Thursday, September 9, 2010

EPA Update Regarding Fracking

See the EPA page for September 9, 2010, update on fracking and regulations at the federal level.

And now, we have reports of methane in a river and in wells in the Marcellus.  The story reminds me of polluted rivers catching on fire back in the 60's. We've come a long, long way.

OK, This Should Be Fun: BEXP Announces Operational Update

Dateline: September 9, 2010

Breaking News

BEXP announces completion of four Bakken wells in its Ross and Rough Rider project areas.  One of the wells is the Sukut well (in the Painted Woods oil field) which I saw being completed when I was in the Bakken recently. Sukut is a a well-known family name in Williston; the Sukuts had a general business store on Main Street, Williston, all the years I was growing up there. They were (and probably still are) outstanding supporters of the Williston High School sports teams. If this is "their" well, I am very, very happy for them. And if it's not their well, I am very, very happy for whomever the well belongs to.

One of the other wells is an Abe Owan well; I had a nice conversation with Abe's brother while back in the Bakken. A great Lebanese family. The Williston area has a  rich Lebanese heritage; came up through the El Paso, Texas, area, a couple of generations ago. 

Ross Project Area:
  • 18744, Wright 4-33 1H, 38 fracture stimulation stages; 3,660 early 24-hour peak flow back rate 
Rough Rider Project Area:
  • 18955, Weisz 11-14 1H, 2,278, 37 fracture stimulation stages
  • 18796, Abe Owan 21-16 1H, 2,213, 37 FSS
  • 18745, Sukut 28-33 1H, 1, 959, 32 FSS, partnered with USEG on this one
Operational Update
  • Rough Rider: four operated rigs
  • Ross: one operated rig
  • Sixth operated rig, to arrive mid-October and drill in Ross PA
  • 7th and 8th operated rigs to arrive January and May 2011, respectively
  • Currently one well fracking; 11 wells waiting to be completed
"Given additoinal access to a shared frac crew, Brigham's pace of completions is expected to accelerate this month (September, 2010)."

"It is estimated that BEXP will fracture stimulate and bring on line to production approximately six wells per month beginning this month (September, 2010)."

"In the first quarter 2011 .... that number will go up to eight wells per month."

Unexpected Drop in US Oil Supplies

I never understand how analysts can be so far off. My feeling is that the coffee klatsch folks at Williston's EonocMart could do as well.

Analysts forecast a drop in last weeks' US oil supply of about 730,000 barrels.

The actual numbers ... drum roll ... 7.3 million barrels. The US supply of crude oil dropped 7.3 million barrels last week. A later report showed a drop of 1.9 million barrels, so the two reports are a bit confusing. Be that as it may, crude supplies, at a 30-year high in relation to demand, are dropping (a bit).

Hmmm....let's see: a) moratorium in the gulf continues; b) oil price down in the Bakken; c) global economy slowly recovering.

Supply data for this week to be reported later today, a day later than usual. 

Futures for price of crude oil: up slightly.

$500 Million Natural Gas Plant Near Tioga (ND, USA)

Hess gets permission to go ahead with $500 million facility for natural gas processing plant in the Bakken. The plant will be located near Tioga.

Now, that's a stimulus program.