NDIC Hearing Dockets -- January, 2012 -- High Points -- The Bakken, North Dakota, USA

The "complete" summary is at this link; these are just some of the highlights:

We are truly moving into the manufacturing phase.

1. Look at this one example:

Dakota-3 wants to extend the Van Hook or Deep Water Creek Bay-Bakken pools to create a 3,840-acre spacing unit, and then drill as many as 22 wells on that spacing unit. 

That works out to about one well for very 175 acres. I.N.C.R.E.D.I.B.L.E.

2. In addition, EOG wants to test the feasibility of water injection in its excellent Parshall field.

3. For folks who thought there would be only one well in each section:

• 16786, Slawson, Sanish-Bakken, 1 640-acre unit; 7 wells, Mountrail; yes, that's 7 wells in one section

4. It is amazing all the activity reflected in the January dockets.

5. The "standard" is 7 wells in the 1280-acre units, and often 8 wells; or 4 wells in 640-acre units, or 2 wells in 320-acre spacing units.

6. Sandrocks oil field is very active. Sandrocks is a small field, 12 sections north of Arnegard, and very, very close to the bull's eye of the Bakken.

7.  BR will be managing a 30,000-acre unit (Corral Creek-Bakken). BR likes to manage big units; from the January, 2011, docket:

• 16587, BR, add four sections to Sand Creek-Bakken, McKenzie; as a 2,560-acre unit; 12 wells
• 16589, BR, add four sections to Hawkeye-Bakken; McKenzie, as a 2,560-acre unit; 12 wells
• 16590, BR, 2,560-acre unit, McKenzie, 12 wells
• 16591, BR, add four sections; Pershing-Bakken; McKenzie, as a 2,560-acre unit; 12 wells
• 16592, BR, add four sections, Bear Den-Bakken, McKenzie, as a 2,560-acre unit; 12 wells

NDIC Hearing Dockets -- January, 2012

Highlights here. 


Wednesday, January 18, 2012

16585, Petro-Hunt, temporary spacing, Hokanson 158-99-32D-29-1H, Williams
16586, BR, temporary spacing, Rose 147-99-28-2H, McKenzie
16587, BR, add four sections to Sand Creek-Bakken, McKenzie; as a 2,560-acre unit; 12 wells
16588, BR, Brazos 24-34H, complete the well, McKenzie
16589, BR, add four sections to Hawkeye-Bakken; McKenzie, as a 2,560-acre unit; 12 wells
16590, BR, 2,560-acre unit, McKenzie, 12 wells
16591, BR, add four sections; Pershing-Bakken; McKenzie, as a 2,560-acre unit; 12 wells
16592, BR, add four sections, Bear Den-Bakken, McKenzie, as a 2,560-acre unit; 12 wells
16593, BR, Haystack Butte-Bakken, McKenzie; 3 wells in a 1280-acre unit
16594, BR, Lone Butte-Bakken, Dunn; 4 wells in a 1280-acre unit
16595, BR, Jim Creek-Bakken, 9 wells total; 3 wells each in 3 1280-acre units, Dunn
16595, BR, Little Knife-Bakken, a 1280-acre unit, Billings
14916, cont'd, Evertson, Whiting, redefine field limits for the Ray-Red River Gas Pool, Wms
16597, Whiting, temporary spacing for Banner 44-33TFH, Golden Valley
16598, Whiting, temporary spacing for Peplinski 34-9, Golden Valley
16599, Whiting, temporary spacing for Brookhart 11-14, Golden Valley
16600, Whiting, Morgan Draw-Bakken, a 1280-acre unit, 3 horizontal wells, Billings
16601, Whiting, Morgan Draw-Bakken, amend Zones V and VI for 3 wells in each unit, Billings
16602, Whiting, Roosevelt-Bakken, 1280-acre unit; 3 wells, Billings
16603, Whiting, Cooks Peak and Roosevelt Fields, 1280-acre unit; 3 wells, Billings
16604, Whiting, Zone VI, Roosevelt-Bakken, 3 wells on each unit; Billings and Golden Valley
16605, Whiting, a 960-acre unit, 1 hz well in Red River formation, Golden Valley
16606, Whiting, extend St Demetrius or Park-Bakken, four sections; 3 hz wells, Billings
16607, Whiting, Zenith-Bakken, 4 wells per spacing unit, Stark
16608, Whiting, North Creek-Bakken, 4 wells per spacing unit, Stark
16609, Whiting, Green River-Bakken, 4 wells per spacing unit, Stark
16610, Whiting, Zone II, Dutch Henry Butte-Bakken, 4 wells per spacing unit, Stark
16611, Whiting Zone II, Ray-Bakken, 4 wells per spacing unit, Williams
16612, Whiting, Zones II and III, Dollar Joe-Bakken, 4 wells per spacing unit, Williams
16613, Whiting, Zones VIII and IX, Bicentennial-Bakken, 3 wells per spacing unit, GV, McK
16614, Whiting, Zones VI, VII, VIII, Elkhorn Ranch-Bakken, 3 wells per spacing unit, Blngs
16615, Whiting, Chateau-Bakken, 3 wells per spacing unit, Billings
16616, Whiting, Zones V and VI, DeMores-Bakken; 3 wells per spacing unit, Billings
16617, Whiting, Big Stick-Bakken, 3 wells per spacing unit, Billings
16618, Whiting, Zones III and IV, Tree Top-Bakken, 3 wells per spacing unit, Billings
16101, cont'd, SM, temporary spacing for Legaard 4-25H, Divide
16619, SM, extend Colgan-Bakken; several 1280-acre units, Divide
16620, Hess, White Earth-Bakken, 3 wells per spacing unit, Mountrail
16621, Hess, Manitou-Bakken, several new 640-acre units; 3 wells per unit, Mountrail
16622, Hess, Alger-Bakken, 3 hz wells on two 640-acre units, Mountrail
15370, cont'd, Hess, 1 well in a 640-acre unit, Mountrail
16623, Hess, Truax-Bakken, 3 wells in a 1280-acre unit, Williams
16624, Hess, Charlie Bob-Bakken, a 1280-acre unit with 6 wells, Billings
16625, Hess, St Anthony-Bakken, a 1280-acre unit; 6 wells, Stark
16626, Hess, Simon Butte-Bakken, a 1280-acre unit, 6 wells, Stark 
14935, cont'd, Hess, revoke a CLR permit for Foster 1-28H, Wms, McK
16627, KOG, East Fork-Bakken, 7 wells on 2 1280-acre units, Williams
16628, KOG, Epping-Bakken, 7 wells on 7 1280-acre units, Williams
16629, KOG, KOG, Stockyard Creek-Bakken, 7 wells on 6 1280-acre units, Williams
16630, KOG, 11 new 2560-acre units in Truax-Bakken; 7 wells on each 2560-acre unit, Wms
16631, KOG, Banks-Bakken, 2 2560-acre units; 7 wells on each unit, Williams
16632, KOG, Moccasin Creek-Bakken, 6 wells on one 1280-acre unit, Dunn
16633, Murex, Sandrocks-Bakken, 8 wells on one 1280-acre unit, McKenzie
16634, Windsor Energy, Van Hook-Bakken, 5 1920-acre units
16635, Oasis, Alkali Creek-Bakken, unrestricted production, McK, Mountrail, Wms
16636, Oasis, MonDak-Bakken, unrestricted production, McK
16637, MRO, commingle, Dunn
16638, MRO, Zone VI, Big Bend-Bakken, 7 wells on each unit, Mountrail
16639, MRO, Zone IX, Van Hook-Bakken, 7 wells on each unit, Dunn, McLean, Mountrail
16640, MRO, Zones IV and V, Reunion Bay-Bakken, 7 wells on each unit, Dunn, Mtrl, McK
16285, cont'd, Triangle, revoke a Zenergy permit to drill Frederick James 3-10H, McK
16125, cont'd, XTO, revoke a CLR permit for Tompkins 1-35H, McK
15676, cont'd, XTO, revoke a CLR permit for Carbon 1-30H, McK
16641, Eternal, Colgan-Bakken, 4 800-acre units, Divide
16322, cont'd, Vecta, legalese, risk penalty, Bryan Myers 2601, Mountrail
16642, CLR, revoke a GMX Resources permit for Pojorlie 21-2-1H, McK
15690, cont'd, CLR, revoke a BEXP permit for Barney 32-29 1H, McK
16323, cont'd, CLR, designate CLR as operator for the Peterson 156-99-29-32-1H, Wms
14541, cont'd, Oil for America, Zastoupil 22-1, temporary spacing, Stark
16643, Buckhorn, SWD, Mountrail
16644, Buckhorn, SWD, North Tobacco Garden, McK
16645, Saltwater Disposal, Mountrail
16646, Saltwater Disposal, Mountrail
16647, Abyssal Saltwater Disposal, Mountrail
16648, RC Disposal, McK
16649, KOG, pooling
16650, KOG, SWD
16651 - 16662, OXY USA, pooling
16663 -  16688, Hess, pooling
16366, cont'd, Hess, SWD
16689 - 16693, Petro-Hunt, pooling
16694 - 16749, Oasis, pooling (55 wells)
16750, BR, pooling
16751, MRO, pooling
16752, True Oil, pooling

