--- title: 'Last Week Tonight': John OIiver Protests North Dakota Oil description: The safety and environmental records of North Dakota's oil industry came under the spotlight on 'Last Week Tonight.' canonical: https://time.com/4069557/john-oliver-billboard-oil-north-dakota-to-protest-oil-companies/ author: Melissa Locker article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-10-12T11:32:56.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:49:31.062Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: Watch John Oliver Slam North Dakota's Oil Industry og:description: The host urges residents of the state to 'be angry' og:url: https://time.com/4069557/john-oliver-billboard-oil-north-dakota-to-protest-oil-companies/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Watch John Oliver Slam North Dakota's Oil Industry twitter:description: The host urges residents of the state to 'be angry' twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Watch John Oliver Slam North Dakota's Oil Industry on _Last Week Tonight_ > Sponsored content. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account. by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Oct 12, 2015 11:32 AM UTC by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Oct 12, 2015 11:32 AM UTC This week’s _Last Week Tonight_ headed to North Dakota or, as John Oliver calls it, “South DaCanada,”—a state that had gotten used to be ignored, until it had a massive oil boom. As Oliver said, “Like Channing Tatum, North Dakota turned out to be much more interesting once it was covered in oil.” But the oil rush has had a deleterious effect on the state’s environment, including what the New York _Times_ reported as 18.4 million gallons of chemicals and oils spilled or leaked into the surrounding area. As Oliver noted, that’s “a quantity of lubricant and toxins seldom found outside a John Mayer pool party, and equally difficult to clean.” There’s also the fact that North Dakota’s Bakken oil fields are an incredibly dangerous place to work, resulting in the death of an oil worker every six weeks on average. “A death every six weeks is what you do to keep your soap opera on the air,” said Oliver. The host also noted that North Dakota has created a regulatory environment that is very friendly to business. Oliver described it as “a magical utopia like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, which come to think of it had about the same safety record as North Dakota’s oil fields.” To encourage change, Oliver bought a billboard in North Dakota encouraging residents to “Be Angry.” ### Photos From Inside North Dakota’s Oil Boom Town  A gas flare is seen at an oil well site on July 26, 2013 outside Williston, North Dakota. Gas flares are created when excess flammable gases are released by pressure release valves during the drilling for oil and natural gas. Andrew Burton—Getty Images  Ray Gerish, a floor hand for Raven Drilling, works on an oil rig drilling into the Bakken shale formation on July 28, 2013. Andrew Burton—Getty Images  An oil drilling rig is seen in an aerial view in the early morning hours of July 30, 2013 near Watford City. N.D. Andrew Burton—Getty Images  Gold plated belt buckles reading, "Rockin' the Bakken, Williston, North Dakota" are displayed at Ritter Brothers Diamond Cutters on July 24, 2013 in Williston. Andrew Burton—Getty Images  Street signs sit in front of empty lots in a new subdivision on July 24, 2013 in Williston. Andrew Burton—Getty Images  Two girls play on a four-wheeler in a new subdivision on July 24, 2013 in Williston. Andrew Burton—Getty Images  Construction workers specializing in pipe-laying grill lunch while working on a pipeline that will stream line oil production from drill sites to train yards and oil refineries on July 25, 2013 outside Watford City. Andrew Burton—Getty Images  Sections of pipe are lined up before being used to drill at Raven Drilling's oil rig on July 28, 2013 outside Watford City. Andrew Burton—Getty Images  Russell Girsh, a floor hand for Raven Drilling, helps line up a pipe while drilling for oil in the Bakken shale formation on July 23, 2013 outside Watford City. Andrew Burton—Getty Images  A coal-burning energy plant is seen in an aerial view in the early morning hours of July 30, 2013 near Bismarck. 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