HP: beats estimates; revenue up 33 percent; contracts for 12 new rigs earlier this month; with earnings announcement, announced contracts for 20 more new rigs; transcript.
I don't own shares in HP.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Four (4) New Permits -- Update on EOG Spearfish Wells in Bottineau County -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA
Daily activity report, July 29, 2011 --
Operators: Slawson, Crescent Point Energy, Hunt Oil, and MBI Oil and Gas
Fields: Gooseneck, Ross, and two wildcats.
I had not heard of MBI before; they do have a small presence in North Dakota, but this is their permit in quite some time.
Slawson and MBI have the two wildcats, one in McKenzie and one in Stark.
EOG / Spearfish Formation / Bottineau County
Operators: Slawson, Crescent Point Energy, Hunt Oil, and MBI Oil and Gas
Fields: Gooseneck, Ross, and two wildcats.
I had not heard of MBI before; they do have a small presence in North Dakota, but this is their permit in quite some time.
Slawson and MBI have the two wildcats, one in McKenzie and one in Stark.
EOG / Spearfish Formation / Bottineau County
Fueling more rumors that EOG has thrown in the towel with regard to the Spearfish, the daily activity report listed six EOG permits in Bottineau County that were believed to target the Spearfish. In addition, six additional EOG wells changed operator from EOG to Surge Energy.Other permits canceled:
- #18070 – Zavanna, LLC., Leopard 1-20H., SESE 20-155N-100W, Williams Co.
#18133 – Zavanna, LLC., Panther 1-16H., SESE 16-155N-100W, Williams Co. - #19234 – OXY USA, Steve Kudrna 1-32-29H-143-95, SWSE 32-143N-95W, Dunn Co.
- #20299 – OXY USA Inc., Tony Kralicek 1-5-8H-142-95. SWSE 32-143N-95W, Dunn Co.
#20955 – Continental Resources, Inc., Burr 1-19H., SWSE 19-157N-97W, Williams Co.
#21049 – North Plains Energy, LLC., Miller 4-14-1H., NWNW 14-157N-97W, Williams Co.
#21144 – Petro Harvester Operating Co, LLC., Rice 13X., NESW 9-161N-82W, Bottineau Co.
#20557 – EOG Resources, Inc., Liberty 24-2531W., SWNW 25-151N-91W, Mountrail Co.
Update on 33 Wells That Reported DRL Status in 2Q11 -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA
From the NDIC website:
Of the wells (too many to count) that came off the confidential list in 2Q11, may of them were in DRL status. Periodically I go back and update those. I just completed updating 33 wells that were in "DRL" status when they came off the confidential list.
You can see the updated list here. I won't list them here, unless someone is interested.
The IPs were all typical Bakken IPs, around 1,000 bopd (IP) with a range of 750 to 1,200, generally. There were outliers, of course.
Two of the outliers:
Of the wells (too many to count) that came off the confidential list in 2Q11, may of them were in DRL status. Periodically I go back and update those. I just completed updating 33 wells that were in "DRL" status when they came off the confidential list.
You can see the updated list here. I won't list them here, unless someone is interested.
The IPs were all typical Bakken IPs, around 1,000 bopd (IP) with a range of 750 to 1,200, generally. There were outliers, of course.
Two of the outliers:
- 19435, 2,836, BEXP, L. Tufto 7-6 1H, Wildcat, Bakken
- 19868, 2,541, BEXP, A. Tufto 18-19 1H, Cow Creek, Bakken
Update on 36 Wells in DRL Status in the North Dakota Oil Patch -- A Gusher Among Them? -- Dakota-3's Mandaree 30-31H -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA
From the NDIC website:
Of the 74 wells that have come off the confidential list so far this quarter (3Q11), 36 are in "DRL" status.
This means that they are waiting to be completed. In most cases, that means waiting to be fracked. Operators are allowed to keep wells on DRL status for 30 days after the wells have been completed.
Since my last update, similar subject, the following were reported in DRL status when they came off the confidential list, and have now reported IPs:
Because they have come off the confidential list, some have provided production data. Again, these have probably been fracked (but not necessarily) and are still within the 30-day window.
By the way, for newbies, none of these wells are particularly exceptional for Bakken wells. In addition, they will have a significant decline rate. But if you want to see how "big" these wells are, listen to the 2Q11 WLL conference call to get an overview of the Bakken by extrapolating that company's results.
