Bakken explained.

BASICALLY, FIRST SUCCESSFUL BAKKEN RANGE WELL IN 2000.  THE BAKKEN IS A MILE OR TWO DEEP, WHICH IS EASY FOR DRILLING BUT THE OIL BEARING LAYERS AVERAGE ONLY 125 FEET THICK.   THEY ALSO HAVE ONLY 5% PERMEABILITY (THINK OF CLAY SOIL LAND WITH POOR DRAINAGE, SAND IS EXCELLENT DRAINAGE) .  BAKKEN NEEDS $40 TO $50 BENCHMARK CRUDE OIL PRICES TO COVER COSTS. (CHECK!)  

THE NEXT IS HORIZONTAL DRILLING.  AFTER TWO YEARS THIS IS STILL "MAGIC' TO ME BUT IT WORKS.  A 90 DEGREE QUARTER TURN IS TYPICALLY A 600 FOOT RADIUS.  TO VISUALIZE THIN OF A FULL-SIZE FREEWAY "CLOVERLEAF WHERE YOU TAKE THE OUTSIDE 90 DEGREE TURN, LET'S SAY NORTH TO EAST.  THAT IS CLOSE TO OUR PIPE CURVE.   THEY CAN GO HORIZONTAL SOMETIMES WITH MULTIPLE HORIZONTAL PIPES.

THE THIRD FACTOR IS "FRACKING" WHICH IS BASICALLY LIKE CLEANING OUT CLOGGED DRAIN PIPES.  LIKE OUR DROUGHT AND FLOODED RIVERS THE ANCIENT INLAND SEAS IN THE BAKKEN GOT A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FLOW RATES AND DIFFERENT SEDIMENTS.  EVERY 600,000 YEARS WHAT IS NOW YELLOWSTONE PARK WOULD EXPLODE SENDING AN AREA THE SIZE FOR THE TWIN CITIES METRO INTO THE AIR.  WILLISTON MIGHT GET SIX FEET OF ASH JUST FROM THE AIR.  EVERY TWO MILLION YEARS YELLOWSTONE WOULD HAVE A "BIG BANG".  THIS AIRBORN ASH MAKES MAKES A GOOD TOP SEAL CLAY (REMEMBER A LOT MORE OF IT ENTERS DUE TO EROSION).  IT DOES TEND TO PERMEATE INTO ROCK MUCH LIKE GREASE GETS INTO A DRAIN PIPE.  

BASICALLY HOT WATER AND SURFACENTS (BASICALLY SOAP) CAN SOFTEN AND REMOVE THE CLAY THAT GETS IN THIS OIL BEARING ROCK.  THAT AND SOME WATER PRESSURE OPENS GAPS IN THE OIL BEARING LAYERS.  IT'S RATHER LIKE USING THE HOSE AND EXPANDING BULB TO CLEAN YOUR DRAIN PIPES.  THIS IS REPLACE BY SAND OR AN ARTIFICIAL SAND CALLED 'PROPPANTS, WHICH ARE BASICALLY CERAMIC ARTIFICIAL SAND.

THE PROCESS IS COSTLY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE BOOM-TOWN SITUATION BUT IT IS GETTING MORE EFFICIENT WITH TIME AND EVERYTHING OVER $40-50 PER BARREL IS BASICALLY GRAVY.  THERE IS A "BALLPARK-NUMBER" THAT A BAKKEN WELL CAN RECOVER COSTS IN THREE YEARS.  IT CAN PRODUCE FOR THREE DECADES OR MORE SO THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A LOT OF "GRAVY".  

AS TO TOTAL DEPOSITS JUST IN THE BAKKEN THEY COULD CONCEIVABLY BE FIVE TIMES SAUDI ARABIA.  SAUDI ARABIA IS IN DECLINE, WITH HIGHLY PERMEABLE SAND IN THE GWAR FIELD.  WHEN LIBYA WAS CUT OFF SAUDI ARABIA COULD NOT REPLACE THE "LIGHT SWEET CRUDE" THE POORLY UPDATED EUROPEAN REFINERIES RELIED ON.  I READ ALL THE LINKED TECHNICAL REPORTS AND SOME SINKS IN.  THE BAKKEN PROCESS IS APPLICABLE TO MUCH OF THE WORLD INCLUDING MY FAVORITE FOREIGN COUNTY ISRAEL.  IT CAN ATTONE FOR MOSES "FORGETTING" TO PUT OIL IN THE ONE PLACE THAT THE JEWS CHOSE AS "THE PROMISED LAND".

I TOOK ON THE SYMBIONESE LIBERATION ARMY AND WITH THE HELP OF MANY WON THE FIGHT.  I HAVE THE REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT.  I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS REVOLUTIONARY.  WITH THE AID OF OUR CANADIAN ALLIES NORTH AMERICA CAN BE ENERGY INDEPENDENT IN A DECADE.  FOR TWO CENTURIES CANADA HAS ONLY DRAWN AMERICAN BLOOD IN COMBAT ON THE HOCKEY RINK.