Watford City, N.D. – Sept. 17, 2025 – North Dakota’s natural gas industry could see important expansion driven by the burgeoning demand for energy to power artificial intelligence data centers, Governor Doug Burgum indicated today at the North Dakota Petroleum Council annual meeting in Watford City. The potential for new markets comes as energy developers in the state face increasing challenges securing land access for pipelines and infrastructure.
The governor’s comments arrive as North Dakota navigates a period of energy growth alongside landowner concerns and infrastructure strains. While the state has experienced recent increases in oil and gas activity, especially in counties like Burke, lawmakers acknowledge a growing need to balance energy development with property rights and resource management.
Rep. Craig Headland, R-Montpelier, highlighted the difficulty in obtaining easements for essential energy infrastructure. “The public good doesn’t seem to matter like it used to,” Headland said during a lawmaker panel discussion.
sen. Mark Enget, R-Powers Lake, emphasized the importance of respectful engagement with landowners. “North Dakota people are very reasonable. If you talk to them respectfully and you work towards a solution and discuss it in a way that resonates and makes sense to them, there’s a way through it,” he stated.
however, Enget also pointed to challenges accompanying growth in his home county of Burke, including school overcrowding, infrastructure wear and tear, and increasing concerns about water resource depletion due to hydraulic fracturing. “It creates a problem where many of our water resources in the county are really being drawn down,” Enget said. “So I worry about the longer term and if we see more and more activity, where all of that water is going to come from.”
sen. Brad Bekkedahl, R-Williston, predicted that balancing infrastructure needs, property rights, and energy development will be a key issue in the upcoming legislative session. “I think it’s going to loom large in the next session,” Bekkedahl said.
(Photo by Jacob Orledge/North Dakota Monitor)