Thursday, January 19, 2012

16753, Slawson, temporary spacing for Crossbow 1-7-6H, McK
16754, Slawson, spacing for Wolverine Federal 1-31-30H, McK
16755, Slawson, Kittleson-Slough, 1280-acre unit; 6 wells, Mountrail
16756, XTO, temporary spacing for Jeffrey 24X-10, Wms
16411, cont'd, XTO, develop Haugen 13X-34, McK
16757, Crescent Point, temporary spacing for CPEC Lancaster 2-11-162N-102W, Divide
16758, EOG, Van Hook or Parshall-Bakken, 8 1920-acre unit and 1 1280-acre unit; 2 wells on each uit, Mountrail
16759, EOG, rework Parshall 20-03H, Mountrail, water injection to test the feasibility of water flooding the reservoir
16760, EOG, rework Wayzetta 4-16H, Mountrail, water injection to test the feasibility of water flooding the reservoir
16761, BEXP, Elk-Bakken, 1 1280-acre unit; 8 wells, McK
16762, Chesapeake, 1 1280-acre unit, Billings, 1 well
16763, Chesapeake, 2 1280-acre units, Billings, 1 well in each unit
16764, Chesapeake, 2 1280-acre units, GV and Billings, 1 well in each unit
16765, Dakota-3, Van Hook or Deep Water Creek-Bakken, a 3840-acre unit; 22 wells on that unit
16766, Dakota-3, South Fork-Bakken, a 1280-acre unit, 7 wells, Dunn
16767, Denbury Onshore, recomplete Thorlackson 26-3 (#11553), McK
16768, Newfield,Westberg-Bakken, 2 1280-acre units; 6 wells on each unit, McK
16769: Newfield, Sandrocks-Bakken, a 1280-acre unit, 5 wells on the unit, McK
15754, cont'd, Newfield, Cartwright-Bakken, Hay Creek, Estes, and/or Yellowstone fields; 10 1280-acre units, 1 well on each.
16770, Zenergy, Sandrocks-Bakken, a 1280-acre unit, 1 well each, McK
16414, cont'd, Zenergy, Todd-Bakken, 2 1280-acre units, 1 well each, Wms, McK
16771, CLR, Wildrose or Hamlet-Bakken, 1 1280-acre unit; 1 well, Divide
16772, CLR, North Tioga-Bakken, 2 1280-acre units, multiple wells, Burke
16773, CLR, North Tioga-Bakken, 2 1280-acre units, multiple wells, Burke
16774, CLR, a 1280-acre unit, 1 hz well, Burke
15224, cont'd, CLR, revoke a Hess permit for 2WX 7-1H, McK
15491, cont'd, CLR, temporary spacing for Montpelier 1-14H, McK
15949, cont'd, CLR, Juno, Upland, or Wildrose, 7 1280-acre units; 1 well each, Divide
16407, cont'd, CLR, Wildrose or Hamlet-Bakken, 1 1280-acre unit, 7 wells, Divide

