The Public Service Commission has approved the expansion of an existing natural gas processing plant north of Killdeer.
OneOK’s Bear Creek plant will increase its capacity from 80 million cubic feet per day to 175 million cubic feet per day.
There are five projects underway or pending to expand or build gas processing in the Bakken.
"It's a major, major increase in North Dakota's gas processing capabilities," said PSC Chairman Randy Christmann. "It's going to take trucks off the road, reduce flaring and enhance the value of our gas production."
"Those projects represent over $1 billion in economic development," said Commissioner Brian Kroshus.
Kroshus said what’s driving it is the continued increase in natural gas production – at a time where companies face new flaring restrictions that take effect in the fourth quarter of this year. Flaring is to be down to 12 percent.
"They have to hit that, of they can't continue to put new wells in," Kroshus said.
OneOK is hoping to have the expansion completed by August, at a cost of about $100 million.