Of the 74 wells that have come off the confidential list so far this quarter (3Q11), 36 are in "DRL" status.
This means that they are waiting to be completed. In most cases, that means waiting to be fracked. Operators are allowed to keep wells on DRL status for 30 days after the wells have been completed.
Since my last update, similar subject, the following were reported in DRL status when they came off the confidential list, and have now reported IPs:
- 20026, 1,355, Zenergy, Nordeng 24-13H, Banks, Bakken
- 19403, 701, CLR, Vachal 1-27H, Alkali Creek, Bakken
- 20011, 949, Petro-Hunt, Sovig 150-100-22C-15-1H, Arnegard, Bakken
- 17979, 706, Zavanna, Lynx 1-27H, Stony Creek, Bakken
Because they have come off the confidential list, some have provided production data. Again, these have probably been fracked (but not necessarily) and are still within the 30-day window.
- 19671, DRL, SM, Lampert 13-24H, West Ambrose, Bakken, 30K in first three months; this should be a nice well
- 19773, DRL, Petro-Hunt, Producer's Corporation 159-94-17C-8-2H, North Tioga, Bakken, cumulative, 8,000 bbls in first 23 days
- 19885, DRL, Hess, Tattu 19-1H, Elk, Bakken, 30K in about two months; this should be a good well
- 20224, DRL, Hess, Klose 24-1H, Glass Bluff, Bakken, 26K in first two months, including 14K in 29 days in May, 2011; this should be a great well
- 19345, DRL, Hess, AN-Brenna-153-94-3130H-1, Antelope, Bakken; 17K in 18 days in June, 2011; this should be a great well
- 19510, DRL, Hess, Helland 15-19H, Ray, Bakken; 13K in 9 days in June, 2011; a great well
- 19603, DRL, Dakota-3, Dakota-3 Mandaree 30-31H, Reunion Bay, Bakken. This is a WMB company. Remember them? Bought 7 percent of the mineral rights in the reservation. The operator reported .... drum roll ... 25,672 bbls of oil in 24 days in May, 2011.
By the way, for newbies, none of these wells are particularly exceptional for Bakken wells. In addition, they will have a significant decline rate. But if you want to see how "big" these wells are, listen to the 2Q11 WLL conference call to get an overview of the Bakken by extrapolating that company's results.
Chesapeake: Ramping Up From Five Rigs Now To 40 Rigs by 2014 in the Utica -- Huge Story -- Competition With The Bakken for Dollars, Manpower, Equipment
I printed this earlier, but it was near the end of another post, and I'm not sure how many folks read to the end of some of my longer postings, so this is too important to be lost among the thousands of postings to date.
The Utica is likely to be "bigger" than the Eagle Ford for Chesapeake, but the company needs a lot of cash to develop it.
Shovel-ready jobs; it's a pity the administration cannot embrace the energy resources of this country.
The Utica, along with the Niobrara, the Eagle Ford, the Haynesville, the Marcellus, will all compete with the Bakken for resources (dollars, skilled manpower, and equipment).
For investors only: for those folks worried about increased taxes on oil companies, one may want to think about HP. Just saying. I do not own shares in either CHK or HP.
I completely liquidated everything two days ago and bought gold.
Just kidding.
The Utica is likely to be "bigger" than the Eagle Ford for Chesapeake, but the company needs a lot of cash to develop it.
Based on 2 years of proprietary petrophysical and engineering research, McClendon expects the Utica play “will be economically superior to the Eagle Ford shale” in South Texas for his company.The story is important for (at least) two reasons.
Chesapeake’s data on the Utica includes 2,000 well logs and petrophysical data on 200 wells.
Chesapeake has 1.25 million net leasehold acres in the Ohio Utica where it is running five operated rigs. The company expects to have eight Utica rigs by the end of 2011, 16-20 rigs by yearend 2012, and 40 rigs by yearend 2014. McClendon said Chesapeake has spent $1.5-2 billion on leases there and continues to acquire more acreage.
McClendon said Chesapeake is seeking a joint venture partner or other financial alternatives for its Utica operations. “Any solution will have upfront cash,” he said.
Shovel-ready jobs; it's a pity the administration cannot embrace the energy resources of this country.
The Utica, along with the Niobrara, the Eagle Ford, the Haynesville, the Marcellus, will all compete with the Bakken for resources (dollars, skilled manpower, and equipment).
