This is heralded as a "huge" discovery. MSNBC - Government says huge oil fields in N.D., Mont.: Up to 4.3 billion barrels in Bakken shale, some in industry skeptical
An Internet search shows the United States consumers 21 million barrels of oil per year. Meaning 4.3 billion barrels of oil is only a 205 day supply for the United States.
Meaning this oil field won't make much of a dent in the global oil supply problem. To be significant recoverable oil from this formation would have to be an order of magnitude larger.
This is why people say the biggest oil discovery will be conservation of existing stocks.
For more information see the Bakken Shale blog.
