Week 38: September 16, 2012 -- September 22, 2012

Deal of the week: XOM buys DNR Bakken acreage
The Deal
Serendipity or planned all along?
$15,000/acre?

Economic Development in the Oil Patch
Master-planned community for north side of Minot; 3,000 residential units
Williston Wire updates:

703 residential units north of Williston; Alaska developer to open office in Williston; Baker Hughes grand opening and starts construction on new complex; Peterbilt dealership in Williston to open; Buffalo Hills subdivision in Watford City

WSJ with long article on nationwide hotel construction; Williston stands out
Delta adds MSP-Williston service; pricing;
Retail moving out to the highways

Bakken Operations
Shortage of truck drivers in the Bakken oil patch

Human interest stories about the Bakken
Outstanding photo-journalism story

Mergers, Acquisitions, Buyouts
International energy services company buys Mitchell's Oil Field Services; $135 million

Increasing permitting activity?
New permitting hits all-time high; latest Director's Cut
Sept 21: 19 new permits
Sept 20: 22 new permits

Non-Bakken Operations
Williston Exploration hits oil in the Tyler formation southwest of Dickinson
Update on the Spearfish north of Minot

Pricing
Bakken selling at premium to WTI due to CBR
Bakken premium to WTI should last into 2013
Data links for pricing

State Budget
Estimates revised upwards; staggering