For investors only: for those folks worried about increased taxes on oil companies, one may want to think about HP. Just saying. I do not own shares in either CHK or HP.
I completely liquidated everything two days ago and bought gold.
Just kidding.
Like GE, Another Medical Gadget Maker Moves to China -- Not a Bakken Story -- However There Is a Bakken Connection
Earlier this week I posted the story that the nation's economic czar was moving his health care unit headquarters to China, it now appears another medical gadget maker is following suit.
That much of the story was interesting. The paragraph that caught my attention, however, was this:
Companies don't hang around just because their profits are growing. GE's profits are REALLY growing and they are moving their health care unit to China.
Companies are always looking for ways to make greater profits. And moving from a high-tax state like Massachusetts to China appears to be one way to make greater profits. The nation's economic adviser, as noted above, is doing just that.
Now for the connection to the Bakken. With the increased profits that "Big Oil" is making in general, and independents are making in the Bakken, there is increased talk of increased taxes on oil companies. In fact, President Obama consistently names three entities he wants to see taxed more: corporate jets (yes, that's hard to believe), oil companies (in general, he does not say "Big Oil"), and those making more than $250,000/year (which represents mostly small business which makes up major part of employment, along with medium-sized businesses, here in the US).
I don't have the link, and I may have misread it, or misunderstood, but scouring internet for news today, I read that oil companies will move elsewhere if they don't make 50% profit. I don't now what that means specifically, and I don't know what was meant by "profit," but the point was that oil companies will move their attention where business climates are more favorable.
Right now, there is a huge competition for resources (dollars, manpower, equipment) for drillers in the Bakken, the Niobrara, the Eagle Ford, the Marcellus, and now the Utica.
Just saying.
Boston Scientific Corp. said yesterday that it plans to eliminate 1,200 to 1,400 jobs worldwide during the next 2 1/2 years to free money for new investments, the Natick medical device maker’s second major round of cuts since last year.
The company would not say how many jobs will be lost in Massachusetts, where fewer than 2,000 of its 25,000 employees are based. In February 2010, Boston Scientific said it would pare 1,300 jobs worldwide, but similarly did not say where.
Yesterday’s move, a day after Boston Scientific disclosed it was investing $150 million and hiring 1,000 people in China, raised fears that the company will gradually shift more work to foreign sites with less government oversight and lower costs than the United States.One can argue that this was likely to occur without ObamaCare but there is significant suspicion that medical oversight, scrutiny, bureaucratic regulations, costs, taxes, etc., associated with ObamaCare are hastening these moves overseas. In fact, for some, it was predictable. Flashback: tax on medical devices is a jobs killer.
That much of the story was interesting. The paragraph that caught my attention, however, was this:
“I’ve asked for information on where they are cutting jobs,’’ said state Senator James B. Eldridge, an Acton Democrat.
“My sense is, sadly, that like many other American companies, they are shedding jobs in Massachusetts and adding jobs overseas,’’ Eldridge said. “And this is a company making greater profits, so it’s even more outrageous.’’This is evidence that Washington simply does not "get it."
Companies don't hang around just because their profits are growing. GE's profits are REALLY growing and they are moving their health care unit to China.
Companies are always looking for ways to make greater profits. And moving from a high-tax state like Massachusetts to China appears to be one way to make greater profits. The nation's economic adviser, as noted above, is doing just that.
Now for the connection to the Bakken. With the increased profits that "Big Oil" is making in general, and independents are making in the Bakken, there is increased talk of increased taxes on oil companies. In fact, President Obama consistently names three entities he wants to see taxed more: corporate jets (yes, that's hard to believe), oil companies (in general, he does not say "Big Oil"), and those making more than $250,000/year (which represents mostly small business which makes up major part of employment, along with medium-sized businesses, here in the US).
I don't have the link, and I may have misread it, or misunderstood, but scouring internet for news today, I read that oil companies will move elsewhere if they don't make 50% profit. I don't now what that means specifically, and I don't know what was meant by "profit," but the point was that oil companies will move their attention where business climates are more favorable.
Right now, there is a huge competition for resources (dollars, manpower, equipment) for drillers in the Bakken, the Niobrara, the Eagle Ford, the Marcellus, and now the Utica.
Just saying.
