Since you plucked that chart out of a presentation that is very positive about Bakken drilling, don’t you feel the slightest bit funny about using to bolster an argument against Bakken drilling?
The very next page of the presentation in the linked PDF talks about the strong positive economics of these wells. Each well with 540,000 barrels expected to be produced, making an expected profit of $20 million. (Not to mention all the other salaries, taxes, and fees the revenue from these wells generate.)
I think that adds to the dependability of the chart. I am not arguing against Bakken, Eagle Ford, Permian Basin, Utica, etc in any way. I think the production is going to continue to grow, jobs are going to grow, imports are going to shrink, energy independence is going to grow.
What I do argue against, is a dramatic and lasting price drop because this technology. The Supply/Demand curves are real and if we see a significant, lasting price drop, the drilling will drop and following that, the productions will start to drop. Just like Natural Gas in the country.
The very next page of the presentation in the linked PDF talks about the strong positive economics of these wells.
Did you see any basis of that economics using a falling price? Those number are based on current pricing.