North Dakota becomes nation's second-leading oil producer

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) _ North Dakota has passed Alaska to become the second-leading oil-producing state in the nation, trailing only Texas.

State Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms tells the Grand Forks Herald that North Dakota oil production in March averaged 575,490 barrels daily, another record. The crude is coming from a record 6,636 wells.

Alaska saw its production fall to 567,481 barrels per day in March.

North Dakota was the ninth-largest oil-producing state just six years ago, but the state's oil production has nearly quadrupled since March 2007....