Colo. oil field workers move to North Dakota

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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) — A drop in natural gas drilling in western Colorado has prompted one company to shift workers to North Dakota.

Oil field service company Schlumberger recently transferred close to 70 workers from its Grand Junction office to North Dakota, which is in the middle of an oil drilling boom. About 60 remain.

Bill Barrett Corp. announced several weeks ago that it was suspending its drilling program in the Piceance Basin. Barrett official Doug Dennison said it let a Schlumberger crew go as a result.

Drilling has declined in Garfield County because of low natural gas prices.

Garfield County once led Colorado in drilling but now is ranked a distant second to Weld County, where oil drilling is the main focus.

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