In an interview, Tyson Olson, founder of Mirror Image Environmental Solutions (based in Bozeman, Montana), discussed his company’s work, the role of technology in the Bakken oil play, environmental compliance, road safety challenges, and how the North Dakota boom has rippled into surrounding communities.
Mirror Image Environmental Solutions focuses on reducing environmental impact across several areas. Its core work includes remediation, spill response, and tank cleaning, leveraging chemistry expertise to speed up cleaning and manage waste streams—often by bulk-handling or treating materials so fewer hazardous chemicals end up in landfills.
A second vertical centers on a metal-conditioner technology blended into greases and transmission fluids; Olson said it can cut grease consumption by roughly 50%. The company also offers staffing solutions that supply trained workers to help clients lower OSHA-recordable incidents and better manage wash-bay waste so contaminants do not enter municipal systems.
Olson emphasized a proactive “solutions provider” approach rather than simply reacting after problems occur: “Let’s not wait until the accident happens. Let’s prevent the accident from ever happening.”
Technology and the “Technology Boom”
Former North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer has described activity in the Bakken as a technology boom more than a pure oil boom. Olson agreed, noting that his firm relies heavily on two acquired technologies—its cleaning chemistry and the licensed metal conditioner—as the “heartbeat” of the business.
He also pointed to broader industry progress: operators are improving methods to reduce their environmental footprint, including greater use of water-treatment and reuse systems. Hauling water is expensive in North Dakota, so refining, treating, and recycling it can meaningfully lower costs and the overall price per barrel.
Navigating EPA Oversight
Olson said the Environmental Protection Agency remains one of the biggest potential threats to continued oil-and-gas (and fracking) activity in the Bakken. Mirror Image works with customers on tracking systems and proper waste-stream management so problems are identified and fixed before they attract regulatory scrutiny.
Rather than simply selling a fixed service, the company collaborates with clients to develop better compliance strategies—helping “forge the way that people stay compliant with the EPA.”
Spillover Effects Beyond North Dakota
Although based about a six-hour drive from the Bakken, Olson’s community has felt the boom. Building materials and other resources are being shipped to North Dakota, creating local jobs. Workers from Washington, Idaho, and other Northwest states transit through the area, and some families choose to live in towns within commuting distance of the oil fields so they can stay closer to home while still accessing Bakken employment.
Olson observed that North Dakota itself is not always viewed as an ideal family destination—partly because of a skewed male-to-female ratio and still-developing infrastructure—and that some people prefer living just far enough away to retain a sense of home while working in the region. He expects conditions for families to improve as infrastructure catches up.
Road Safety Realities
Asked about driving conditions in the Bakken, Olson was blunt. He has witnessed six fatalities on separate winter trips and now largely avoids winter travel there. Icy roads, two-lane highways with hills and curves, heavy semi traffic, and pressure to arrive on time create dangerous conditions.
He stressed that employers should refuse to put workers on the road when conditions are unsafe and should notify customers accordingly: “The last thing that anybody needs is a fatality.” Road-widening projects will help, but progress takes time.
Rapid Growth and Advice for Entrepreneurs
Mirror Image had been in business only about two and a half years at the time of the interview and grew as fast as it could handle before deliberately slowing to build a stronger foundation. Olson credited the company’s solution-oriented model for the rapid expansion driven by Bakken demand.
His advice to would-be entrepreneurs—whether recent graduates or seasoned veterans—was straightforward: the Bakken remains a place where hard-working people can find opportunity and support their families. He described his own experience as a classic small-business, made-in-America story and said anyone looking for a chance would find the region a good place to be.
The conversation closed on a note of appreciation for the people who have moved to or through the region simply to provide for their families, even under difficult conditions such as sleeping in cars in sub-zero weather.
Interview from July 2013.
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