Production is rising in The Bakken Shale, with over 1 million barrels-a-day being successfully produced over the past year, compared to around 940,000 last December. North Dakota companies are becoming increasing more active, working to boost productivity and learning to cope with current price levels. Innovation and technology have also become extremely important in the industry throughout recent years. With new technologies making oil and gas easier, cleaner, safer, and cheaper to extract, boosting the oil industry significantly.