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North Dakota's big oil boom in a man's land: 'It's like capitalism on steroids' North Dakota's big oil boom in a man's land: 'It's like capitalism on steroids'
(about 1 hour later)
“You’re going to see it all there – gang banging, sex trafficking, gambling, drugs, all the dark stuff, they’ve ruined the place,” says the man on the front desk at the Super 8 Motel where we stop for the night en route from Fargo.“You’re going to see it all there – gang banging, sex trafficking, gambling, drugs, all the dark stuff, they’ve ruined the place,” says the man on the front desk at the Super 8 Motel where we stop for the night en route from Fargo.
The Bakken region has been at the heart of the latest oil boom since the early 2000s, when new technology enabled horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing to access minerals found in the layers of rock beneath the ground. It occupies 200,000 square miles, and stretches from Montana and North Dakota across into Saskatchewan and Manitoba in Canada.The Bakken region has been at the heart of the latest oil boom since the early 2000s, when new technology enabled horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing to access minerals found in the layers of rock beneath the ground. It occupies 200,000 square miles, and stretches from Montana and North Dakota across into Saskatchewan and Manitoba in Canada.
In the past five years, there has been a dramatic influx of people in North Dakota. Many of towns have become synonymous with the term “man camp”, as tens of thousands of men have arrived in search of work in the rigs, or to lay the pipeline. There’s a joke amongst them: “There’s a woman behind every tree in North Dakota ... it’s just that there aren’t any trees.” In the past five years, there has been a dramatic influx of people in North Dakota. Many towns have become synonymous with the term “man camp”, as tens of thousands of men have arrived in search of work in the rigs, or to lay the pipeline. There’s a joke amongst them: “There’s a woman behind every tree in North Dakota ... it’s just that there aren’t any trees.”
The infrastructure has struggled to keep up with the demand for housing and the prices for accommodation have soared. Amy Rainey, who works in sales and marketing for North Dakota Housing, says that “lots of people are selling because of the growth. They bought into a farming community and it’s really not. The Holiday Inn ... that went up faster than anything.”The infrastructure has struggled to keep up with the demand for housing and the prices for accommodation have soared. Amy Rainey, who works in sales and marketing for North Dakota Housing, says that “lots of people are selling because of the growth. They bought into a farming community and it’s really not. The Holiday Inn ... that went up faster than anything.”
Williston has been a farming town since the mid 1900s, when many Norwegians arrived in the region to profit from The Homestead Acts, which allowed new settlers to own some land at little or no cost. Williston has been a farming town since the mid-1900s, when many Norwegians arrived in the region to profit from the Homestead Acts, which allowed new settlers to own some land at little or no cost.
When we visit, downtown Williston was celebrating Norwegian Constitution Day with traditional music and cakes. There, local resident Adrienne Stepaneck acknowledges that the oil is a blessing. “I try to be positive, I know so many millionaires, I can be generous to my children and grandchildren. It’s progress. I own minerals, we get cheques, I try to use them in good ways.”When we visit, downtown Williston was celebrating Norwegian Constitution Day with traditional music and cakes. There, local resident Adrienne Stepaneck acknowledges that the oil is a blessing. “I try to be positive, I know so many millionaires, I can be generous to my children and grandchildren. It’s progress. I own minerals, we get cheques, I try to use them in good ways.”
Ward Koeser, the ex-mayor of Williston, shows us a jar of the Bakken crude oil. It has a light, watery consistency. “They have a 99% success rate for extraction,” he says proudly, and they are producing 1,000 barrels a day in North Dakota.Ward Koeser, the ex-mayor of Williston, shows us a jar of the Bakken crude oil. It has a light, watery consistency. “They have a 99% success rate for extraction,” he says proudly, and they are producing 1,000 barrels a day in North Dakota.
“The oil boom came, and the city embraced it.”“The oil boom came, and the city embraced it.”
In search of opportunities that don’t exist back homeIn search of opportunities that don’t exist back home
On the drive from Williston to Watford, there are new roads stretching across the plains, and more are being built. Traffic cones divide up the highway and workmen slow traffic, whilst others lay the new surfaces. There is a regular and constant stream of trucks and lorries transporting oil, sand and water for the fracking process.On the drive from Williston to Watford, there are new roads stretching across the plains, and more are being built. Traffic cones divide up the highway and workmen slow traffic, whilst others lay the new surfaces. There is a regular and constant stream of trucks and lorries transporting oil, sand and water for the fracking process.
