The advent of hydraulic fracturing and the ability to bore horizontal wells have changed the energy industry for better and worse since 2005. Advancements have dramatically increased the extraction of oil from shale, but the controversial process, commonly known as fracking, has transformed North Dakota’s Bakken into a major producer of oil that has affected global oil markets. In his thesis, Chad Stangeland, Assistant Chief for the Moorhead Fire Department, examines the following questions. What are the effects of unconventional shale oil exploration on local communities? How can they prepare for, prevent, mitigate, and recover from the socioeconomic impacts associated with shale oil exploration? How did what happened at the Bakken serve as a case study to evaluate the holistic impact of fracking on the environment and socioeconomics of local communities at the epicenter of shale oil production?
Chad Stangeland's thesis