16775, Chimney Sweep, a 160-acre unit, vertical, Lodgepole, Stark

16776, Enerplus, complete Sitka 149-93-06A-3H TF, Mandaree-Bakken, Dunn
16777, Missouri River Royalty, recomplete Henry Torstenson 1 to the Duperow Formation, McK
16188, cont'd, Silver Oak, complete Rankin 1-35H,
16425, cont'd, Zavanna, temporary spacing for Koufax 3-10H, McK
15747, cont'd, Credo, revoke a Helis permit for Linseth 13-13/12H (#21217), McK
16416, cont'd, Fram Operating, South Greene-Madison, flaring, unrestricted production, Renville
16778, Clearwater, sludge facility treatment plant, Wms
16779, Water Services, multiple portable oil and gas waste treatment facilities
14542, cont'd, Greggory Tank vs CLR re: Johnson Corner-Bakken pool
16780 - 16782, Slawon, pooling
16783, Slawson, Kittleson Slough-Bakken, 1 1280-acre unit; 7 wells, Mountrail
16784, Slawson, Elm Tree-Bakken, 1 1280-acre unit; 7 wells, McK
16785, Slawson, Big Bend-Bakken, 1 1280-acre unit; 7 wells, Mountrail
16786, Slawson, Sanish-Bakken, 1 640-acre unit; 7 wells, Mountrail
16787, Slawson, Van Hook-Bakken, 1 1280-acre unit; 7 wells, Mountrail
16788, XTO, North Fork-Bakken, 6 1280-acre units; 8 wells on each, McK
16789, XTO, Indian Hill-Bakken, 2 1280-acre units; 8 wells, McK
16790, XTO, Sand Creek-Bakken, 2 1280-acre units; 8 wells, McK
16791, ERF, Moccasin Creek-Bakken, 1280-acre unit; 4 wells, Dunn
16792, ERF, Spotted Horn-Bakken, a 320-acre unit, 2 wells, McK
16793, ERF, Mandaree-Bakken, 1 640-acre, 4 wells, Dunn
16794, ERF, Antelope-Bakken, 2 320-acre units, 2 wells, McK
16795, Triangle, Antelope Creek-Bakken, 3 1280-acre units; 4 wells each, McK
16796, Triangle, Rosebud-Bakken, 1 1280-acre unit; 4 wells, McK
16797. Triangle, Todd-Bakken, 1 1280-acre unit, 4 wells, Wms
16798, Triangle, Strandahl-Bakken, pooling, Wms
16799, Triangle, Bull Butte-Bakken, pooling, Wms
16800, Triangle, Todd-Bakken, pooling, Wms
16801 - 16803, Triangle, pooling in Rosebud-Bakken, Antelope Creek, Wms, McK
16804, EOG, 8 1920-acre units; 2 wells each; 2 1280-acre units; 2 wells each; Parshall, Mountrail
16805, EOG, Clarks Creek-Bakken, 1 1440-acre unit, 8 wells, McK,
16806, EOG, Painted Woods, flaring and unrestricted production,Wms
16807 - 16808, EOG, pooling
16809, EOG, Parshall, water injection, Mountrail
16810, EOG, Parshall, water injection, Mountrail
16811, OXY USY, Murphy Creek-Bakken, 1 1280-acre unit, 6 wells, Dunn
16812, BEXP, Todd-Bakken, 1 1280-acre unit, 8 wells, Wms
16813, BEXP, Sandrocks-Bakken, 8 wells on each 1280-acre units, McK
16814, BEXP, Painted Woods-Bakken, 8 wells on each 1280-acre units, Wms
16815 - 16818, BEXP, pooling
16819, CLR, legalese, risk penalty, Divide
16820, CLR, legalese, risk penalty, Wms
16821, CLR, legalese, risk penalty, McK
16822, CLR, legalese, risk penalty, Divide
16823 - 16834, CLR, pooling
16867, CLR, pooling (note break in sequence)
16468, CLR, pooling (note break in sequence)
16835, Arsenal, legalese, risk penalty
16836, GMX Resources, legalese, risk penalty
16837, G3 Operating, legalese, risk penalty
16838 - 16839, Samson Resources, pooling
16840, Samson Resources, flaring,
16841, Samson Resources, flaring,
16842 - 16844, Fidelity, pooling
16845, Fidelity, 9 640 units, 2 wells each; 1 1920 acre-unit, 3 wells; 2 2560-acre units, 6 wells each; 1 2560-acre unit, 4 wells; Sanish-Bakken, Mountrail
16846, Fidelity, 2 1280-acre units; 4 wells each unit; Stanley-Bakken, Mountrail
16847 - 16851, Zenergy, pooling
16852, Dakota-3, 1 1280-acre unit, 7 wells, Antelope-Bakken, McK
16853, Dakota-3, 1 640-acre unit, 3 wells, Spotted Horn-Bakken, McK
16854, Dakota-3, 1 1280-acre unit, 7 wells, Squaw Creek-Bakken, McK
16855, Dakota-3, 1 1280-acre unit, 7 wells, Eagle Nest-Bakken, McK
16856, Dakota-3, 1 1280-acre unit, 7 wells, Mandaree-Bakken, Dunn
16857, Dakota-3, a 640-acre unit, 4 wells, Heart Butte-Bakken, Dunn
16858, Dakota-3, flaring and unrestricted production, Mountrail, Dunn
16859, Denbury Onshore, commingling, Madison formation and the Bakken, Buckhorn Field, Billings
16860,  Denbury Onshore, commingling Madison and Stonewall Pool; Bonetral Field, Wms
16861, Newfield, 1 640-acre unit, 2 wells; Sandrocks-Bakken, McK
16862, Newfield, 2 640-acre units; 3 wells, Westberg-Bakken, McK
15861, cont'd, Newfield, 5 1280-acre units; 7 wells each, Epping-Bakken, Wms
16863, Corinthian, commingling, Bottineau
16864,  ProWater, SWD
16580, cont'd, ProWater, SWD
16865, SWD Systems
16866, Deer Valley Trucking, SWD

Killdeer, North Dakota -- Annabelle Homes -- Rodeo Grounds -- The Bakken, North Dakota, USA

Link here.

If Annabelle Homes doesn't want to become the TransCanada/Keystone XL poster child for subdivisions -- the solution is simple.

About 80 residents filled the American Legion Hall here Wednesday evening and their message was loud and clear: They do not want their rodeo grounds moved.

Annabelle Homes wants to develop the city-owned rodeo grounds into housing, said Tom Backritges, director of development for the company.

And so it goes. 

Dickinson --

Link here.

Data points:

• The Dickinson Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously tabled a rezoning petition from Dickinson-based Energy Park LLC indefinitely ...
• The rezoning petition was for: 153 acres from an agricultural zone to commercial and industrial. It’s north of Dickinson at the northwest corner of Highway 22 and 33rd Street Southwest.
• Dickinson resident Jeff Loh submitted a petition with 57 signatures opposing the rezone...
• “That could be where a huge truck stop could be located,” he said. “You are going to have hundreds of trucks that will be turning right by our intersection. This will be 24/7. Do you want to live next to that?"
•  A special-use permit for a 250-room crew camp was withdrawn from the Wednesday agenda of the Dickinson Planning and Zoning Commission.
•  “This whole man camp business needs to change,” he said. “We feel that quality of life is so important, and the way we can really create a facility that promotes a good quality of life is to have a single tenant rather than having multiple companies.”

Eleven (11) New Permits -- Great Wells Reported -- The Bakken, North Dakota, USA

Daily activity report, December 22, 2011 --

Look at these nice wells reported out today:

• 20844, 816, G3 Operating, Rasmussen 1-21-16H, wildcat, Bakken,
  20467, 1,116, North Plains, Netz 9-21H, Truax, Bakken,
  20197, 2,286, Oasis, Wade Federal 5300 21-30H, wildcat, Bakken,  

I believe the North Plains well will belong to KOG -- another huge well for KOG.


The Oasis Wade Federal wildcat is in Baker oil field, just east of Indian Hill (McKenzie County) south of Williston, across the river. This is near the bull's eye of the Bakken; it is turning out to be a very, very interesting play.


The Rasmussen wildcat is northwest of Williston, near Strandahl oil field. Like so many other places in the Bakken, this well is one of a series of wells lying along a line, in this case, running west to east.


Meanwhile, here are data points for the eleven new permits today:

Operators: Whiting (4), Dakota-3 (3), Corinthian (2), Fidelity, Baytex

Fields: Van Hook;  Sanish, Gaylord, Alger, North Souris, Divide

Dakota-3 has permits for a 3-well pad in Van Hook; Whiting has three more wells in its cash cow, the Sanish (and a fourth permit for a well in Gaylord).

Again, we continue to see nomenclature changes. Three well name changes:

• 18797, XTO, TAT State 14X-36B (was TAT State 14X-36)
• 20906, XTO, Arley 21X-18B (was Arley 21X-18)
• 21365, XTO, Johnsrud 19-18HX (was Johnsrd 19-18H)

The name changes are becoming more descriptive. This is important for a couple of reasons: a) additional formations being targeted; and, b) additional wells in same section being drilled. Drillers are trying to differentiate wells in same sections.

