ONEOK North Dakota Update -- September 8, 2018 -- Might ONEOK Have The Largest Natural Gas Processing Plant In North Dakota?

See this ONEOK post for background, back in February, 2018.

I can't recall if I posted this story, but it's starting to get some national attention. From The Williston Herald, March 2, 2018: suspended plant out of mothboalls -- ONEOK's Demicks Lake "large" gas processing plant is back on the table. Data points:

• project suspended when oil prices collapsed -- that was back in 2015
• since then, huge flaring problem in the Bakken
• the "new" plant will be located in McKenzie County near Fort Berthold
• this area has the highest amount of flaring in the state
• as much as 30% of gas produced in Fort Berthold was flared in 2017; back to 20% now
• statewide: 13 percent of production flared; 284 million cubic feet (50K boe) flared in December, 2017
• the new plant raises total gas processing in the state to exceed that produced but due to regional differences, flaring won't end statewide
• footprint: 160 acres; 13 miles northeast of Watford City
• 400 million cubic feet/day; two separate cryogenic turboexpanders units ("trains")
• original (2015) cost estimate: $321 million; now $400 million
• in service by 4Q19

North Dakota natural gas processing plants are tracked here.

But note this: the link above still shows the Demicks Lake plant with a capacity of 200 mcfpd, whereas the linked story above says the plant is likely to go to 400 mcfpd.

Oasis has bragging rights with the largest natural gas processing plant (Wild Basin) at 345 mcfpd, but ONEOK could claim the title if it goes to 400 mcfpd.

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Meanwhile, Kinder Morgan ...

This story was posted earlier, but for those who missed it the first time, from August 8, 2018, The Bismarck Tribune:

• to expand the Roosevelt Gas Plant in McKenzie County by 150 million cubic feet per day
• increasing the capacity to process up to 200 million cubic feet per day

Besides the obvious -- more natural gas processing capacity -- but more importantly, it needs drillers can increased oil production.

For newbies, crude oil production in North Dakota is constrained by:

• the price of oil; demand for light oil
• takeaway capacity (not much of an issue now that the DAPL is flowing)
• flaring (a big issue)
• workforce: competition with the Permian

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Highway Change

When biking along a busy highway, I generally won't stop to pick up a single penny, but occasionally I hit the "mother lode."

The other day, on the frontage road along the highway this treasure trove.

The ratio was very unusual. Generally I don't find nickels. The ratio is usually about 25 pennies to every two dimes and to every one quarter. But seldom any nickels. But look at all those nickels on the left. No quarters.

Down the road a bit further, same day, same ride:

The mix was a bit more typical, although the two nickels were still surprising. Four quarters (on the right), two dimes, only five pennies; an unusual mix.