CHK Conference Call -- Incredible -- The Confirmation of a Huge Liquids Discovery in Utica is Huge -- Not A Bakken Story
The conference call is available now at: http://web.servicebureau.net/conf/meta?i=1113298295&c=2343&m=was&u=/w_ccbn.xsl&date_ticker=CHK.
It's been my experience that these archived conference calls are difficult to find after a few days; you may want to listen to it as soon as possible.
The early comments explain why Jim Cramer is so bullish on CHK.
I do not hold shares in CHK so I have no dog in this fight. Nevertheless, it is very, very exciting.
Listening to this conference call, and recalling a story that Venezuela oil reserves are now larger than Saudi Arabia's reserves suggest to me, that with regard to energy, that this decade (2011 - 2021) will be all about the western hemisphere as Saudi's role falls.
Data points:
It's been my experience that these archived conference calls are difficult to find after a few days; you may want to listen to it as soon as possible.
The early comments explain why Jim Cramer is so bullish on CHK.
I do not hold shares in CHK so I have no dog in this fight. Nevertheless, it is very, very exciting.
Listening to this conference call, and recalling a story that Venezuela oil reserves are now larger than Saudi Arabia's reserves suggest to me, that with regard to energy, that this decade (2011 - 2021) will be all about the western hemisphere as Saudi's role falls.
Data points:
- Venezuela reserves exceed those of Saudi Arabia.
- Mideast conflict likely to worsen this decade.
- Canadian oil sands. Oil will probably go to China when US stops the Keystone XL.
- Bakken, Niobrara, Eagle Ford.
- Brazil.
- CHK's major discovery in Ohio.
- EOR in Texas.
Based on 2 years of proprietary petrophysical and engineering research, McClendon expects the Utica play “will be economically superior to the Eagle Ford shale” in South Texas for his company.Shovel-ready jobs; it's a pity the administration cannot embrace the energy resources of this country.
Chesapeake’s data on the Utica includes 2,000 well logs and petrophysical data on 200 wells.
Chesapeake has 1.25 million net leasehold acres in the Ohio Utica where it is running five operated rigs. The company expects to have eight Utica rigs by the end of 2011, 16-20 rigs by yearend 2012, and 40 rigs by yearend 2014. McClendon said Chesapeake has spent $1.5-2 billion on leases there and continues to acquire more acreage.
McClendon said Chesapeake is seeking a joint venture partner or other financial alternatives for its Utica operations. “Any solution will have upfront cash,” he said.
Update on the Gulf Permitorium -- LIFTED! Oh, Never Mind, It's The Cubans That Are Drilling 70 Miles Off Florida -- Not a Bakken Story
Link here.
Sometime over the next three months, if all goes according to plan, Cuban workers on a Chinese-built, Spanish-owned rig will start drilling for oil in the mile-deep waters just off the north coast of Cuba, 70 miles from the Florida Keys.Something tells me I will be updating this post next summer. I hope it's not about the oil-fouled Florida beaches.
Because of the embargo, U.S. companies cannot drill in Cuba, supply equipment to Cuba, have any say over safety regulations in Cuba, or even take part in helping control a blowout and spill in Cuba. As the island prepares to begin offshore drilling, it has signed contracts with oil companies from Brazil, India, Italy, Russia, and Spain—and is in talks to lease major portions of its coastal water to Chinese companies (continuing China’s pattern of pursuing oil exploration in countries where U.S. drillers aren’t welcome).
Under the embargo’s terms, the oil drilling and safety equipment used by those companies must be less than 10 percent U.S.-made. But all of the most technologically advanced equipment for drilling and preventing or stopping oil spills is made in the United States or by U.S. companies.
At 183 Rigs Today, One Short to Tie the 184 Record -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA
Link here. It is also permanently linked at the sidebar on the right, under data, "active rigs."
Great Article on Bowman, North Dakota -- The Oil Patch -- Another Perspective -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA
On a day when there is only bad economic and political news (no one is writing about the wars any more, by the way, have you noticed?), I was happy to find this article which was published a couple of weeks ago.
It's a regional link and it may not be available on the net for long but it's there today and it's a nice article to read. It's was written by Deena Winter who grew up in Bowman; it looks like she is a good 20 years younger than I but her experiences mirror mine, growing up in Williston in the 1950s and 60s. I guess North Dakota changes slowly (until now).
