September.

However, the number of rigs continues to drop, but that isn't stopping the Bakken from producing more oil.

"We're expecting that by the middle of next year, we should be at around 830,000 barrels a day, and sometime between then and the end of next year, 850,000, so we expect those barrels to continue marching on up," Helms said.

Better drill bits, and drilling systems are increasing efficiency.

While there might be less rigs, the rigs are drilling more oil than before.

"They've now moved drilling efficiencies to where they can expect to get one well, per rig, per month, a year a go that was ten wells, per year out of a rig, they're now getting 12 wells," Helms said.

Rigs are also becoming more mobile, which helps the state produce more oil.

Helms says currently 50% of rigs can walk in the Bakken, which means they can move from drill site to drill site.

He says by the end of 2013 around 75% of rigs will be walking rigs.