County Seeing Spike In Oil Activity
A look at last week’s Roosevelt County newspaper shows multiple legal notices regarding oil-related activity in the county. Although it’s early in the process, those notices might be a positive sign for the county’s economic future.
Roosevelt County Commissioner Doug Marottek noted that many of the notices had to do with leasing and mineral rights.
“It’s going to take a year or so,” Marottek explained. “Hopefully, they have luck and bring some of the oil business this way.”
Roosevelt County Commissioner Robert Toavs added, “It’s definitely picking up.”
The great majority of the oil work taking place in the county features the Bainville and Culbertson areas.
“The more oil pumps in, the better it is for the county,” Toavs explained.
He noted that the taxable value in the county has remained about the same for the last 10 years. One of the few increases could be seen through the oil industry.
Richland County remains the top oil producing county in Montana. Roosevelt and Fallon keep battling for the second spot.
For the quarter ending Sept. 30, 2024, Roosevelt County received a total of $1,791,124 in oil severance tax revenue. Of that amount, the county maintained $698,896 while the other funds are distributed to schools and cities.
In comparison, Richland County’s oil severance tax revenue was $9,106.512 for the quarter. Fallon County’s figure $1,934,304. Also over the $1 million mark for the quarter was Powder River at $1,273.585. For the quarter ending on June 2024, Roosevelt County received $917,626 which was an increase from the $755,745 figure for the quarter ending on March 2024.
