Bill Dunkelberg (right) responds to Jason Spiess (left)

Interview: Tony Clark, Chairman F.E.R.C.; Public Service Brian Kalk , Ken DeCubellis, CEO, of Black Ridge Oil and Gas, Dr. Bill Dunkelberg, chief economist, National Federation Independent Business. 

Building the Bakken Radio Episode 1 Segment 3: Bakken Energy: Is There a Natural Gas Boom in the Bakken?

Former North Dakota Public Service Commissioner Tony Clark called natural gas in the Bakken a “real wild card.” Current Public Service Brian Kalk agrees. Ken DeCubellis, CEO, of Black Ridge Oil and Gas gives his views on whether natural gas is a boom or not.

Mr. DeCubellis posses over 20 years of executive experience in a broad range of energy industries including 10 years at Exxon Mobil Corp and most recently as President and CEO of Altra Inc, a venture capital backed biofuels company. Mr. DeCubellis also previously served as Chairman of KD Global Energy, Belize Ltd, a firm that provides upstream technical and geological services to petroleum lease holders in Belize. Mr. DeCubellis received an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University in 1996 and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1990.

Tony Clark, chariman of F.E.R.C. (left). Photo by Jason Spiess

Mr. DeCubellis said there is a natural gas play in the Bakken, but he would not call it a boom. The reason the gas coming out of the Bakken is so attractive is because it is a wet gas. Wet gas sells at a premium. DeCubellis said Dow and Exxon want ethane, which is a precursor for plastics and other petroleum products. The petrochemical industry is projected to invest $30 billion of capacity expansion to get access to the natural gas.

DeCubellis said flaring is an issue, but technology is being developed to capture that gas and reduce flaring.

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