SandRidge Pays A Compliment to "The Bakken"

Link here.

Tom Ward, Chairman and CEO, stated, "We are excited to announce this Joint Venture with Repsol, a global energy leader, and we are pleased that they share our confidence in the development potential of this vast Mississippian oil play. We compare the scope of this play to the Bakken and believe it will be transformational for the Mid-Continent region of the United States. SandRidge has led the way in developing the Mississippian Play and has now drilled more than 195 horizontal wells, representing nearly half of all the horizontal wells drilled in the play to date.   

SandRidge Energy, Inc., announced today that it has entered into a joint venture with a subsidiary of Repsol YPF, S.A., a leading international energy company based in Madrid, Spain. Under the agreement, SandRidge will sell an approximate 25% non-operated working interest, or 250,000 net acres, in the Extension Mississippian play located in Western Kansas and an approximate 16% non-operated working interest, or 113,636 net acres, in its Original Mississippian play. 

I've said many, many times, the Bakken is much more than just the production. It truly was a tight oil/shale oil/unconventional oil laboratory. In addition, it showed (and is showing) just how much can get accomplished when surface owners, mineral owners, oil companies, the regulating bodies, etc., work together to solve problems. It will be interesting to see if the success can be duplicated in western Kansas.

I sincerely hope it can (be duplicated).

Success in this new play will further validate what the folks in the Bakken have done, and will further lead the US down the road of energy independence.

"Anon 1" has provided the link to the specifics of this joint venture in western Kansas (a PDF file:
http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/19/196066/SandRidge-Announces-Mississippian-Joint-Venture.pdf).

Chesapeake Has a Warm Spot in Its Heart for Prairie Dogs -- North Central Texas -- But Relatives in the Bakken

Link here.

This tale of the stray Burleson prairie dogs has a happy ending.

A small colony of the critters was living in a vacant field on a proposed natural gas drilling site near the city golf course and an area targeted for economic development known as Old Town.

How they got there is a mystery, since they are not native to North Central Texas.

Perhaps a former property owner brought the squirrellike rodents to the 45-acre field. Maybe they were someone's escaped pets.

However they got there, they coexisted with their neighbors for years until the city wanted to develop the area and Chesapeake Energy wanted to drill six wells.

But instead of exterminating the 16 prairie dogs that called the field home -- using poison, for example -- Chesapeake thought of a better plan and decided to hire a wildlife consultant to help them relocate the colony back to their natural habitat in West Texas.

I grew up with prairie dogs in North Dakota. As kids, we loved to chase them in the North Unit of Teddy Roosevelt Park. We could never catch even one prairie dog.

I'm impressed that Chesapeake caught 'em all. Well, actually, the "Prairie Dog Lady" caught 'em and transplanted them.

That's when Lynda Watson, known as the "Prairie Dog Lady," got involved.

Watson, who lives near Lubbock, has relocated prairie dogs for 30 years and says she relocates about 4,000 animals a year.

What a great story.

Reuters -- Bakken by the Numbers -- The Bakken, North Dakota, USA

Link here.

The magnitude of North Dakota's oil revolution is hard for outsiders to grasp. Superlatives fail to convey the speed and scale of the transformation and its impact on the economy of the state.

The fracking boom is upending the traditional petroleum geography of the United States. On current trends, North Dakota will overtake California as the third-largest oil-producer in the United States by the end of Q1 2012. Output is likely to exceed production from Alaska by the end of 2012 or early 2013. Only Texas will be producing more crude.

UND, China, and The Bakken --

Sent to me by CRC, a great story on UND, China, and the Bakken.

Dongmei Wang, a soft-spoken scientist in UND’s Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, does her work far from the heart of the booming Bakken shale oil play in western North Dakota; still, she just might be the best friend the oil industry has.


The recent transplant from China, where she worked 22 years for Petrochina in that country’s most active oilfields, followed her son to America when he enrolled at the University of Michigan.  Wanting a new challenge and a quieter setting to call home, Wang took a job at UND as a petroleum engineering scientist, working with her boss, Will Gosnold, and his Petroleum Research, Education and Entrepreneurship Center of Excellence (PREEC), which already had been researching the relatively untapped geological formation known as the “Bakken.”

An internationally recognized petroleum engineer, Wang’s scientific experience in the Chinese oil industry only added to the burgeoning expertise and capabilities that have been amassing at UND’s School of Engineering and Mines.

While folks in Washington, DC, are looking for ways to disrupt/destroy/delay quality-of-life improvements, our universities, small business, and -- OMG -- big business, are all looking for ways to improved the quality of our life. 

The linked story is just too good to not read.

I have a particular fondness for this specific story. While "living" here in Boston, one of my wife's closest friend was a Chinese woman whose son went to the same kindergarten as our granddaughter. The Chinese family was here with their father who was on sabbatical for one year at a local university (Harvard? I forget.).

It was heartbreaking for all of us when the family had to return to China. Interestingly enough, my wife and she have kept up an e-mail correspondence and have mailed gifts back and forth from Boston to China (yes, I know China is a big country; if I find out the city, I will note it next time. Sheesh.).

A lot of folks have the mistaken perception that China is a bit backward. Quite the contrary. I was quite surprised how fast the mail got back and forth between the two countries, and everything got to where it was supposed to go.

I think this is incredible that this Chinese mom (in the story linked above) followed her son to the US when he enrolled at the University of Michigan.

And, oh yes, our youngest granddaughter, 5 years old, and a kindergarten student, is taking Chinese lessons after school as her "elective." Her other elective is drumming. Yes, drumming. But on African drums, not snare drums. Hmmm.

Well, This Snuck Up On Me -- A String Of Legacy Wells Running North - South in Bottineau County -- Rig on Site -- The Spearfish, North Dakota, USA

For those interested in tracking Bakken/Spearfish wells just north of the Canadian border, consider this interactive map: https://www.geoactivity.ca/views/map.aspx?O8la79Wkzr7Uxn96KD/IL+zSkTpjE6KdFJuNz9GVXjYKkXMCAw8aNSQdL2OcQXQexNFvrVLAe/2AQy/pZZ2BKLnISurkoMZ1AK9iRDKw84I=.

LEGACY

May 27, 2015: Legacy Oil + Gas acquired by Crescent Point.

June 25, 2014: Legacy buys Corinthian. See also this post. 

May 25, 2013: corporate presentation.

March 16, 2013: 

For quite some time I was confused by Corinthian, Legacy, and Surge -- three Canadian operators who extended their Canadian Spearfish play into northwestern North Dakota, most notably Bottineau County.

Surge bought Corinthian, but obviously a lot of older wells will still be "Corinthian" wells.

Legacy is separate from Surge, but both have close working relationships, at least in North Dakota.

