NORTH DAKOTA: Natural gas production in North Dakota rose to a record 3.290 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in July from the prior all-time high of 3.248 bcfd in June, while the amount of gas flared declined, according to the North Dakota Industrial Commission.

Producers burned off, or flared, 0.141 bcfd of gas in July, down from 0.183 bcfd in June, the commission said in a report Thursday, cutting the percentage of gas flared to 4%.

The highest monthly percentage of gas flared was 36% in September 2011. One billion cubic feet of gas is enough to supply about 5 million US homes for a day.

The commission has set a goal of capturing at least 91% of gas pulled out of the ground after Nov. 1, 2020. The number of producing wells, both oil and gas, rose to a preliminary record high of 18,179 in July from the prior all-time high of 18,101 in June.