HEADLINE: “Jason Spiess and Bakken Grow up Together”

By Stephen Heins

Jason Spiess and Bakken Grow up Together

By Stephen Heins

Jason Spiess has played a significant role in the development of the Bakken oil and gas region over the last decade, primarily as a multimedia journalist, broadcaster, and advocate for the energy industry. Through his platform, The Crude Life, and various radio programs, podcasts, and community initiatives, Spiess has shaped the narrative around the Bakken by highlighting its economic, social, and environmental impacts.

Below is a detailed overview of his contributions based on available information:

1. Media Coverage and Storytelling

The Crude Life: Spiess founded The Crude Life, a multimedia platform that includes radio broadcasts, podcasts, and online content focused on the oil and gas industry, with a particular emphasis on the Bakken formation in North Dakota and Montana. Since 2012, The Crude Life has been broadcasting on radio stations across five states and two countries, reaching a wide audience through platforms like iTunes, YouTube, and social media with over 300,000 followers.

Spiess has interviewed industry leaders, scientists, politicians, and community members, providing in-depth discussions on topics such as technological innovations, infrastructure development, and the socio-economic impacts of the Bakken boom. His interviews cover critical issues like horizontal drilling, environmental reclamation, and workforce housing.

His reporting shifted from an initially critical stance to a balanced perspective after engaging with landowners and industry workers, emphasizing the industry’s role in economic growth and community development.

Radio Programs: Spiess hosts several programs, including Building the Bakken, MonDak OilField Review, and Coffee & Capitalism, which are distributed across 25 radio stations. These programs focus on the Bakken’s growth, from rig counts to community events, and have been instrumental in keeping the public informed about industry trends.

For example, his 2017 interview with petroleum geologist Art Berman on The Crude Life podcast highlighted early signs of Bakken production depletion, sparking discussions on sustainable development.

Bakken Breakout Magazine: Spiess contributed to Bakken Breakout Magazine, covering topics like technology advancements, data sharing, land reclamation, and investment opportunities in the Bakken. His articles helped educate investors and the public about the region’s potential and challenges.

2. Advocacy for Industry and Community

Promoting Economic Opportunities: Spiess has consistently highlighted the Bakken’s economic contributions, such as job creation and infrastructure investments. In a 2014 article for the Bismarck Tribune, he reported on MDU’s $70 million investment in utilities to support Bakken growth, underscoring the region’s economic vitality.

His interviews with entrepreneurs like Brian Hymel, who developed real estate projects like Five Diamonds Industrial Park, showcased how the Bakken attracted new businesses and infrastructure.

Community Engagement: Spiess has been involved in community events that bridge the oil and gas industry with local residents. He has promoted and performed at the Bakken BBQ, an annual event in Dickinson, ND, that raises funds for Make-A-Wish North Dakota, fostering goodwill between the industry and communities.

His coverage of events like the Bakken Classic Fishing Derby, organized by the North Dakota Petroleum Foundation, highlights the industry’s role in supporting conservation and community initiatives.

Youth and Education: Through The Crude Life, Spiess has engaged younger audiences by discussing opportunities in the oil and gas industry. His Kids and Capitalism initiative mentors youth, emphasizing the industry’s potential for career development.

3. Environmental and Sustainability Initiatives

The Industrial Forest: In 2020, Spiess launched The Industrial Forest, a sustainability project aimed at planting trees to offset carbon emissions in the Bakken. The initiative collaborates with local nurseries, fabricators, and environmental activists to ensure tree survival through sustainable practices like irrigation systems. Spiess’s personal commitment to environmental action, including his Adopt-A-Highway program since 2004, reflects his balanced approach to industry and environmental stewardship.

This project counters the narrative of environmental harm by showcasing how the oil and gas industry can contribute to ecological solutions, aligning with energy humanism principles.

Challenging Media Narratives: Spiess has critiqued sensationalist media coverage of the energy industry, advocating for fact-based reporting. In a 2020 interview with Swan Energy, he discussed how speculative media impacts investment in speculative markets like the Bakken, encouraging a more grounded understanding of the industry’s role.

4. Highlighting Technological and Infrastructure Development.

Innovation Coverage: Spiess has reported on technological advancements that have driven the Bakken’s growth, such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. His 2019 coverage of the Davis Refinery’s construction, a significant project for environmentally compliant refining, emphasized the industry’s innovation.

He also highlighted bitcoin mining as an emission management solution for flaring in the Bakken, showcasing how digital technologies integrate with oil and gas.

Infrastructure Advocacy: Spiess has documented the need for infrastructure to support Bakken’s growth, from workforce housing (e.g., Target Logistics’ facilities) to refineries like Dakota Oil Processing’s diesel-focused plant. His interviews with industry leaders like Brian Lash of Target Logistics underscored the importance of housing solutions for workers during the boom years.

5. Influence on Policy and Investment.

Policy Discussions: Spiess’s interviews with figures like North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum in 2017 explored policy challenges, such as workforce development and technological innovation, influencing public and industry discourse on the Bakken’s future.

Investment Insights: His reporting on investment trends, such as Continental Resources’ 2017 sale of Bakken oil to China, highlighted the region’s global market potential, encouraging further investment.

Spiess’s coverage of the Bakken’s “maturity” and depletion risks, as discussed with Art Berman, provided investors with critical insights into long-term planning.

Context and Impact

Over the past decade (2015–2025), the Bakken experienced a boom (2010–2015), a downturn (2015–2016), and a recovery phase (2017–present), with production reaching over 1 million barrels per day by 2013 and stabilizing despite challenges like labor shortages and global market shifts.

Spiess’s work has been pivotal in:

Educating Stakeholders: By providing a platform for industry leaders, workers, and policymakers, he has demystified the Bakken’s complexities, from drilling technologies to community impacts.

Countering Polarization: His shift from an anti-industry stance to a balanced perspective has helped localize and depolarize energy discussions, aligning with energy humanism’s focus on practical solutions.

Amplifying Voices: Spiess has given a voice to small business owners, Native entrepreneurs like Jason Baker of Baker Consulting, and environmental innovators, showcasing the Bakken’s diverse contributions.