According to Legacy's corporate presentation, February, 2013, in Bottineau County, ND:

• the first 2 hz wells of the most recent program came on line; 150 boepd/well
• 230 net locations; approx 97% unbooked
• potentially more than 570 net locations @ 8 wells/section
• 54K net undeveloped acres 

North Souris / Red Rock Oil Fields

These two fields are about 60 miles northeast of Minot; about ten (10) miles northwest of Bottineau. The North Souris runs east-west along the Canadian border; the Red Rock is south of the North Souris. North Souris has about 18 sections, including quarter/half sections along the Canadian border. Red Rock is 13 sections. These fields are pretty much "owned" by a Canadian company, Legacy, and targets the Spearfish formation. [This paragraph added September 17, 2012.]

News

April 4, 2013: Legacy announces acquisition of producing acreage in Canada. The deal: 32,522 net acres (some producing); operating netback of $60/boe); current production, 1,775 boe (90% light crude oil); $108 million cash and about 13.9 million x $5.48/share = $5,700/net acre, some producing.


February 13, 2013: operational update.

January 8, 2013: update on Legacy ops in the Williston Basin - a PDF file.

December 31, 2012: SeekingAlpha update of Legacy.

May 14, 2012: Legacy earnings and realignment with Bowood. 

April 2, 2012: Legacy Oil & Gas provides an operational update. If that link broken, try this one.

January 27, 2012: 2012 capex.  Looking for 30 percent production growth. Anticipating 16,300 boepd.

Legacy Oil and Gas and Corinthian (Surge)

Just east of the North Souris oil field is a string of wells/permitted locations running north to south (SF=Spearfish). Since the original post, more wells have been added.

• 23075, 80, Corinthian, Corinthian McCullough 13-36 1H, North Souris, t10/12; cum 10K 1/13;
• 23143, 189, Corinthian, Corinthian Skarphol 16-28 1H, North Souris, t10/12; cum 15K 1/13;
• 23073, conf, Corinthian, Corinthian McCullough 5-1 1H, North Souris, 
• 22969, 105, Corinthian, Corinthian Berge 13-25 1H, North Souris, t10/12; cum 13K 1/13;
• 22964, 139, Corinthian, Corinthian Feight 5-36 1H, North Souris, t10/12; cum 10K 1/13;
• 22364, 138, Legacy Oil, Legacy Etal Bernstein 5-17H, Red Rock, t10/12; cum 13K 1/13;
• 22321, 128, Corinthian, Corinthian Backman 1-34 1H, North Souris, t5/12; cum 13K 1/13;
• 22254, 140, Corinthian, Corinthian Backman 16-34 1H, North Souris, t4/12; cum 11K 7/12; 
• 22123, drl, Corinthian, Corinthian Backman 13-26 1H, North Souris, cum 7K 7/12; no IP yet; 
• 22064, 110, Corinthian, Corinthian Skarphol 8-33 1H, North Souris, t4/12; cum 19K 7/12; 
• 21504, 126, Legacy Oil, Legacy et al Berge 5-31H, wildcat/North Souris; t4/12; cum 8K 7/12; 
• 21951, conf, Legacy Oil, Legacy etal Berge 12-31H, wildcat/North Souris; producing; 3K 1/13;
• 21549, 88, Legacy Oil, Legacy et al Berge 1-1H, wildcat/North Souris;  t4/12; cum 10K 7/12; 
• 21821, 180, Legacy Oil, Legacy etal Wunderlich 5-6H, wildcat, t10/12; cum 13K 1/13;
• 19612, 95, Legacy Oil, Legacy etal Berge 9-1H 1H, wildcat,  SF; s2/11; t6/11; cum 11.5K 11/11
• 21820, conf, Legacy Oil, Legacy etal Berge 13-6H, wildcat,
• 21389, 104, Legacy Oil, Legacy et al Berge 1-12H, wildcat/Red Rock; t12/11; cum 9K 7/12; 
• 21922, 94, Legacy Oil, Legacy etal Bernstein 13-17H; t10/12; cum 14K 1/13;
• 21921, conf, Legacy Oil, Legacy etal Berge 5-7H, wildcat/Red Rock; producing; 4K in 1/13;
• 21887, 182, Legacy Oil, Legacy etal Bernstein 13-7H, wildcat/Red Rock; t11/12; cum 15K 1/13;
• 21482, 30, Legacy Oil, Legacy Etal Seter 13-16H, t3/12; cum 3K 7/12; 
• 21323, 125, Legacy Oil, Legacy etal Bernstein 4-18H 1H, wildcat/Red Rock; t12/11; cum 23K 7/12;
• 19613, 157, Legacy Oil, Legacy etal Fett 12-18 1H, wildcat, SF; s1/11; t6/11; cum 21K 11/11
• 19462, DRL, Legacy Oil, Legacy etal Emergy Norm 4-19H 1H, SF; s11/10;
• 19682, IA, Legacy Oil, Legacy etal Fett 12-19 1H, wildcat/Red Rock; 202 bbls in 5/12;

In addition, there is a short horizontal in section 12 that is part of this group:

• 19588, 90, Legacy Oil, Legacy etal Berge 12-12H 1H, wildcat/Red Rock; SF; s2/11; t6/11; cum 14K 7/12; 

Top Ten Fields That Interest Me In the Bakken

These are fields that currently interest me. Their production is not necessarily a factor. They may interest me for other reasons. I will group neighboring fields into one group on occasion.

Current: October 15, 2013

• Truax/Heart Butte oil fields for KOG 
• Stockyard Creek, east of Williston
• Indian Hill/Camp/Banks: bull's eye of the Bakken; I grew up playing on Indian Hill; fond memories
• Oakdale: CLR testing the lower benches of the Three Forks?
• Ellsworth: one-township field south of Arnegard, surprisingly good
• South Fork: Dakota-3 WPX with a huge wildcat; KOG with 8 of 12 permits in this field; huge
  
• Sanish: will show folks how Whiting plans to develop the Bakken; cash cow for Whiting
• Dublin/Marmon: three plays -- the Madison, Red River, and the Bakken; Zenergy vs Petro-Hunt
• Todd (western Williston): field of dreams?
• Little Knife: the Madison

Filloon: July 14, 2013

"There are no two fields in the Bakken better than the Sanish and the Parshall oil fields." -- Mike Filloon

Current: April 15, 2013

• Truax/Heart Butte oil fields for KOG
• Indian Hill/Camp/Banks: bull's eye of the Bakken; I grew up playing on Indian Hill; fond memories
• Oakdale: CLR testing the lower benches of the Three Forks?
• Ellsworth: one-township field south of Arnegard, surprisingly good
• South Fork: Dakota-3 WPX with a huge wildcat; KOG with 8 of 12 permits in this field; huge
  
• Sanish: will show folks how Whiting plans to develop the Bakken; cash cow for Whiting
• Dublin/Marmon: three plays -- the Madison, Red River, and the Bakken; Zenergy vs Petro-Hunt
• Todd (western Williston): field of dreams?
• Little Knife: the Madison

Current: December 27, 2012

• Truax/Heart Butte oil fields for KOG
• Indian Hill/Camp/Banks: bull's eye of the Bakken; I grew up playing on Indian Hill; fond memories
• Oakdale: CLR testing the lower benches of the Three Forks?
• Ellsworth: one-township field south of Arnegard, surprisingly good
• South Fork: Dakota-3 with a huge wildcat; KOG with 8 of 12 permits in this field; huge
  
