The Dakota Decade

Don suggested a theme: Dakota Decade.

Interesting. That works out just about right.

I consider the Bakken began in Montana in 2000, and in North Dakota in 2007 (although I might have the years wrong; I tend to forget these things). But if that's about right, then ...

Continental Resources five-year plan to triple their production, triple their proved reserves takes them out to 2017. A nice decade: 2007 - 2017. Funny how things work out.

The "lost decade" for the rest of the country. Maybe two lost decades, 2000 - 2020. See "lost decade" tag at bottom of the blog.

The "lost decade" I was referring to was 2000 - 2010. I had periods of optimism in 2011 that "we" would be moving out of that "lost decade" into a decade of opportunity, but that, too, appears to be a mirage.

There will be a generation of Americans who will never work, at least not work in the area for which they had hoped. Another group of Americans, those aged 45+ and having been laid off from their life-long career, will also never work again.

For me, in the field that most interests me (energy), killing the Keystone XL may be the defining moment of 2012. I hope it does not define the entire decade, but one wonders.

If killing the Keystone was America's defining moment in 2012, California's defining moment was the decision to throw billions toward the bullet train from LA to San Francisco. Like that will ever happen. The high-speed part.

But I am an eternal optimist, and today, with news coming out of the oil patch, I am even more optimistic. The two stories that put me in a great mood: XOM/Celtic and CVX share price move today.

Even the comment that a reader sent in overnight, that OXY USA was moving to a 7-rig program in 2013, adds to my momentary euphoria. I had all but given up on OXY USA, but if that turns out to be accurate, that's a huge.

Idle rambling. That happens when I forget to take my medication.

Oh, speaking of the Dakota Decade, I see federal money is at work in southwestern North Dakota: dirt is moving, as they say, at the new Bowman airport.

After years of planning, the first ground was broken during a ceremony that included civic, county and state aviation leaders. Expected to cost in the neighborhood of $12 million by its completion, the airport will replace the aging Bowman Municipal Airport.

Paid for mostly by the Federal Aviation Administration, the complex is expected to be finished sometime in 2015.