| The Bakken Formation has generated attention due to its substantial role in the recent surge in US domestic oil production. However there may be significant problems in extrapolating past successes because production is not distributed equally, but is concentrated in "sweet spots." These sweet spots are saturated with wells, and some productive fields are declining already. If we are to maintain a consistent or increasing level of production from more marginal areas, an increasing number of wells must be drilled. As the most attractive areas for exploration and production appear already to have been drilled, new fields are likely to be less energetically and economically profitable. I analyze current and future production using the Energy Return on Investment (EROI) metric, a ratio of energy outputs over energy inputs. My results indicate that EROISTND for the sweet spot Parshall Field is 63:1 and the more energy cost-inclusive EROIFIN is 9:1. |
