State issuing more oil drilling permits

Story Published: Jul 23, 2012 at 11:01 AM MDT

Story Updated: Jul 23, 2012 at 11:01 AM MDT

HELENA, Mont. (AP) ? Montana is on pace to issue a record number of oil drilling permits this year while natural gas development has nearly come to a halt.

The Montana Board of Oil and Gas says the state issued 228 oil permits through June, on more than it issued in all of last year. If interest continues, the state could exceed the record number of 311 oil drilling permits issued in 2005.

Meanwhile, Montana Petroleum Association executive director Dave Galt tells the Great Falls Tribune (http://bit.ly/MiVNiL ) that natural gas drilling has fallen well off.

The state has issued just one gas permit in 2012 and hasn't issued a new coal-bed methane permit in more than two years, likely due to low natural gas prices.

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Information from: Great Falls Tribune, http://www.greatfallstribune.com

Source: http://www.kulr8.com/news/state/163407006.html

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