Interview: Richard Wardner, Senator Majority Leader of North Dakota
In this interview, Wardner discusses the importance of Hub City support and financing in the Bakken. After explaining the genesis of “Hub Cities”, Wardner describes how the drop in oil prices caused a shortfall in revenue to some local communities.
In addition, Wardner talks about how the infrastructure development of the past several years allowed for some catch-up, but with the next phase of gas gathering plants and other major facilities, other infrastructure in Western ND will be upgraded.
Wardner stressed the “quality of life” push in the state too. The change in energy employment and how companies are harvesting the resource has created an entirely new environment for workers in the oil and gas industry.
According to Wardner, one of the biggest drivers of this new age of energy is technology. From the research to the field, Wardner says technology is impacting the Bakken on so many levels, it is arguably driving the new workforce.
