Oil production in county increases

Oil production numbers for Hot Springs County were released recently, showing a 9.5% increase in value from 2018.

Total value to the county is $85,985,988 with oil coming in at an average of $40.85 a barrel.

Production is slowly coming back after a dip in 2016 of 54% and 23% in 2017.

Looking back on past production, which the treasurer's office has been keeping track of since 1977, the largest jump in production happened between 1980 and 1981 when it surged 133.53%.

At that time, oil was just $22.94 per barrel, but the valuation came in at $207,246,018.

That was not the highest valuation, however. That came in 1982 when oil went up to $30.44 per barrel and brought in $278,589,311.

We have had a lowest point as well, when oil was only bringing in $7.84 per barrel. The valuation that year was $33,156,295.