Industrial Commission awards nearly $6.3 million in funding for Oil and Gas Research, including $2.57 million for Clean Natural Gas Capture and Emissions Reduction Project

The North Dakota Industrial Commission has recently greenlit nearly $6.3 million in grants aimed at boosting oil and gas production in the state. This funding, sourced entirely from oil and gas taxes, supports innovative research projects, including advanced techniques for reducing flaring and enhancing well production. With a focus on both energy development and environmental responsibility, these investments highlight the state’s ongoing commitment to optimizing its natural resources. The next grant application deadline is set for June 1, 2025. For more details, visit their website. The full news release is below.

— OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE —

BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Industrial Commission, consisting of Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Attorney General Drew Wrigley and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, approved nearly $6.3 million in matching grants during its 61^st grant round of the Oil and Gas Research Program.

The Oil and Gas Research Program was established in 2007 to provide grants for projects that enhance the production of oil and natural gas in North Dakota. The program is funded entirely by oil and gas production and extraction taxes. In the 68^th Legislative Assembly of North Dakota, the legislature also dedicated $3 million of oil and gas production and extraction taxes to implement its Clean Natural Gas Capture and Emissions Reduction Program, providing incentive payments for projects which capture natural gas which would have otherwise been flared.   

“Our investments in oil and gas research represent the state’s commitment to innovation and the responsible development of our abundant energy resources,” the Commission said in a joint statement. “We are grateful for the energy industry’s continued investments in innovation and its focus on the potential to unlock even greater opportunities for energy development in the state.”

The approved Oil and Gas Research projects include:

• $2,566,341 to EERC for “Breaking New Ground in Flaring Reduction”
• $1 million to Cobra Oil & Gas Corporation for “Maximizing Lateral Well Oil Production from Conventional Carbonate Mission Canyon Reservoirs in North Dakota”
• An additional $930,245 to North Dakota Petroleum Foundation to further its work on their Outreach and Education Program
• $1.8 million to EERC for “Injection Testing with Propane to Inform Future Bakken CO₂ EOR Pilot”

The next submission deadline for the Oil and Gas Research Program is June 1, 2025. More information about the program may be found on the Industrial Commission’s website at [https://www.ndic.nd.gov](https://www.ndic.nd.gov/).