Energy Outreach Initiative | Video

Evan Kruegel | 12/18/2012

Six major oil companies doing business in North Dakota have banded together to form a program designed to make Williston a more enjoyable place to live. It`s called the Energy Outreach initiative. Western North Dakota has been very good to these companies, so now, they want a chance to give back to the communities they`ve affected.

It`s no secret that energy companies are making a ton of money in the Bakken, and now, they`re trying to give back.

"We want to help Williston and we want everyone that needs help to at least have a place to take it to," said Statoil coordinator Kelley Rankin.

Halliburton, Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, Nabors, Oasis, and Statoil are the companies involved. They`re willing to donate up to $100,000 to individual projects, but they`ll also provide volunteers for trash clean-up or other community projects.

"If you have something thats coming up that you don`t have somebody to help with, whether it`s clean up or whatever it is, you just let us know and we`ll try to find somebody to help you," Rankin said.

The program is willing to contribute to pretty much anything that the community needs.

"We`ve looked at all areas, we`ve looked at giving back to our elderly community, we`ve looked at some of the housing issues, we looked at some of the daycare issues, we`ve looked at all kinds of things," Rankin said.

While monetary donations will be a key aspect of the program, Rankin says the majority of energy sector employees are more than ready to volunteer their time.

"We have people that are willing to do something, they just need somebody to tell them what to do!"

The initiative has already made its first donation, a $60,000 check to the Williston Rural School District for new playground equipment.

If you`d like to submit an idea for funding or for volunteer labor, you can email EnergyOutreach@Statoil.com.

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