We Have An Answer To One Of The Current Polls; Twenty-Four (24) New Permits -- The Williston Basin, North Dakota, USA; CLR Adds Eight (8) More Permits To The Jersey Pad (29 Wells?); Marijuana Production In North Dakota?

Finally, we can close out one of the current polls in which we asked how CLR will report the 12 Atlanta wells coming off the confidential list. Below, we see one of the Atlanta wells being reported. Thus, to date, three of the 12 Atlanta wells have been reported, one at a time, without a major press release. What were the results of the poll? Respondents that that:

• the results would be released one at a time, no special press release: 24%
• small groups at a time, no special press release: 30%
• small groups at a time, with a special press release: 9%
• all at once, with a special press release: 37%

Obviously, results from several wells could be released at one time, yet, but apparently without any special press release.
 

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EIA's note for March 21, 2014, focuses on flaring of natural gas in North Dakota. I don't know if that's a dynamic link or how long it will remain accessible. There is a heck of a lot of good information in the note despite the global warming references. All I can say is as North Dakota's natural gas flaring has increased, global warming has flattened out, if not decreased. One almost wonders if flaring might be helping the situation in a way scientists cannot explain. LOL. I didn't spend a lot of time on the linked article but I don't think the EIA noted that most of the flaring in North Dakota occurs on federal/BLM land; if the Feds took care of their flaring, the whole state would be better off.

It looks like oil was up about $1.02 to settle at $1.21 today. 

Demand for electricity continues to increase in the Bakken; more being added. The Dickinson Press is reporting:

The North Dakota Public Service Commission gave Basin Electric Power Cooperative the thumbs-up Wednesday to expand its Lonesome Creek Station near Watford City, while also cautioning that it’s not a long-term solution for meeting the western region’s growing energy needs.

Basin Electric plans to add two 45-megawatt, natural gas-fired combustion turbines at the station’s existing 160-acre site about 14 miles west of Watford City in McKenzie County.

Active rigs:

	3/26/2014	03/26/2013	03/26/2012	03/26/2011	03/26/2010
Active Rigs	198	186	206	170	104

Twenty-four (24) new permits --

Operators: CLR (8), Oasis (5), Statoil (3), Petro-Hunt (2), QEP (2), Slawson (2), Samson, Armstrong,
Fields: Alkali Creek (Mountrail), Briar Creek (McKenzie), North Tioga (Burke), Grail (McKenzie), Cottonwood (Burke), Ambrose (Divide), Patterson Lake (Stark), Big Bend (Mountrail)
Comments: the eight (CLR) wells are all Jersey wells in section 6; Armstrong has had some big Lodgepole wells in Stark County;

Wells coming off confidential list were posted earlier; see sidebar at the right.

Three (3) producing wells completed (an answer to one of the current polls):

• 23368, 441, CLR, Atlanta Federal 5-6H, Baker, 4 secs; t3/14; cum --
• 25909, 2,880, BR, CCU Columbian 33-1TFH, Corral Creek, t3/14; cum --
• 27310, 1,140, Whiting, Bender 14-6, Sanish, t3/13; cum --

Wells coming off the confidential list Thursday:

• 23861, drl, Statoil, Hovde 33-4 3H, Sandrocks, no production data,
• 24559, 932, Fidelity, Purcell 3-4-33H, Sanish, t10/13; cum 38K 1/14;
• 26206, 1,077, Petro-Hunt, Sherven Trust 153-95-27B-2H, Charlson, t1/14; cum 5K 1/14;
• 26315, drl, XTO, Kanyer 11X-15E, Grinnel, no production data,

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A Note to the Granddaughters

I see there was a 9-alarm fire in Boston today on Beacon Street. I know that area well. In another life, long ago, I knew a wonderful woman who lived just a block or two from this address. I would have walked by this brownstone on many occasions. Bittersweet memories.

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End-of-Day Headlines
Could ND Become A Major Marijuana Producer?

Crises everywhere one looks; makes North Dakota look downright pleasant

• Ebola crisis in west Africa
• Russia continues to taunt; Obama speaks of more light red lines
• Obama's disapproval numbers hit new high
• marijuana sucking up a lot of water in drought-stricken California

On that last note, what does North Dakota have a lot of? Water and sunshine. Marijuana plants love greenhouses. All that flaring natural gas could be used to heat greenhouses. Wouldn't it be a hoot if North Dakota became the #1 producer of marijuana -- selling it to California? Some days one has to think outside the box. McClatchyDC is reporting:

In drought-hit California, marijuana growers are feeling the heat, accused of using too much water for their thirsty plants and of polluting streams and rivers with their pesticides and fertilizers.

State officials say a pot plant sucks up an average of 6 gallons of water per day, worsening a shortage caused by one of the biggest droughts on record. They say the situation is particularly acute along California’s North Coast, where the growing pressure to irrigate pot threatens salmon and other fish.

It's not worth it, but one could poll: which will happen sooner -- North Dakota voters approve marijuana production for export only; or, Mr Obama approves the Keystone XL 2.0 North pipeline?

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The ObamaCare Delays

It's nice to see that someone finally tabulated the ObamaCare delays. Politico is reporting:

Did anyone really doubt that the final Obamacare enrollment deadline would slip, too?

It’s not like the Obama administration is setting a new precedent with its latest move — giving customers more time to enroll after next Monday’s deadline if they’re already in line.

In reality, the administration is just continuing a long pattern of delays. They’re all designed to show flexibility and help the law work better, but they also fuel a public perception that Obamacare deadlines never really mean anything.

You know, these ObamaCare delays are national milestones, much as his "red lines in the sand" are international milestones. Worthless.