Wednesday, September 3, 2014 -- For Investors And Newsaholics; New $200 Million NG Processing Plant In The SCOOP; MRO To Add New Rig In The Bakken (2014)

Reminder: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment decisions based on anything you read here or think you may have read here. 

The Dow started off strong, has since fallen back. Bloomberg shows WTI up $1.34, back to $94.22.

At Yahoo!In-Play, this caught my eye:

Marathon Oil provides highlights of Barclay's confernce presentation; adds significant unconventional resource, positions for further acceleration : Co provides investors with key updates on the Company's progress and operations, with specific focus on the strategic imperatives of resource capture, profitable volumes growth and shareholder value.
In the presentation, co highlighted the following:

• More than 20% growth in U.S. unconventional 2P resource to 3 billion boe across Oklahoma Resource Basins, Bakken and Eagle Ford; up 520 million boe vs. year-end 2013 
• Future drilling inventory increased to 4,650 net wells 
• Resource adds concentrated in Oklahoma, where unconventional 2P resource is up approximately 40% to 1.11 billion boe vs. year-end 2013 
• Initial acceleration of three incremental rigs to be added by year-end 2014; further acceleration expected in 2015 
• Expect resource play production growth at a double-digit CAGR for 2015-2017; total Company production growth projected as high single-digit CAGR for the same period 
• "Organic investment is our first priority, as we optimize our portfolio and redeploy operating cash flow and proceeds from strategic transactions. In line with this objective, we plan to add an initial three incremental rigs - two rigs in Oklahoma and one inthe Bakken - before year end. This increased drilling activity will give us a 'fast start' on 2015 growth as we continue to position for further acceleration."

Enable Midstream Partners announces new $200 mln natural gas processing plant located in Prolific SCOOP Play; investment was anticipated in the capital guidance announced in Enable Midstream's second quarter 2014 earnings release : Co announced its Board of Directors approved construction of an additional 200-million cubic feet per day (mmcf/d) of natural gas processing capacity that will be located near its Bradley Processing Plant to serve producers in the rich gas play called the South Central Oklahoma Oil Province.

Zack's on Halcon today:

One such company that might be well-positioned for future earnings growth is Halcon Resources Corp. (HK). This firm, which is in the Oil – Exploration & Production industry, saw significant EPS growth last year, and is looking great for this year too.

In fact, the current growth estimate for this year calls for earnings-per-share growth of 41.5%. Furthermore, the long-term growth rate is currently an impressive 25%, suggesting pretty good prospects for the long haul.

And if this wasn’t enough, the stock has actually seen estimates rise over the past 60 days for the current fiscal year by about 23.5%. Thanks to this rise in earnings estimates, HK has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) which further underscores the potential for outperformance in this company.

******************************

Back to the Cold War -- Thank You, Mr Obama

Looks like US elementary students will now get chance to practice nuclear missile drills

The Ukraine is the New East/West Germany
Back to the 60's

Drudge report headlines:  US military drills in Ukraine; and, Russian will hold nuclear exercise.

The first story, as reported by Reuters:

As fighting between the army and Russian-backed rebels rages in eastern Ukraine, preparations are under way near its western border for a joint military exercise this month with more than 1,000 troops from the United States and its allies.

The decision to go ahead with the Rapid Trident exercise Sept. 16-26 is seen as a sign of the commitment of NATO states to support non-NATO member Ukraine while stopping well short of military intervention in the conflict.

The second story, also reported by Reuters:

The forces responsible for Russia's strategic nuclear arsenal will conduct major exercises this month involving more than 4,000 soldiers, the Defence Ministry said on Wednesday, in the latest sign of rising tension with NATO over the Ukraine crisis.

The Washington Times: Obama consistently underestimates America's adversaries. 

Meanwhile, these are the president's priorities: golf, global warming, minimum wage.

War, Edwin Starr
Flashback, from NPR: War and violence on the decline in modern times -- December 7, 2011:

Despite news of terrorist bombings, U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and crackdowns in Syria, two recent books argue the world has never seen so little war and violence. Steven Pinker, author of The Better Angels of Our Nature, and Joshua Goldstein, author of Winning the War on War, discuss.

But Joshua Goldstein argues that despite Iraq and Afghanistan, Congo and Sudan, the past 10 years have seen fewer war deaths than any decade in the past 100 years. And Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker goes even further. We may be living in the most peaceful period in the history of our species.

Well, to Afghanistan, Congo, Sudan, since 2011, we can add Egypt, Hamas, Israel, Syria, ISIS (ISIL), Ukraine, Russia, Somalia.

*******************************

If the price of oil spikes due to concerns about reliability of "overseas" oil, just remember that under Bush/Cheney, the Keystone XL would have been complete, and operational by now. WTI is up almost $2.00 today.

*******************************
Choppy Day For The Market ... 

... but trading at new 52-week highs: BRK.B, CAH, DIS, GPRO, LNG, MRO, NFLX, PBR, PSX, RAIL, SRE, STE, TRP, UNP.