Jason Kane, a pipeline worker from Arizona, arrived two years ago after his wife ran off with his son’s soccer coach. Because he needs to pay off his debts, Jason works six days a week. He tells me he’d work Sundays, too, if he could. He wears a yellow gas monitor at all times, attached to his shirt, when out on the patch. “If you smell rotten eggs briefly, as soon as you don’t smell it anymore you’re dead,” he warns.Jason Kane, a pipeline worker from Arizona, arrived two years ago after his wife ran off with his son’s soccer coach. Because he needs to pay off his debts, Jason works six days a week. He tells me he’d work Sundays, too, if he could. He wears a yellow gas monitor at all times, attached to his shirt, when out on the patch. “If you smell rotten eggs briefly, as soon as you don’t smell it anymore you’re dead,” he warns.
It is hard to find exact figures for how many men there are to every woman as the census records don’t tend to record the more transient population in the region, but in 2013 Bloomberg stats estimated that there were approximately 148.3 males per 100 females aged 25-33 in the region.It is hard to find exact figures for how many men there are to every woman as the census records don’t tend to record the more transient population in the region, but in 2013 Bloomberg stats estimated that there were approximately 148.3 males per 100 females aged 25-33 in the region.
Jennifer Josephson is the first woman I meet there. “I came up here as a single woman with a toddler,” she says. When they arrived, Jennifer was working for an oil company but she now works in sales and marketing for a housing firm. Like most people I’ve met, she sometimes works a second job, doing shifts in one of the new hotel’s bars downtown. “You can earn up to $400 of tips in a night,” she says.Jennifer Josephson is the first woman I meet there. “I came up here as a single woman with a toddler,” she says. When they arrived, Jennifer was working for an oil company but she now works in sales and marketing for a housing firm. Like most people I’ve met, she sometimes works a second job, doing shifts in one of the new hotel’s bars downtown. “You can earn up to $400 of tips in a night,” she says.
When I ask her about being a woman up here she tells me: “You get hit on in the grocery store, at the gas station or if you go home from the bar you have to ride in a cab with like 10 guys ... there are so many men that want your attention, they’re so lonely and needy, I don’t blame them.” She goes on, “I’ll be honest, I don’t go outside my apartment at night, I always think what if I did become missing, who would even notice?” When I ask her about being a woman up here she tells me: “You get hit on in the grocery store, at the gas station or if you go home from the bar you have to ride in a cab with like 10 guys ... there are so many men that want your attention, they’re so lonely and needy, I don’t blame them.” She goes on: “I’ll be honest, I don’t go outside my apartment at night – I always think, what if I did become missing, who would even notice?”
She has managed to save $7,000 in less than a year but is torn about her future here, too. She wants a good life for her daughter and she knows there is money to be made, but being a woman makes things harder. During our trip, Jennifer told us she was stalked and harassed by her boyfriend, who has since been arrested and charged; he is now awaiting trial. She admitted that this wasn’t the first time her boyfriend, an oil worker, had been charged with grievous bodily harm.She has managed to save $7,000 in less than a year but is torn about her future here, too. She wants a good life for her daughter and she knows there is money to be made, but being a woman makes things harder. During our trip, Jennifer told us she was stalked and harassed by her boyfriend, who has since been arrested and charged; he is now awaiting trial. She admitted that this wasn’t the first time her boyfriend, an oil worker, had been charged with grievous bodily harm.
The fall in oil pricesThe fall in oil prices
David King’s business renting out RVs at the park has been affected by the fall in oil prices. “More people are leaving Watford City and there is less demand for housing than there was a year ago,” he tells me. He currently rents his RVs out for $1,600 a month, but says that they are usually short term lets these days. He has a total of 300 for rent, but is currently in the process of getting rid of 20: “they’ve been destroyed by their previous tenants, one was left with dog feces all over it, you always get drug addicts, meth is a big problem.” David King’s business renting out RVs at the park has been affected by the fall in oil prices. “More people are leaving Watford City and there is less demand for housing than there was a year ago,” he tells me. He currently rents his RVs out for $1,600 a month, but says that they are usually short-term lets these days. He has a total of 300 for rent, but is currently in the process of getting rid of 20: “They’ve been destroyed by their previous tenants; one was left with dog feces all over it, you always get drug addicts, meth is a big problem.”
For some, this slow down is welcome. Sean Wenko, head of economic development for Williston, says that it is “giving Williston an opportunity to catch up”. The city is rightly proud of the $72,000,000 recreational centre that has recently opened. There’s a full-sized Olympic running track, indoor pitches, a swimming pool and play areas for children. There’s also new retail property popping up downtown, including a multi-use $16,000,000 mall funded by investor Nancy Kapp from Chicago. For some, this slowdown is welcome. Sean Wenko, head of economic development for Williston, says that it is “giving Williston an opportunity to catch up”. The city is rightly proud of the $72m recreational centre that has recently opened. There’s a full-size Olympic running track, indoor pitches, a swimming pool and play areas for children. There’s also new retail property popping up downtown, including a multi-use $16m mall funded by investor Nancy Kapp from Chicago.
