Which natural resource boom transformed North Dakota’s economy in the early 2000s?

The Bakken Oil Boom is the correct answer because it refers to a significant increase in oil production that began in the early 2000s in the Bakken formation, a large shale oil reserve beneath North Dakota and parts of Montana and Canada. This boom resulted in a dramatic transformation of North Dakota’s economy, creating thousands of jobs, increasing state revenues, and leading to rapid population growth in the region. The advent of new drilling technologies, such as hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, allowed access to previously untapped oil reserves, positioning North Dakota as one of the leading oil-producing states in the U.S. This major economic shift was characterized by significant investments in infrastructure, local businesses, and an influx of workers, which collectively revitalized the state’s economy.

In contrast, while coal mining, natural gas, and wind energy are all significant energy resources in North Dakota, they did not have the same transformative impact on the state's economy during that specific time period as the Bakken Oil Boom did.