Over the summer the USGS updated their report to reflect the higher figure of four trillion bbl. equivalent of kerogen in the formation, perhaps one-half recoverable.
The in situ heating of the kerogen within shale allows conversion to a light crude like material. Tight oil is a more apt description of the Bakken formation, which only needs cracks to allow flow.
The Qmast process is applicable to work-over of non-producing fracked wells with the formation plugged with paraffin, etc. This has been stated by Peter Kearl as a likely first target application of the technology.
It’s all a matter of lowering crude viscosity to enhance flow. Imagine what it can do in Venezuela with its tar-like crude.