Industrial Commission names Nathan Anderson as Director of the Department of Mineral Resources

Industrial Commission names Nathan Anderson as Director of the Department of Mineral Resources BISMARCK, N.D. - The North Dakota Industrial Commission named Nathan Anderson as the next director of the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) at its meeting today. Anderson succeeds former Director Lynn Helms who retired on June 30 after 26 years of service. Anderson's start date will be Sept. 16. Anderson has worked in the oil and gas industry for 25 years, with roles spanning most petroleum engineering disciplines, as well as regulatory leadership roles in Texas, Ohio and Colorado. Anderson most recently served as PDC Energy's senior asset director from 2018 to 2023, and continued as a senior advisor after the company was acquired by Chevron in 2023. "We are pleased to welcome Nathan to the Industrial Commission and the Department of Mineral Resources," said the Commission in a joint statement. The Commission consists of Gov. Doug Burgum as chair, Attorney General Drew Wrigley and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. "This role is critical for our state as it fosters the continued growth of the industry responsible for over 63% of our state's revenues. Nathan's deep background in industry and his strong understanding of the complete life cycle of an oil and gas asset make him exceptionally well-positioned to lead DMR, and we are confident that he will serve our state well." A Minot native, Anderson earned a bachelor's degree from North Dakota State University. He has also served on several regulatory committees, including the Texas and the Ohio Oil and Gas Associations. While in Texas, Anderson's team drilled some of the first U-laterals in the state. "I am honored to be chosen for this role and am excited to be able to serve the DMR, its employees, the energy industry and the people of the great state of North Dakota," Anderson said. "I look forward to getting started in the near future." In 2005, DMR was formed under the Industrial Commission by merging the Oil and Gas Division and the North Dakota Geological Survey into one department. The Oil and Gas Division was created in 1981 to serve as the regulatory agency tasked with permitting and overseeing oil and gas development. The Geological Survey was created in 1895 and is tasked with mapping North Dakota's geologic resources and overseeing non-oil and gas mineral development. In 2018, DMR was also tasked with regulating Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) when
North Dakota became the first state to achieve primacy over the Class VI Underground Injection Control Program from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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Industrial Commission names Nathan Anderson as Director of the Department of Mineral Resources