North Dakota will add three oil and gas gathering pipeline inspectors in response to the state’s rapidly growing well count, which passed 15,000 in July and triggered the release of a budget appropriation.

“In the past year, enough new gathering lines were laid in the ground to stretch from Seattle, Wash., to Orlando, Fla.,” said Lynn Helms, oil and gas division director of the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources. “Best estimates indicate industry will continue to lay more than 2,000 miles of gathering infrastructure a year. Filling these positions will be a valuable resource in continued regulatory oversight.”

The state appropriation that kicked in to enable the hiring will bump the number of full-time staff members dedicated to field inspection to 35.