In Pictures: Workers flood into North Dakota's oil boom
Roughneck Brian Waldner is covered in mud and oil while wrestling pipe on a True Company oil drilling rig outside Watford, North Dakota, Oct. 20, 2012.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
Thousands of people have flooded into North Dakota to work in the state’s oil drilling boom, where a job on an oil rig can pay up to $100,000 a year.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
A fracking operation is pictured outside Williston, North Dakota. Unemployment in the region is under 1 per cent and building permits at an all-time high.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
Oil industry worker Bobby Freestone enjoys a day off at a so-called ‘man camp’ outside Watford, where oil workers live in makeshift dormitories.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
A mixture of oil, diesel fuel, water and mud sprays as roughnecks wrestle pipe on a True Company oil drilling rig outside Watford.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
Brian Waldner prepares pipe on the rig outside Watford.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
Cattle graze near a True Company oil drilling rig outside Watford.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
An RV camp for oil industry workers has been set up outside Watford, North Dakota.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
Brian Waldner breaks for a snack on a True Company oil drilling rig.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
An old farm house is pictured near a man camp outside Watford.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
A man camp for oil field workers is seen outside Williston, North Dakota.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
Oil industry workers Matt Jensen, left, and Chris Skinner relax in their accommodations at a man camp outside Watford.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
Trent Mindeman walks among newly delivered housing units at a man camp he operates outside Watford.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
Oil industry worker Chris Skinner relaxes in his accommodations.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
Roughneck Mike Lynch works on a True Company oil drilling rig outside Watford.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
Detailed view shows the controls on the True Company oil drilling rig.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
Roughneck Mike Wipf monitors the rig’s operation.JIM URQUHART/Reuters
Mike Wipf logs the drilling on the rig.JIM URQUHART/Reuters