Special assignments photographer Harold Rolfsrud turned in this fine work today. It's the oil rig drilling away on the Rolfsrud homestead over the Bakken Shale play in western North Dakota. They've been at it since August 1.
She had no idea they were farming above what some geologists believe is a larger oil reserve than Saudi Arabia.
Harold is her grandson and lives with his extended family just down the road from these photos. The homestead was abandoned years ago.
There are dozens of wells in the vicinity. Higher oil prices and new technology have made these old fields interesting to the oil companies again.
This site was homesteaded by our grandparents, Rebecca (Heide) and Nils Rolfsrud about a hundred years ago, beginning a tussle with the land that continues today. The equipment is located just a stone's throw from Clear Creek, where Rebecca stopped with other pioneers, washed her handkerchief and decided this was the place to call home.
She had no idea they were farming above what some geologists believe is a larger oil reserve than Saudi Arabia.
Harold is her grandson and lives with his extended family just down the road from these photos. The homestead was abandoned years ago. (Nice work on the photos, Harold. If this farming thing doesn't work out, there may be an opportunity for you...)