I would like to "cut and paste" the entire story, but cannot, and appropriately so. But it bothers me that good writing like Deena Winter's on a subject dear to my heart (North Dakota) can be so easily lost.
The video is unrelated to oil, but something the Bowman folks might enjoy. I certainly did.
Bowman High School Rodeo, 2011
It's a regional link and it may not be available on the net for long but it's there today and it's a nice article to read. It's was written by Deena Winter who grew up in Bowman; it looks like she is a good 20 years younger than I but her experiences mirror mine, growing up in Williston in the 1950s and 60s. I guess North Dakota changes slowly (until now).
Growing up in Bowman, North Dakota, the only time I saw oil wells was when our family drove 50 minutes west to see our cousins in Baker, Montana.
I’d look out the windows at those black hammer-like pumpers grinding up and down, up and down, up and down and wonder how they pulled black gold from the ground, and where the oil went, and how rich the landowners were.Deena drove 50 miles west to see oil wells in Baker, Montana. Our family drove 50 miles east to see oil wells in Tioga, North Dakota.
I would like to "cut and paste" the entire story, but cannot, and appropriately so. But it bothers me that good writing like Deena Winter's on a subject dear to my heart (North Dakota) can be so easily lost.
The video is unrelated to oil, but something the Bowman folks might enjoy. I certainly did.
"Don't Blow It" -- The Lost Decade -- No Clue -- "Soft Patch" -- Not a Bakken Story -- Warning: Highly Graphic
Updates
April 28, 2016: we've hit a "soft patch" again.
August 3, 2011: Signs of a double-dip recession have emerged -- Meredith Whitney, anaylst. CNBC considers her highly credible.
August 2, 2011: the "double dip" recession has begun, as reported by the president's cable news station, MSNBC.
July 29, 2011: This update is being written just as the government reported a most anemic GDP number: 1.3. But even scarier, if that's possible: 1Q11 GDP was revised to 0.4 -- almost a contraction in growth.
This is another update to the June 19, 2011, posting.
I think the June 22, 2011, update was particularly prescient, when I wrote: When government officials start using the phrase "a soft patch" on a more regular basis, one can assume that experts acknowledge there is a better than 50/50 chance that we will fall into a double-dip recession. My hunch is that if we fall back into a recession we will not know it until about six months after the fact.
I wrote, "we will not know it until about six months after the fact." Today: The Commerce Department data on Friday also showed the current lull in the economy began earlier than had been thought, with the growth losing steam late last year.
I posted then: "Brutally honest, Bernanke admitted that he had no clue what was actually causing the current fragility in the U.S. economic recovery." Today: That raised questions on the long held view by both Federal Reserve officials and independent economists that the slowdown in growth this year was mostly due to transitory factors. Same source.
Today, Peggy Noonan, perhaps the best Presidential speechwriter ever, and the best pundit bar none, writes: So he is losing a battle in which he had superior forces—the presidency, the U.S. senate. In the process he revealed that his foes have given him too much mystique. He is not a devil, an alien, a socialist. He is a loser. And this is America, where nobody loves a loser.
So, back to the original post: what the President has called a "bump in the road" appears to be the beginning of another lost decade. But this time it's different. It could have been avoided had the President studied the history of the first lost decade.
Speaking of prescient: "Now, don't blow it." Those were the words Michelle Obama told her husband following her introduction of him at the 2004 Democratic Primary Convention …when she said to him as she passed him while she was walking off stage.
By the way, my favorite company, Apple Corp, now has more cash on hand than the US government. Several sources have pointed out that the US government has $74 billion cash on hand; Apple has $76 billion. And we are nowhere closer to ending the debate on the debt ceiling. I wonder if the president has golf scheduled for the weekend.
By the way, when we fall back into a recession, everyone will refer to it as a double dip; in fact enough time has passed since the first one that this one will be entirely owned by the current administration.
June 22, 2011: The comments to this article are very interesting. Iit is very, very scary that the Fed chairman was unable to instill any confidence in the investing community. It is clear that he sees a second lost decade, and most of it revolves around lack of a sound energy policy.
