A North Dakota oil and gas training facility has opened at a "vital time" for the area's industry, according to the region's governor.

Opening the BSC National Energy Center of Excellence, governor John Hoeven said the $18.3 million (£10.3 million) project will play a vital role in the economy.

It will do this through oil and gas training to create the future leaders and workforce needed to power the state's energy industry, he explained.

Mr Hoeven added: "The commitment of the private sector partners involved with this facility speaks to its vital need and value."

The vision is to combine energy workforce training with environment research to serve as a one-stop oil and gas training and education facility.

It will work in partnership with universities and private sector businesses.

This week Coastal Training Technologies released an environmental protection training programme to provide oil and gas education on spill prevention and control.

Oil & Gas Directory: Training & Development