Rising crude oil prices is increasing interest in new oil well development, but so far in South Dakota, that hasn’t translated much from state public lands.

School & Public Lands interim Commissioner Jerrod Johnson says they have had some contacts in the last few months….

Johnson says they track oil industry interest and activity….

Johnson says most of the exploration areas are in northwest and southwest South Dakota….

Reports show about eighty-four thousand barrels of crude oil were produced in the state in March of this year.