Brutally honest, Bernanke admitted that he had no clue what was actually causing the current fragility in the U.S. economic recovery. While the FOMC statement assigned blame outside of the U.S., pointing at Japan along with rising food and oil prices, Bernanke was put on the spot by a reporter who noted the inconsistency behind that explanation and a lowering of long term forecasts. Bernanke took the hit, admitting only some of the factors were temporary and that he didn’t know exactly what was causing the slowdown, but that it would persist. “Growth,” said Bernanke, “will return into 2012.”June 22, 2011: I think everyone agrees that the phrase "hitting a bit of a soft patch" right now with regards to the economy is being voiced/heard more and more frequently (if any doubts, google "soft patch"). One of the most important things a government can do is keep people calm, doing what it can to prevent panic. Panic can lead to anarchy (something about which the Greeks need to be most concerned right now). To maintain calm, the government will gradually prepare its citizens for worse news yet to come, but in a gradual manner. When government officials start using the phrase "a soft patch" on a more regular basis, one can assume that experts acknowledge there is a better than 50/50 chance that we will fall into a double-dip recession. My hunch is that if we fall back into a recession we will not know it until about six months after the fact. All incumbent administrations would do their best to manage the timing of announcing the onset of a recession.
June 22, 2011: Mort Zuckerman, US News (& World Report): Unemployment situation is worse than it looks.
The Great Recession has now earned the dubious right of being compared to the Great Depression. In the face of the most stimulative fiscal and monetary policies in our history, we have experienced the loss of over 7 million jobs, wiping out every job gained since the year 2000. From the moment the Obama administration came into office, there have been no net increases in full-time jobs, only in part-time jobs. This is contrary to all previous recessions. Employers are not recalling the workers they laid off from full-time employment.And based on the administration's animosity toward oil, gas, and mining, it sounds like there is no urgency to correct the situation. Years ago, US News & World Report was the most conservative of the big three (the others: Newsweek and Time Magazine). Based on the little I have seen of Mort Zuckerman on television, he seems as liberal, or at least as somewhat left of center, as the rest of the mainstream media pundits. When the mainstream media starts calling the administration out on this issue, one car argue we are seeing the beginning of the end of this administration. Elsewhere it is being reported that 3 of 10 Americans will vote for Barack Obama in 2012.
Original Post
I have called the years 2000 - 2010 a lost decade, and have a "lost decade" tag.
I honestly thought we might turn the corner but I'm beginning to wonder. I'm not alone. From the (London) Financial Times:
The administration thinks the pace of recovery will pick up soon. Last week President Barack Obama called the pause a “bump in the road." Others think the slowdown will persist and might get worse, fears that cannot be dismissed. One alarming possibility is that the traits the US has relied on to drive growth in the past – labour market flexibility, rapid productivity growth – might have become toxic. If the US is unlucky, traits seen as distinctive strengths are now weaknesses, and a “lost decade” of stagnation, like Japan’s in the 1990s, might lie ahead.
"Saddest" Story of the Day? -- Not a Bakken Story -- Books on Broadway -- Kathleen Norris -- And the Cattle at Richardton Abbey
Updates
December 23, 2013: Faces of the Bakken -- Chuck Wilder, Owner, Books on Broadway.
Independent bookstore owner Chuck Wilder noticed a change in business four years ago when guys in Halliburton coveralls started coming into his shop.
Books on Broadway started getting new customers, including a more educated set of oilfield workers than previous oil booms had brought to Williston.
“These guys, they all have engineering degrees and they’re readers,” Wilder said.
The oil boom has been good for business in the downtown shop. Holiday sales are up this year, and the store can’t keep its top seller, “The Frackers” by Gregory Zuckerman, in stock.
Original Post
I spent a number of years in northern England in a previous life, and got to know the history of the monasteries there very, very well. The monasteries were self-sufficient, raising crops, and raising sheep. I assume in some cases, also cattle, but I don't recall. Walking through the ruins one could imagine the monasteries before they were destroyed or decayed on their own.
Before ever visiting Yorkshire and the monasteries, I had read one or two books by Kathleen Norris, which added to my experience in northern England. Ms Norris would know the Assumption Abbey in Richardton, North Dakota, and she, too, probably feels a slight pang to read that the abbey is getting out of the cattle business (regional links break early).
As Brother Placid Gross walks the grounds surrounding the historic Assumption Abbey, he knows that one of the long-time traditions will soon be history.There's not much else to say. I just find it kind of sad that the abbey could not continue with their cattle. Cattle have a way of suggesting calmness, and "everything is alright with the world." There is always at least one cow in every picture of the Christian manger.
