North Dakota’s natural gas hits all-time high
M.K. French
Farmer Staff Writer
Despite a slight seasonal dip in crude production, North Dakota’s energy sector delivered a powerful performance in September 2025, capped by a historic surge in natural gas output and steady operational activity. The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources (NDDMR), in its recent Director’s Cut presentation on November 21, released production data showing that while oil output saw a marginal month-over-month decrease, natural gas volumes reached an all-time high.
According to the DMR, September oil production totaled 34,977,977 barrels, averaging 1,165,930 barrels per day. Director Nathan Anderson stated that compared to the previous month, “We had a very, very slight dip, less than a half percent down.” Despite this small decrease, the overall figures were positive. “Both numbers are above revenue forecast,” Anderson noted, clarifying that the daily production was 1.38 percent above the state’s revenue forecast of 1.15 million barrels per day. The state’s oil output continues to be heavily reliant on the Bakken formation, which accounts for 97.5 percent of North Dakota’s total production.
The standout performer for the month was natural gas, with the state setting a new record on a per-day basis. “The state’s gas production came in at an all-time high this month on a per day basis,” Anderson reported. Total gas production for the 30-day month of September was 107.4 BCF, or 3.579 BCF per day. This represents a 1.27 percent increase on a per-day basis compared to August.
On the critical measure of environmental performance, the state’s gas capture rate remained strong, consistently “well above 95 percent”. However, flaring volumes did increase by 4.69 million standard cubic feet per day to 168.5 million standard cubic feet per day. This uptick was attributed in part to significant natural gas transmission pipeline maintenance and upgrade work tied to the Bison Expansion Project, which reduced capacity outbound from the basin for nearly all of September.
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