Where the Jobs Are: The Amazing Oil Boom of Blessing in North Dakota

Aimee Herd : Nov 21, 2011
Harry Smith, Brian Williams - Rock Center, MSNBC

"…step out in faith, because it's here. This is where opportunity is, in Williston, North Dakota."

(Williston, ND)—All over the country there are many people out of work. Storefronts lie empty with "For Lease" signs posted; houses are vacant with foreclosure signs on the front lawn.

Job outlooks seem bleak all over…that is, except in the northwest part of North Dakota.

The town of Williston is experiencing an incredible boom, and is growing exponentially with employers scrambling to find workers. That's right, there are jobs there—LOTS of them!

Why? Oil.

Lying deep underneath parts of North Dakota, Montana and even Saskatchewan is about 200,000 square miles of oil-rich rock known as the Bakken Formation. Although it was discovered back in 1951, efforts to extract the oil from the rock were extremely difficult and mostly unproductive. (Photo: MSNBC)

However, with the introduction of a new process known as "fracking"—artificially fracturing the rock with high pressure water causing it to release the oil—drilling has taken off and so has the need for more workers.

Current estimates say there is at least 24 billion barrels of oil available in the Bakken Formation and possibly much more.

In a video aired on Rock Center with Brian Williams, reporter Harry Smith details some of the incredible opportunities to be had in Williston. He calls it an oil "boom so big it's gushing jobs by the thousands."

"The starting salary for truck drivers is $80,000 a year," says Smith adding, "you can make $15 per hour at Taco John's. In town, or in the oil fields, if you're willing to work, the money is here."

In just five years the town's population has doubled in size.

"We have 2,000 to 3,000 job openings here and more come on the scene every day," noted Williston Mayor Ward Koeser. (Photo: MSNBC)

The MSNBC video highlights the pursuit of several job seekers who—out of desperation—found a way to get to Williston from thousands of miles away. By the end of the video, all three had gotten jobs.

It's not surprising to me that this blessing has been uncovered and tapped in this corner of the US, at such a desperately needed time. I believe there are many more hidden blessings to be uncovered in this country; whether through the ground, or through the creativity of the people who walk on the ground—I don't think God is through with America.

Although I know it's not referring specifically to oil formations in the Bible, we know that "every good gift comes down from the Father of Lights"—the Lord—and with that in mind, these seem like fitting verses…

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings. (Prov. 25:2)

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law. (Deut. 29:29)

Follow the link provided to watch the video report on the remarkable oil boom in Williston.