Officials at the monastery have decided to do away with the cattle that have been there for over 100 years.
Gross has tended to the herd for 51 years and said he can still remember the days of raking hay with a team of horses.
I mentioned Kathleen Norris above. I really enjoyed her writing. The first book of hers I read, and it might have been her first, certainly it was her most well received book, was Dakota: A Spiritual Geography. The book was awarded "Notable Book" status by The New York Times. (By the way, of all print media, The New York Times is my favorite. If one realizes that the front page is part of the op-ed section, it is easier to enjoy. I was introduced to the newspaper in my sophomore year by the assistant wrestling coach at Williston High School who also taught social studies of some sort, perhaps "World Geography" if there was such a thing. His last name started with an "R" and I'm blocking on it, but he, too, instilled in me a love for the news.)
Wow, I'm digressing.
Anyway, I highly recommend Kathleen Norris' Dakota: A Spiritual Geography. It provides a lot of insight into the character of the folks that were raised in this part of the world. Her second book was a bit too "religious" for me, The Cloister Walk. I never read The Virgin of Bennington. The last book of hers that I read was Acedia and Me which I discussed elsewhere. That is one of the most "open" books that an author can write. One gets the feeling that it was to be her last book; after writing a book like that I cannot imagine an author having the emotional energy to start another, much less finish. But one never knows, Kathleen Norris remains active, at least based on websites that I have not visited in awhile.
And as long as I'm digressing, speaking of insight into the character of the folks who settled this part of North Dakota, one of my favorite books is Prairie Peddlers: The Syrian-Lebanese in North Dakota. Any "reader" in western North Dakota, should have this book in his/her library. Maybe I will talk about it again, later. I've discussed it elsewhere before. You can find it at Books on Broadway, on Broadway, in Williston, North Dakota. [Update: The author is William C. Sherman. I see that the hardback copy is no longer available at Amazon.com; the book lists for $131.00. I probably paid about $49.00 for my hardback copy at Books on Broadway.]
ESER Is Back On-LIne -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA
Elsewhere it was noted that ESER is back on-line.
For newbies, try this: click on this link, and then using the tool on the left side of the Google map when you get to the size, ZOOM OUT (click on the "-" sign two or three times) and you will get a graphic display of the difference in the activity on the Sanish field (to the left) compared to the Parshall field (to the right). The Sanish field is "owned" by Whiting; the Parshall field is "owned" by EOG. It appears that much of the eastern half of the Parshall will not be all that productive, but the entire Sanish will be highly productive.
I used to visit the ESER site periodically and then it seemed to disappear or limit accessibility, I forget, and gradually I lost interest.
But today, someone noted that ESER was back on-line.
The map of the Bakken looks like the opening credits of Bonanza, where the map of the west is burning, blazing, and the Cartwright brothers coming riding out. No Cartwright brothers at ESER but a burning map nonetheless.
Hopefully it stays up long enough for me to take some time with it.
Piece of trivia: there are very, very few ads on the front page of the LA Times website. ESER Oil and Gas Search is one of them. [Noted on July 30, 2011.]
For newbies, try this: click on this link, and then using the tool on the left side of the Google map when you get to the size, ZOOM OUT (click on the "-" sign two or three times) and you will get a graphic display of the difference in the activity on the Sanish field (to the left) compared to the Parshall field (to the right). The Sanish field is "owned" by Whiting; the Parshall field is "owned" by EOG. It appears that much of the eastern half of the Parshall will not be all that productive, but the entire Sanish will be highly productive.
I used to visit the ESER site periodically and then it seemed to disappear or limit accessibility, I forget, and gradually I lost interest.
But today, someone noted that ESER was back on-line.
The map of the Bakken looks like the opening credits of Bonanza, where the map of the west is burning, blazing, and the Cartwright brothers coming riding out. No Cartwright brothers at ESER but a burning map nonetheless.
Hopefully it stays up long enough for me to take some time with it.
Piece of trivia: there are very, very few ads on the front page of the LA Times website. ESER Oil and Gas Search is one of them. [Noted on July 30, 2011.]
Video Of Oil Unit Train -- Williston -- Stanley -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA
I was sent this video a couple days ago from a friend who saw it on YouTube and I posted it elsewhere. Tonight I received a note from Mike who took the video and provided some background.
