Inside Energy

The Bust: A Difficult Cycle To Break by Inside Energy

The Boom: Short Term Gain, Long Term Pain by Inside Energy

If you move to Wyoming, or North Dakota, or any energy boom state to work in oil or gas production you probably know to expect long hours and a big paycheck. And you may even know enough to expect to be sleeping in your car. Housing is a perennial issue in boomtowns, one that pits the needs of energy workers against the interests of long term residents. As Wyoming Public Radio’s Miles Bryan reports, it’s not an easy fix. He has the story of how the boom is playing out, in this tale of two Wyoming towns.

When you think of oil and gas towns, most people visualize a lot of transient workers, increased crime, and RV parks. Maybe not the most family oriented-of places. But plenty of oilfield workers do move to town with their families. Wyoming Public Radio’s Melodie Edwards reports that the challenge is finding them adequate housing.

For a small business owner an energy boom can be a blessing. What could be better for a restaurant or clothing store than lots of customers with cash to burn? But when wells close and energy workers head out of town, the businesses that remain have to figure out how to survive. That’s what happened in Wyoming in the last oil bust in the early 80s. Wyoming Public Radio’s Miles Bryan has more.

The Bust: A Difficult Cycle To Break by Inside Energy

The Boom: Short Term Gain, Long Term Pain by Inside Energy

If you move to Wyoming, or North Dakota, or any energy boom state to work in oil or gas production you probably know to expect long hours and a big paycheck. And you may even know enough to expect to be sleeping in your car. Housing is a perennial issue in boomtowns, one that pits the needs of energy workers against the interests of long term residents. As Wyoming Public Radio’s Miles Bryan reports, it’s not an easy fix. He has the story of how the boom is playing out, in this tale of two Wyoming towns.

When you think of oil and gas towns, most people visualize a lot of transient workers, increased crime, and RV parks. Maybe not the most family oriented-of places. But plenty of oilfield workers do move to town with their families. Wyoming Public Radio’s Melodie Edwards reports that the challenge is finding them adequate housing.

For a small business owner an energy boom can be a blessing. What could be better for a restaurant or clothing store than lots of customers with cash to burn? But when wells close and energy workers head out of town, the businesses that remain have to figure out how to survive. That’s what happened in Wyoming in the last oil bust in the early 80s. Wyoming Public Radio’s Miles Bryan has more.