OREANDA-NEWS. Williston basin crude shippers moved their lowest volume by rail in June since August 2013, regulators said.

The North Dakota Pipeline Authority reported that the basin produced about 1.29mn bl of crude in June, keeping up a trend of production in a tight band since September. But rail's share slipped to 47pc, its lowest since first crossing the 50pc mark in September 2012.

A combination of reduced drilling and completions in the Bakken and Three Forks formations and a growing preference for expanded pipeline capacity has hit the crude-by-rail business. Pipeline shipments accounted for 46pc of Williston basin oil movements in June, with Tesoro's 68,000 b/d refinery at Mandan taking 6pc and trucks moving 1pc out of the region.