The Williston Brewery, a restaurant built last year, saw a $5,000,000 investment and Sean believes there is a sense of longevity in Williston this time. Developers are coming to town despite the slow down, and Main Street is seeing a complete regeneration from the sewers and drainage up to street level. The Williston Brewery, a restaurant built last year, saw a $5m investment and Sean believes there is a sense of longevity in Williston this time. Developers are coming to town despite the slowdown, and Main Street is seeing a complete regeneration from the sewers and drainage up to street level.
King mentions the new housing developments being built: “There is a big Shanghai development going up; it plans to house 2,000 people. Watford City only had a population of 1,700 people before the latest boom.” He is less positive about the development of these cities than Wenko: “All of a sudden, North Dakota is famous, like they just won the lottery and now they’re being stupid. It’s like capitalism on steroids up here. I am making a living, but I’m not a fan of big oil.”King mentions the new housing developments being built: “There is a big Shanghai development going up; it plans to house 2,000 people. Watford City only had a population of 1,700 people before the latest boom.” He is less positive about the development of these cities than Wenko: “All of a sudden, North Dakota is famous, like they just won the lottery and now they’re being stupid. It’s like capitalism on steroids up here. I am making a living, but I’m not a fan of big oil.”
But Travis Cooksey tells me how coming to Williston has turned his life around. Back home in California, he and his wife were living in an RV park with “IRS debt, navy debt and standard debt,” he had two weeks left in the military and no job to go to when they decided to make the move. In five years, Travis has paid off his debt and bought a three-bedroom house for his family. But Travis Cooksey tells me how coming to Williston has turned his life around. Back home in California, he and his wife were living in an RV park with “IRS debt, navy debt and standard debt”, he had two weeks left in the military and no job to go to when they decided to make the move. In five years, Travis has paid off his debt and bought a three-bedroom house for his family.
A frontier town and the wild westA frontier town and the wild west
Chuck Wilder, a local historian, runs the Broadway Bookshop. The shop is a local hub and people wander in and out to hear him speak, as much as buy the books. A couple of local men of Norwegian heritage sit in a booth, singing and playing the blues. There is a sense of the old town in here. Chuck shows a woman from the local paper some family memorabilia, an original letter written in 1887 by a young boy to his mother, informing her of the building of “a new town called Willisto”’. Chuck Wilder, a local historian, runs the Broadway Bookshop. The shop is a local hub and people wander in and out to hear him speak, as much as buy the books. A couple of local men of Norwegian heritage sit in a booth, singing and playing the blues. There is a sense of the old town in here. Chuck shows a woman from the local paper some family memorabilia, an original letter written in 1887 by a young boy to his mother, informing her of the building of “a new town called Williston”.
There’s a self-awareness in the bookshop, a sense of history and a deep connection with the land. This quiet cultured interior appears in stark contrast to the man-made world outside. And yet the shop, like this town, was also founded on opportunity and a desire for progress. For many, this is place is still temporary – a place to make a quick buck before heading home. But this approach is becoming harder with the slow down: people are finding it harder to get work in oil and more people are turning to service jobs, which are growing fast to provide for the rapidly increasing population. There’s a self-awareness in the bookshop, a sense of history and a deep connection with the land. This quiet, cultured interior appears in stark contrast to the man-made world outside. And yet the shop, like this town, was also founded on opportunity and a desire for progress. For many this is place is still temporary – a place to make a quick buck before heading home. But this approach is becoming harder with the slowdown: people are finding it more difficult to get work in oil and more people are turning to service jobs, which are growing fast to provide for the rapidly increasing population.
Whilst up here, I’ve heard this place described as, “a frontier town and the wild west” on numerous occasions. But whilst drugs, prostitution and crime are an inevitable issue in a male-dominated community starved of women and “normal” relationships, the place I have found is much more subtle and complex than what I’d expected. I’ve been surprised by the positivity individuals have expressed, and the desire to take control of their lives through hard work. Whilst up here, I’ve heard this place described as “a frontier town” and “the wild west” on numerous occasions. But whilst drugs, prostitution and crime are an inevitable issue in a male-dominated community starved of women and “normal” relationships, the place I have found is much more subtle and complex than what I’d expected. I’ve been surprised by the positivity individuals have expressed, and the desire to take control of their lives through hard work.
North Dakota is not an easy place to reach by land or air and yet people have been making the journey here since the early 1900s, in search of opportunity and better lives. It occurs to me that the people who’ve created these towns across generations have all shared a sense of hope and aspiration – and it is these values upon which America was founded. North Dakota is not an easy place to reach by land or air, and yet people have been making the journey here since the early 1900s, in search of opportunity and better lives. It occurs to me that the people who’ve created these towns across generations have all shared a sense of hope and aspiration – and it is these values upon which America was founded.