North Dakota oil drillers set new pumping record in 2011

BISMARCK, N.D. — Oil drillers in North Dakota produced a record 152.9 million barrels of crude in 2011, wjactv.com reported.

The numbers, reported Wednesday by the state Industrial Commission, are up by more than 35 percent and nearly 40 million more barrels than the previous record set in 2010.

The state also produced a record 155.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas in 2011, up from 113 billion cubic feet the year before, according to the story.

"We''ve really had a phenomenal growth rate and this blows previous years'' gains out of the water," said Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council.