• Sanish: will show folks how Whiting plans to develop the Bakken; cash cow for Whiting
• Dublin/Marmon: three plays -- the Madison, Red River, and the Bakken; Zenergy vs Petro-Hunt
• Epping: a big surprise how good this field is; close to Williston; crude-by-rail; bypass
• Little Knife: the Madison

Current: October 20, 2012

• Indian Hill/Camp/Banks: bull's eye of the Bakken; I grew up playing on Indian Hill; fond memories
• Oakdale: CLR testing the lower benches of the Three Forks?
• Ellsworth: one-township field south of Arnegard, surprisingly good
• South Fork: Dakota-3 with a huge wildcat; KOG with 8 of 12 permits in this field; huge
  
• Sanish: will show folks how Whiting plans to develop the Bakken; cash cow for Whiting
• Dublin/Marmon: three plays -- the Madison, Red River, and the Bakken; Zenergy vs Petro-Hunt
• Epping: a big surprise how good this field is; close to Williston; crude-by-rail; bypass
• Tyrone: Lodgepole -- will it turn out to be a bust, or will someone figure out how to make it productive?
• Little Knife: the Madison

Current: January 1, 2012

• Indian Hill/Camp/Banks: bull's eye of the Bakken; I grew up playing on Indian Hill; fond memories
• Ellsworth: one-township field south of Arnegard, surprisingly good
• South Fork: Dakota-3 with a huge wildcat; KOG with 8 of 12 permits in this field; huge
  
• Sanish: will show folks how Whiting plans to develop the Bakken; cash cow for Whiting
• Dublin/Marmon: three plays -- the Madison, Red River, and the Bakken; Zenergy vs Petro-Hunt
• Epping: a big surprise how good this field is; close to Williston; crude-by-rail; bypass
• Tyrone: Lodgepole -- will it turn out to be a bust, or will someone figure out how to make it productive?
• Little Knife: the Madison

Original Post

These are fields that currently interest me. Their production is not necessarily a factor. They may interest me for other reasons. I will group neighboring fields into one group on occasion.

In no particular order:

• Indian Hill/Camp/Banks: bull's eye of the Bakken; I grew up playing on Indian Hill; fond memories
• Ellsworth: one-township field south of Arnegard, surprisingly good
• Alger: some very, very good wells
• Sanish: will show folks how Whiting plans to develop the Bakken; cash cow for Whiting
• Dublin/Marmon: three plays -- the Madison, Red River, and the Bakken; Zenergy vs Petro-Hunt
• Epping: a big surprise how good this field is; close to Williston; crude-by-rail; bypass
• Tyrone: Lodgepole -- will it turn out to be a bust, or will someone figure out how to make it productive?
• Little Knife: the Madison

Top Stories of 2011 -- The Bakken, North Dakota, USA

Top Story of the Year:

• USA: net exporter of oil; first time in six decades

The world

• US #1 in natural gas production; surpasses Russia.
• Canada withdraws from Kyoto Protocol

The nation

• US setting oil export record

Most exciting operator in the Bakken in 2011: KOG

• In-depth look at one of the most exciting oil companies in the Bakken: KOG.
• The KOG/BTA deal
• KOG: acquires 50,000 net acres; to raise almost $1 billion 

Most surprising story of 2011:  

• Statoil buys BEXP 

Best well:

• Whiting's Record TFS well

Most exciting production prediction:

• EURs of 1,000,000 possible in the Bakken

Bakken oil field story of the year:

• Corral Creek -- Huge New One-Unit Oil Field -- The Bakken

Most surprising formation of the year:

• The Madison

Biggest story in takeaway capacity (3):

• Focus on Enbridge
• The Keystone XL Killed (as proposed)
• Bakken boom fuels rail boom

Investment Story of the Year:

• $3 billion in natural gas infrastructure in North Dakota

Record bonus paid per acre:

• $14,000/acre in southwestern North Dakota -- a new record

Most hypocritical story of the year:

• Minnesota: no qualms about destroying golden eagle, hawk habitat

Expanded List of Top Stories of 2011

The Short List
Weeks 34 - 52

The Bakken: production

• Tesoro to increase diesel production: big headline, little increase.
• Six great Oasis wells.
• Six great Oasis wells. 
• EURs of 1,000,000 possible in the Bakken  
• Three notable wells reported in past ten days: Charlotte, Tarpon, and Hagen
• 75,000 more wells to be drilled in the Bakken 

The Bakken: fields

• Corral Creek -- Huge New One-Unit Oil Field -- The Bakken 
• Unitizing Little Missouri State Park

The Bakken: formations

• The Sanish vs the Pronghorn (formations).
• Taking another look at the Madison
• The Madison
• Three additional pay zones below the upper Three Forks

The Bakken: wells

• The new Hagen/Madison well in Red Wing Creek; near Watford City
• Four-well pad approved for inside Williston city limits 
• Huge Harry Stroh well; Fayette field update.  
• Petro-Hunt with cluster of six wells in Four Bears 
• Slawson's Armada well -- 120,000 bbls in one year 
• Whiting's Record TFS well
• The first 2560-acre unit well -- MRO 
• BEXP: 10 wells on a spacing unit coming
• WMB well: 20,000 bbls in 14 days; not fracked

The Bakken: operators

• Biggest news story of the week: pipeline company to invest $145 million in new rail transport
• Triangle Petroleum getting more active; sits in the core Bakken
• Hess getting its mojo back: another 6-well pad
• Statoil/BEXP report great IPs on a 3-well pad in the bull's eye of the Bakken; Statoil buys BEXP
• Six-stage frack results in huge Bakken Whiting well
• BEXP's 5-well pad
• Continental Resources Drilling Deeper into the Three Forks

The Bakken: crude by rail

• Bakken boom fuels rail boom
• Tesoro to ship oil to the west coast; $50 million+ project
• Crude-by-rail; Louisiana sweet crude prices
• Crude-by-rail, update; Reuters factbox on CBR; Railroad hub at Zap; Update of crude-by-rail 
• Dickinson crude-by-rail update

The Bakken: takeaway capacity

• Focus on Enbridge 
• Enbridge to increase pipeline capacity
• Enbridge to reverse flow of oil from Cushing; Keystone XL killed

The Bakken: investments

• $3 billion in natural gas infrastructure in North Dakota
• $1.5 to $2 billion/month going into the Bakken
• Oil industry pouring $2 billion/month into western ND.
• Another hotel (Value Place) breaks ground in Williston
• Motel 6 opens in Williston, December 2, 2011. 
• Whiting to build operations center in Watford City; Power Fuels doing same 
• Missouri Basin Well Service to build headquarters in Watford City 
• New Oasis complex west of Williston  
• Update on ONEOK's Garden Creek, Stateline I and II; more on ONEOK in North Dakota; expansion of the Hess natural gas plant in Tioga; update on LNG industry in western North Dakota;
• $1.2 billion for western ND roads.
• Industrial park update, Williston, North Dakota ; and here.
• Photos of the new Baker Hughes "SuperSite" going up west of Williston
• Peter Kiewit subdivision breaks ground; 2,500 new units; 289 acres

The Bakken: taxable sales receipts

• Williston taxable sales surge past Fargo's; second quarter in a row

The Bakken: fracking

• New fracking company in town: Liberty Liberty Oilfield Services
• One inch of water from Lake Sakakawea will provide enough water for fracking for two years in the Bakken
• Halliburton's clean fracking
• Case study in re-fracs 
• Halliburton to add 11,000 workers

The Bakken: miscellaneous records

• $14,000/acre in southwestern North Dakota -- a new record; full auction results here
• Longest EOG horizontal in the Bakken?

