As the Bakken heats up again, Williston, North Dakota prepares for more growth

Even as the bottom fell out of the Bakken boom, Shawn Wenko saw good news in the economic statistics for Williston, America’s fastest growing small city during the oil days.

True, more than 6,000 jobs had vanished along with the high oil prices in October 2014. That’s when overproduction put more crude on the world’s plate than it could possibly consume. The housing shortage, which had oilmen living in camper trailer villages and shipping container man camps, disappeared. The vacancy rate for apartments swelled to 40 percent. Restaurants experienced a 30 percent drop in business.

But something else happened, the oil workers who stayed started putting down roots, said Wenko, Williston’s Economic Development executive director. Now the crude is making a comeback and Williston is ready to roll again.

By TOM LUTEY [email protected]

Full Story: http://billingsgazette.com/news/as-the-bakken-heats-up-again-williston-prepares-for-more/article_a1f87308-00c6-5e91-b560-31459c6b822b.html