When the South Dakota Office of Schools and Public Lands opened up the annual leasing auction for oil and gas rights last month, there were no bidders.
Commissioner Ryan Brunner says that has been the case for a couple of years. He says low oil prices are driving down the state’s financial returns too………

Brunner says while there are no new leases, no producing wells have been shut down yet……

Brunner says they can only react to what the oil companies are interested in………….

Brunner says there are eighty five active oil wells in northwest South Dakota.