Hypocritical Stories From the Bakken

• Almost, North Dakota: We Don't Want A Bunch of Men Living in a Building All Together -- Unless They're Monks or Construction Workers.
• BLM fast-tracks golden eagle and whooping crane killing. Wind turbines: license to kill
• Minnesota's dirty oil industry.
• Minnesota: no qualms about destroying golden eagle, hawk habitat 
• Federal govenment to okay killing of whooping cranes

Other top ten lists coming out of the Bakken

The Williston Herald: a very, very disappointing list (mostly negatives, and mostly trivial)

• 1. Rising rent raises anger 
• 2. Parks and Recreation sales tax increase
• 3. "The Storm": white out cases black out
• 4. Legislature approves $1 billion for oil patch infrastructure
• 5. Spring and summer flooding
• 6. ND oil field deaths; injuries up in 2011 (any denominators; any analysis?)
• 7. Booming western North Dakota receives national attention
• 8. Williston Basin Energy Fest
• 9. Rig count hits 200
• 10. Fire west of town (no reports of hazardous material; no deaths; impressive fire, but not even in my top 1000)

With this list, the local newspaper should have put the passing of Williston's renowned band leader Virgil Syverson as one of the top ten stories, perhaps replacing #10 and moving it nearer the top

Doomsday: Iraq

Updates

November 18, 2015: Russian plane brought down by ISIS bomb on plane; seven coordinated simultaneous attacks in Paris with 129 killed; scores injured, and President Obama calls it a "set-back" and SecState Kerry says ISIS has a "rationale" for what they are doing.
 

Original Post

 

Let's see: the last of the US troops left just this past week. It's not even the end of 2011, and we are starting to see a) the implosion of Iraq; b) to be followed by the takeover of Iranian sympathizers.

First this: "dozens die as 14 bombs explode across Baghdad"; probably just celebratory fireworks gone awry; certainly the Iraqis, the new democracy, is not returning to its old ways

Then this: Biden calls Obama --- oh, wrong story, Iraqi's deputy prime minster calls the Iraqi prime minister, Mr Maliki, a "dictator" -- well, is he?

On the same day that U.S. troops withdrew from Iraq, two events unfolded in the country, heralding a new chapter of political crisis.

On that day, Mutlak’s Al Iraqiya bloc walked out of parliament, blaming Maliki for what they described as the increasing marginalization of Al Iraqiya.

They also criticized issuance of an arrest warrant against the country’s vice president, Tariq al-Hashimi, who is also a member of Iraqiya; Hashimi has been accused of involvement in November’s bombing of parliament.

From the Wall Street Journal, Maliki says government about to splinter (C.I.V.I.L. W.A.R.)

Iraq's Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki warned that a challenge to his government by Sunni politicians could destroy the ethnic and sectarian power-sharing system that underpins Iraq's democracy—and take more power into the hands of the Shiite majority.

The threat signals the most dire political crisis Iraq has faced since an agreement on a governing coalition one year ago smoothed over a long-running conflict that has re-emerged with the official pullout this month of U.S. forces from Iraq.

The latest faceoff was triggered when a judicial panel issued a warrant for the arrest of Sunni Arab Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi....

This will be an entertaining story to watch.

Week 51: December 17 -- December 23, 2011

Huge decline in US oil supplies

NDIC hearing dockets for January, 2011 -- manufacturing phase

Chimney Sweep -- "new" operator in the Williston Basin

Two new hotels in Williston

Horizontals targeting the Red River formation

USA: net exporter of oil; first time in six decades

Williston taxable sales surge past Fargo's; second quarter in a row

Massive decline in US oil stockpiles

Magic Maps for Bakken wells

Corral Creek -- Huge New One-Unit Oil Field -- The Bakken

The KOG/BTA deal

Chevy Volt costs taxpayers $250,000/car;  No amount of fuel savings will recoup up-front costs for a Volt (certainly not at $250,000/car)

Triangle Petroleum getting more active; sits in the core Bakken

Four-well pad approved for inside Williston city limits

Wind advocates: no qualms about destroying eagle habitat in Minnesota

Statoil/BEXP report great IPs on a 3-well pad in the bull's eye of the Bakken

Yes, Virginia, they are refracking in the Bakken

Another hotel breaks ground in Williston

$1.5 to $2 billion/month going into the Bakken

XOM chops megaloads into microloads; 300 truck loads; folks, we got ourselves a convoy

US A Net Exporter of Oil: First Time in 60 Years -- Thanks To The Bakken Research Lab -- The Bakken, North Dakota, USA

Updates

January 2, 2012: To be exact: 62 years.

Original Post

PennEnergy corrects the story:

The United States could be making strides toward being a net exporter of petroleum for the first time in over six decades, based on trends in the first quarter of 2011.  USA Today reports the U.S. is producing more crude oil and for the first time in decades has become a net exporter of petroleum products such as jet fuel, heating oil and gasoline.

According to an article published by MSNBC, annual domestic production of crude oil could rise to 2.9 billion barrels by 2020. The article states that American oil production has been rising steadily for the past three years while crude oil imports have fallen 10% over the past five years.
Within the United States, the states that produce the most oil are Texas, Alaska, and California, but production is intensifying all over the nation. New technologies, such as fracking, have made previously-inaccessible petroleum easier to extract. Fracking and the extraction of petroleum from tar sands have been met with some political controversy, but for now they seem to be a major component of most plans to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil.

Not to worry. "Frack and trade" is just around the corner.

I remember when I first blogged about increasing American exports of oil, someone wrote to tell me that it was against the law to export US oil. That was one of the five comments that "put me over the top" and why I closed the comments section. But then I missed the "give and take" and re-opened the comments section. 

Did you notice that the story linked above did not include North Dakota (third paragraph) as among the top three. It's my hunch we pass Alaska and California the month (December). We won't know for awhile. And if we don't, it's just a matter of time, unless California and Alaska increase their activity. And they probably will; the price of oil is just to good to ignore when your state is bankrupt (California, not Alaska).

Idle Rambling -- Thursday, December 21, 2011

If you came here looking for updates on the Bakken only, skip this post, and scroll down to the next Bakken post, and/or visit the sidebar on the right. This is just some early morning review of news that caught my attention. And updates.

Update

Signs of a weakening economy, a stronger dollar, and oil hits $100, albeit briefly.

********************  

1:15 p.m.

