North Dakota Pushes EOR to Tap 85% Trapped Bakken Reserves Under Trump Policy

North Dakota is accelerating Enhanced Oil Recovery projects, especially CO2-based gas injection and CCUS, to unlock as much as 85% of remaining Bakken crude after sweet spots deplete. The state leverages the current federal policy window under the Trump administration to fast-track deployment, with majors Exxon and Occidental already operating infrastructure and Denbury’s 1,300-mile pipeline network now under Exxon. Bakken breakevens near $60 per barrel make project economics critical; successful scale-up could lift U.S. supply from mature fields and pressure futures while shifting investment toward midstream CO2 transport.