BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) _ North Dakota has passed Alaska to become the second-leading oil-producing state in the nation, trailing only Texas.
Assistant State Mineral Resources Director Bruce Hicks says North Dakota oil drillers pumped 17.8 million barrels in March, with a daily average of about 575,000 barrels.
Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission statistician Steve McMains says that state pumped 17.5 million barrels in March, with a daily average of nearly 567,000 barrels.
McMains says Alaska's oil production has slipped about 15 million barrels a year since 2008.
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.
North Dakota passed California in January as the third-largest oil-producing state in the nation.
