The oil rush in North Dakota has made the state one of the most prosperous in the U.S. Not everyone who’s made his way to North Dakota is an experienced rigger or roughneck — or someone out of work looking to get started all over again. Some are just…taking advantage of an opportunity.

Independent radio producer Todd Melby is working on a year-long project, called Black Gold Boom, out of Williston, N.D. Marketplace is airing some of his portraits of the people and places he’s run across.

Today, Daniel Brock, a man who gave up teaching to work in the oil fields.

Black Gold Boom is an initiative of Localore and the Association of Independents in Radio.