oilwellsBISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – The number of rigs drilling in North Dakota’s oil patch has dropped below 60 for the first time since 2009.
 
     State data show 59 rigs were operating in western North Dakota’s oil-producing region on Monday. That’s down from 171 rigs on the same day one year ago due to slumping oil prices.
 
     North Dakota’s Department of Mineral Resources says the state produced an average of 1.1 million barrels of oil daily in October, which was about 60,000 barrels per day less than the record set in December 2014. October production is the latest available because data typically lags about two months.
 
     State and industry officials say North Dakota should be able to maintain oil production at about 1 million barrels daily if the number of drill rigs stays above 50.