The train is empty. It is headed east out of Williston, North Dakota, on its way to Stanley, North Dakota, where it will be filled, and will then head to Cushing, Oklahoma. [If it's being filled in Stanley, I wonder if it's being filled at the EOG-facility?]
Here's the video, and below the story:
Empty oil train headed east out of Williston, North Dakota, headed to Stanley, North Dakota, where it will be filled, and then head to Cushing, Oklahoma. Stanley is about 70 miles east of Williston.
The designation of the train when it arrived was:
At that point, the train was to reverse direction, with 4612 on lead. Glendive -- Snowden -- Williston -- Stanley.
There is no wye at Terry. There is a loop at Stanley.
The train departing was designated:
"Power should go right to El Paso, with one on the head end and two on the rear."
The key, Mike says, is to look at the first line of data.
Train symbol: U-SAPSTN0-86T.
From Terry it went north to Glendive, back to Williston and Stanley for loading.
One day when I was in Williston at Gramma Sharon's for lunch with my dad, I overheard a group of men discussing the routing of a train they were somehow involved in. The language they spoke was a dialect of American English I had never heard before. Now I know why. They lost me at U-SAPSTNO. (And I thought military acronyms were atrocious.)
The biggest kick I get out of this is to be able to learn that to date, there have been 86 unit trains, and to convert the length to miles. That's incredible. Some years ago there was a very interesting article in The New Yorker about how sophisticated train engines/computers had to be to manage to move a train that long, when part of it could be moving up hill, while part of it could be moving down hill.
And 118 tank cars with a couple of others adds up to 120 cars which my dad says he counted one day to see how many cars they put on these unit trains.
The train is empty. It is headed east out of Williston, North Dakota, on its way to Stanley, North Dakota, where it will be filled, and will then head to Cushing, Oklahoma. [If it's being filled in Stanley, I wonder if it's being filled at the EOG-facility?]
Here's the video, and below the story:
The designation of the train when it arrived was:
The route it took: Oklahoma City -- Ark City -- Emporia -- Kansas City, KS -- Galesburg -- La Crosse -- Minneapolis -- Wilmar -- Aberdeen -- Hettinger -- Terry.U-SAPSTN0-86T, arriving at Stanley 1236 07-035020-FXE 4615+4612, 2-118-4151-7318'
At that point, the train was to reverse direction, with 4612 on lead. Glendive -- Snowden -- Williston -- Stanley.
There is no wye at Terry. There is a loop at Stanley.
The train departing was designated:
U-STNSAP0-92T, departing Stanley 1055 07-04Mike says that DPU direction is not an issue. "Just yesterday [I] saw a list and AEI on a grain train going from Polo to Mexico. The train went from Polo to Eola and then via Mendota and Galesburg and further west. At Eola they had to change direction, and Aurora has no wye.
5020-FXE 4615+4612, 114-0-14730-6962'
"Power should go right to El Paso, with one on the head end and two on the rear."
The key, Mike says, is to look at the first line of data.
Train symbol: U-SAPSTN0-86T.
- U: unit train.
- 86: 86th unit train of the year.
- SAPSTNO: simply station signs. SAP for some terminal in Oklahoma City and STN for Stanley [There is a "Sapalpa" just southwest of Tulsa].
- T: tank train.
- One locomotive on one end and two on the other.
- 2 loads (the hoppers most likely filled with sand for safety and protection for locomotives)
- 118 empties (the tank cars) (Mike thinks each tank car holds 714 bbls) --> 85,000 bbls/unit train
- 7,318 feet long (or about 1.4 miles long)
From Terry it went north to Glendive, back to Williston and Stanley for loading.
*********************
One day when I was in Williston at Gramma Sharon's for lunch with my dad, I overheard a group of men discussing the routing of a train they were somehow involved in. The language they spoke was a dialect of American English I had never heard before. Now I know why. They lost me at U-SAPSTNO. (And I thought military acronyms were atrocious.)
*********************
The biggest kick I get out of this is to be able to learn that to date, there have been 86 unit trains, and to convert the length to miles. That's incredible. Some years ago there was a very interesting article in The New Yorker about how sophisticated train engines/computers had to be to manage to move a train that long, when part of it could be moving up hill, while part of it could be moving down hill.
*********************
And 118 tank cars with a couple of others adds up to 120 cars which my dad says he counted one day to see how many cars they put on these unit trains.
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