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Oil Booms in North Dakota


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Williston District #8 has voted to transition from a K-8 school district to a K-12 one. District #8, which includes much of southern Williams County and even some of Williston's newer subdivions, will have a build a new HS rather than send their kids to WHS.

That's big news.

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That's big news.

District 8 will probably build a middle school first that will house 7-12, and then build a HS later. Right now, District 8 would only have about 200 in HS, but if Willston keeps growing, the District would swell.

None of this compares to West Fargo. After opening Sheyenne, enrollment projectioms are that WF will need a 3rd HS in a couple years. It may soon be the biggest school district in ND.

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  • 2 weeks later...

http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/news/education/3683313-future-proofing-south-heart-public-school-board-discusses-options-growth

 

Apparently, South Heart schools are in for quite a growth spurt, as developments just west of Dickinson are in that school district.  Those planned developments could add 2800 students to the district within 10 years.  South Heart schools would be around the size of Mandan if it happens.  South Heart would probably suspend its coop with Belfield, which will see growth too.

 

In the next ten years, a number of schools could qualify as Class A enrollments, especially where diesel refineries are coming in:   Stanley, Berthold, and even the Alexander district.  Tioga has a lot going on there with Hess.  Killdeer will see more nat gas plants.  Ray, New Town, and maybe even Crosby have seen spillover with significant job growth.  Some of the districts around Minot are seeing big growth:  DL-Burlington, Surrey, South Prairie, and Nedrose are all getting major housing developments. Watford City and Williston District 8 will probably be very large schools.  Some really small districts like Parshall and Makoti-North Shore will grow a lot because of a diesel refinery between those small towns.  There might be a time when a third class should be started with schools of 200-600, so Wahpeton, Valley City, Devils Lake and Belcourt don't have to be in with high schools several times larger..

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  • 3 weeks later...

http://www.wsj.com/articles/oil-boom-swells-north-dakota-town-what-now-1426628879

 

Apparently, the WSJ is concerned about Watford City's future.   Oil prices might be going even lower, as massive tanks at Cushing, Ok, the key storage location in the US, might fill up, forcing upstream wells to shut down.  But the summer driving season is just about upon us, which will cause an uptick in oil consumption.

 

OneOK is still building gas processing plants outside of Watford City.  They have postponed a $600 mill plant east of Watford City. but there are building three other ones and three are operating.  If the polyethylene plant ever gets off the ground, OneOKs plants will need to be modified to produce pure ethane, which would be a major undertaking.  Think Watford City is less risky than Williston.

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http://www.wsj.com/articles/oil-boom-swells-north-dakota-town-what-now-1426628879

 

Apparently, the WSJ is concerned about Watford City's future.   Oil prices might be going even lower, as massive tanks at Cushing, Ok, the key storage location in the US, might fill up, forcing upstream wells to shut down.  But the summer driving season is just about upon us, which will cause an uptick in oil consumption.

 

OneOK is still building gas processing plants outside of Watford City.  They have postponed a $600 mill plant east of Watford City. but there are building three other ones and three are operating.  If the polyethylene plant ever gets off the ground, OneOKs plants will need to be modified to produce pure ethane, which would be a major undertaking.  Think Watford City is less risky than Williston.

 

What I find interesting is that a lot of outsiders are investing in the area, and local residents are cashing in and getting out. Regardless of the summer driving season, the 800 lb gorilla in the global oil markets is Saudi Arabia and they probably won't decrease their production anytime soon since they are squeezing Iran, higher cost producers including shale players, and probably Russia.  

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What I find interesting is that a lot of outsiders are investing in the area, and local residents are cashing in and getting out. Regardless of the summer driving season, the 800 lb gorilla in the global oil markets is Saudi Arabia and they probably won't decrease their production anytime soon since they are squeezing Iran, higher cost producers including shale players, and probably Russia.

Most companies in the patch aren't laying off, but there are reducing work weeks from 80 hrs to 40. No overtime pay, so people won't have so much spending money. Still some major hiring, but for retail and other services. The rents will have to come down or people will leave.

There are now some people predicting a major turn in oil prices up after the summer. But seems like oil will be down for years.

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