Watford City, N.D. – Sept. 17, 2025 – North Dakota’sโ natural gas industry โขcould seeโ important expansion โขdriven by โthe burgeoning demand for energy to โฃpower artificial intelligence data centers, Governor Doug Burgum indicated today at theโ North Dakota Petroleum Council annual meeting in Watford City. โขThe potential forโ 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 โขgrowth alongside landownerโ concerns and infrastructure strains. While the state has experienced recent increases in oil andโฃ gasโ activity, especially inโค counties likeโฃ Burke, lawmakers acknowledge a growing need to balance energy developmentโฃ with property rights and resourceโค management.
Rep. Craigโฃ Headland, R-Montpelier,โ 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 โขpanel discussion.
sen. Mark Enget, โคR-Powers Lake, emphasized the importance of respectful engagementโ with landowners.โ “North Dakota people are very reasonable. If โคyouโข talk toโข them respectfully and you work towards aโ solution and discussโ 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 โฃaccompanying growth in his home county of Burke, including school overcrowding, โinfrastructure wear โคand tear, and increasing concerns about water โresource depletion due to hydraulic fracturing. “It creates a problem where many ofโข 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 โcome โfrom.”
sen. Brad Bekkedahl, R-Williston, โpredicted that balancing infrastructure needs, property rights, and โคenergy developmentโค will be a key issue โฃin the upcoming legislativeโ session. “I think it’s going โto loom large in โthe next session,” Bekkedahlโข said.
(Photo byโ Jacob Orledge/North Dakota Monitor)