Water truck in background is providing maintenance water to a producing well drilled in the Bakken Formation near Williston, North Dakota.
What are "technically recoverable" oil and gas resources?
“Technically recoverable” means that the oil and/or gas can be produced using currently available technology and industry practices. This is regardless of any economic or accessibility considerations.
For example, the technology required to produce oil from a location might exist, but it costs more than the oil is worth. The oil is still technically recoverable.
Learn more: USGS Energy Assessments
Related Content
Does the Bakken Formation contain more oil than Saudi Arabia?
Probably not. In 2000, the USGS assessed undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in Saudi Arabia at 87 billion barrels ( USGS 2000 World Petroleum Assessment ) compared to a mean estimate of 4.3 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable continuous oil in the Bakken and Three Forks formations ( USGS 2021 Bakken and Three Forks Assessment ). In addition, Saudi...
Well Drill in the Bakken Formation near Williston
Water truck in background is providing maintenance water to a producing well drilled in the Bakken Formation near Williston, North Dakota.
Bakken Drill Rig
A drill rig in the Bakken oil field in Stark County, western North Dakota.
A drill rig in the Bakken oil field in Stark County, western North Dakota.
Bakken Drill Rig
A drill rig in the Bakken oil field in Stark County, western North Dakota.
A drill rig in the Bakken oil field in Stark County, western North Dakota.
Bakken Drilling
Bakken drilling and completion activities at a well along Interstate-94, 6 miles east of Belfield, North Dakota.
Bakken drilling and completion activities at a well along Interstate-94, 6 miles east of Belfield, North Dakota.
Bakken Oil Well
Oil-well pads dotting the landscape of typical badland topography. Thousands of new wells are drilled into the Bakken and Three Forks annually, making this one of the most productive plays in the Nation.
Oil-well pads dotting the landscape of typical badland topography. Thousands of new wells are drilled into the Bakken and Three Forks annually, making this one of the most productive plays in the Nation.
Related Content
- FAQ
Does the Bakken Formation contain more oil than Saudi Arabia?
Probably not. In 2000, the USGS assessed undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in Saudi Arabia at 87 billion barrels ( USGS 2000 World Petroleum Assessment ) compared to a mean estimate of 4.3 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable continuous oil in the Bakken and Three Forks formations ( USGS 2021 Bakken and Three Forks Assessment ). In addition, Saudi...
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Well Drill in the Bakken Formation near Williston
Water truck in background is providing maintenance water to a producing well drilled in the Bakken Formation near Williston, North Dakota.
Water truck in background is providing maintenance water to a producing well drilled in the Bakken Formation near Williston, North Dakota.
Bakken Drill RigA drill rig in the Bakken oil field in Stark County, western North Dakota.
A drill rig in the Bakken oil field in Stark County, western North Dakota.
Bakken Drill RigA drill rig in the Bakken oil field in Stark County, western North Dakota.
A drill rig in the Bakken oil field in Stark County, western North Dakota.
Bakken DrillingBakken drilling and completion activities at a well along Interstate-94, 6 miles east of Belfield, North Dakota.
Bakken drilling and completion activities at a well along Interstate-94, 6 miles east of Belfield, North Dakota.
Bakken Oil WellOil-well pads dotting the landscape of typical badland topography. Thousands of new wells are drilled into the Bakken and Three Forks annually, making this one of the most productive plays in the Nation.
Oil-well pads dotting the landscape of typical badland topography. Thousands of new wells are drilled into the Bakken and Three Forks annually, making this one of the most productive plays in the Nation.
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