In eastern Montana, the Bakken Formation is an important source of oil and natural gas. Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing play a critical role in the successful production of Montana's largest oil reservoir. To address requests from citizens concerned with increased development and new development practices, DNRC provided funding to the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, the Montana Salinity Control Association, local Conservation Districts, and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality to characterize groundwater quality near current oil and gas development. Analyses included a wide range of organic constituents, isotopes of carbon and hydrogen of methane, and the standard inorganic constituent analysis.

A factsheet summarizing the findings of this project is available at this link:  Report of Groundwater Sampling Around Oil And Gas Development in Montana.

Additional information, laboratory results, and related studies can be found at the following website:  http://www.mbmg.mtech.edu/energy/energy_oileval.asp

Bureau of Mines Groundwater Information Center website:

http://mbmggwic.mtech.edu/