The president just spoke about the payroll tax extension. I've lost the bubble on this. He wants a full year extension; the House wants a full-year extension; the Senate only agrees to a two-month extension which all agree is meaningless and agreed to only so Congress and president could go on vacation. So why is the House getting all the blame? Please don't answer. It's a rhetorical question.

If they all would have agreed on a full-year extension (which I don't support, by the way, because according to news today, the president's stimulus programs are working and more stimulus is not needed), they would all be on vacation. Speaking of which, I think the Senate has already left town.

I do find it degrading for a president to tell me that by not extending this payroll tax reduction, it means that the average American has to give up a pizza dinner out. At least that's what he said. Michelle has talked about the obesity problem in this country.

2:06 p.m.

Talking head on CNBC has it exactly right. The new EPA rules to destroy the coal industry in this country will cost Americans a lot more than a measly $40/month. Again, the government keeps the payroll tax extension at the top of the news to hide things that are much, much worse and will affect Americans much, much more. The talking head on CNBC said this; not me (that bit about comparing the EPA with the payroll tax cut extension).

Original Post

Wow.

All the folks I talked to today in the Boston area are thrilled with this "global warming." It's 66 degrees right now; not even sweater weather; more like long-sleeve weather. It's warmer than a summer night on the Huntington Beach, California, pier. Here in the Boston area not enough room to park cars so I had to move our car to the grocery store down the street for a couple of hours, and then I will bring it back home when there's room on the street nearer the house. But what a great walk back: I would have guessed 50 degrees; never expected 66.

******************** 

The big story in the Boston Globe (link not available without a paid subscription):

Good, bad, or indifferent, Pennsylvania is ready to mandate that planned parenthood clinics follow the same rules as other clinics. These are surgical clinics, for heaven's sake. We're not talking "advice/referral only" clinics, but clinics where a lot of blood is lost. Puerperal sepsis was the number one killer of young women at one time, right up there with tuberculosis. And these clinics were given a "pass"!! The PPCs say they may not be able to afford playing by the same rules. 

Who wudda guessed?

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

Let's see: 9:31 a.m.. What's the price of oil? The price continues to melt up, another 40 cents. Now over $99.

******************** 

I see jobless claims (first time benefits) have dropped to lowest level since April, 2008.  It looks like the president's plans are working and we don't need that two-month extension on payroll tax cut after all.

Folks are taking jobs, and employers are hiring. 

By the way, with this "global warming," the construction season is extended. I can't speak for the rest of the country, but there's a lot of work being done in Boston during this beautiful weather. A lot of blue collar workers will have a nice Christmas for their families.

[By the way, I said this amounted to $80/month; it turns out that it is worth about $40/month -- that's what all the fuss is about -- give me a break. No, it's about a few other things as part of the deal.]

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

Speaking of $80 or $40, I'm getting a kick out of the Occupy Wall Street crowd having to pay court fines. The worst part is the multiple trips they have to make to court. Here on the east coast, they are complaining about the subway fare from the suburbs to the courts downtown. I guess a lot of these folks live with their parents in the 'burbs. 

This is what the court hearings look like: First, the arraignment hearing; then the stay; then the injunction; then the hearing; then the recess; then the verdict and sentencing; then the "what just happened" appeal. The courts say this just backs them up. I don't think the other criminals mind. It looks like a win-win for everyone except a) the taxpayer; and, b) the chump who got herself arrested for a movement that has no direction.

By the way, as expected, there are several stories of the chronically homeless (many mentally ill -- can one use that phrase any more?) being exploited to live in these OWS (when I first saw that abbreviation in a headline, I thought they were talking about the Oprah Winfrey Show) tent cities in the freezing cold and rain. That was before a "global warming" front moved in.

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

When I think of faux liberals complaining about executive pay, my thoughts immediately go to The New York Times. I guess I've been wrong. It appears The New York Times has no problem with outrageous pay, at least when if pertains to their folks. The New York Times is failing financially, so they will let their CEO go. (Let my people go.) The CEO will get more than $15 million to walk away. This sort of takes the wind out of their sails when they complain about executive pay for other corporations.

According to a regulatory filing, Times Co's policy previously stipulated that Robinson, 61, would not be eligible for full pension benefits until she was 63 and had been with the company for 30 years. But people familiar with the matter said the Times Co agreed to pay out the full amount as part of her separation agreement.
 
Against the backdrop of an 80 percent decline in the Times Co's stock over her seven-year tenure as CEO, the size of Robinson's exit package prompted some criticism in the newsroom. Times Co shares are down 25 percent this year alone.

I guess they should have invested in the Bakken. 

Memo to self: bookmark this story to cite next time The New York Times complains about executive pay for companies that are thriving and providing huge return for their shareholders, something The New York Times did not.  

No glass ceiling for her, I guess. 

Somehow my mind just wandered to the GE story paying no taxes in 2010; the GE/CEO is the president's czar for the US economy.

Williston Sales Tax Receipts Surge Past Fargo's -- Largest in the State -- The Bakken, North Dakota, USA

Link here.

Before quoting the lede, I do have to make a comment.

Occasionally there is talk from North Dakotans about the "relationship" between the east side of the state, the west site of the state, and "Bismarck."

I think today's Bismarck Tribune headline for this story is a great example.

The headline: "Taxable Sales Up Nearly 40 Percent in Third Quarter."

No exciting action verb; simply "up nearly."

And a boring statistic in the headline: 40 percent. Many folks' eyes glaze over when they see "percent."

THIS was the story: "Williston's Taxable Sales Surge Past Fargo."

It wasn't even close. After flirting for the past year with beating Fargo's taxable sales, Williston shot past Fargo this quarter: $721 million vs $654 million. And that little tidbit isn't even mentioned until the third paragraph. [Apparently Williston passed Fargo in 2Q11; see comments below. If so, that fact really makes my point. Here's the link; I probably even linked it earlier; just completely forgot. Interestingly, the 2Q11 numbers were almost identical: $722 million for Williston; $654.5 for Fargo. You know, rounding off, Williston is getting close to a $1 billion in taxable sales. ]

Williams County has surpassed Cass County in the past, and I bet this quarter, it will be even more incredible.

Perhaps from a national perspective the headline and the focus made sense. For a state newspaper, it was obvious that Williston was slighted. This is the first time ever Williston beat out Fargo (as far as I know). It was a big deal for Williston. But it didn't get the headline, and it didn't even get into the lede. Here's the lede:

North Dakota's taxable sales and purchases increased nearly 40 percent in the third quarter of 2011 as compared to 2010, the fifth consecutive quarter of more than 25 percent growth compared to the prior year.

Taxable sales and purchases during July, August and September of this year were $5.48 billion, up $1.5 billion compared to the third quarter of 2010, according to a report released Wednesday by the office of the state tax commissioner.

And then after that, not another word about the oil patch in the Williston Basin. If this were nationally slanted, no one would know that that this is due to oil. If the word "oil" was mentioned in that article, I missed it.

But there was quite a bit of ink devoted to the sales tax receipts due to the Bismarck-Mandan and the Minot flooding -- which happened in the second quarter.

Anyway, shouting from the Killdeer Mountains to the Red River Valley, Williston's sales tax receipts surged past Fargo; and, it wasn't even close.