Bakken Links, Other Energy Links Sent in By Readers; A Must-Read NY Times Article

First, from "anon 1": another photo of the Bakken from space. This is one of the better photos: look how far east the flaring goes toward Minot. About halfway between Williston and Minot. And for all the attention Dickinson gets, not much there yet, relatively speaking.

Also, from "anon 1": a story of Bakken oil reaching a Canadian refinery by rail; 90,000 bopd to Irving Oil Corp's Saint John refinery. A great story/a great link. I would like to say more about it, but need to keep moving. Just the following in case the source archives the story at a later day:

Irving Oil Corp. is moving more than 90,000 barrels a day of crude from Alberta and North Dakota by rail to its Saint John refinery, Canada’s largest, and plans to increase those shipments, according to a person familiar with the plans.
Alberta crude is coming by rail directly to the Irving refinery rail terminal in New Brunswick and Bakken oil is moving by rail to a port in Albany, New York, then shipped by marine tanker to Saint John, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the closely held company’s transportation plans are private. 

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High energy costs in Europe

Another frequent contributor sent this link, perhaps my favorite story of the day, so far. The reader notes: "I can't tell how much of the story is reporting and how much is the writer's opinion, but it does find fault with the EU's renewables subsidies." The article is from the NY Times, but reads as if it was published in the Wall Street Journal. It's an outstanding article and if I had to recommend just one story for the day this would be it.

High energy costs are emerging as an issue in Europe that is prompting debate, including questioning of the Continent’s clean energy initiatives. Over the past few years, Europe has spent tens of billions of euros in an effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The bulk of the spending has gone into low-carbon energy sources like wind and solar power that have needed special tariffs or other subsidies to be commercially viable.

“We embarked on a big transition to a low-carbon economy without taking into account the cost and without factoring in the competitive impact,” says Fabien Roques, head of European power and carbon at the energy consulting firm IHS CERA in Paris. “I think there will be a critical review of some of these policies in the next few years.” 

Many, many story lines in that article. Quite incredible. Bottom line: wind and solar -- the math does not work. To see this article in the New York Times suggests the editors are willing to discuss the issue with a bit more balance. 

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Local Stories

Dickinson playing catch-up: issued more than $300 million in permits through November, 2012

• in the first 11 months of 2012, Dickinson issued permits for more than $300 million worth of construction in a city trying to catch up with the droves of people coming to the Oil Patch ...
• the largest sector of growth was commercial structures, followed by single-family housing ...
• Williston had the highest permit values of any North Dakota city, with more than $418 million worth of construction permitted as of Nov. 30, ...

Update on a pipeline connection between two pipeline companies. The two pipeline companies: Enbridge and High Prairie Pipeline, LLC. Interconnection: affects Bakken oil at/near Clearbrook, MN. It looks like Enbridge still holds the upper hand, although the tone of the article suggests this was a press release:

On May 18, the FERC denied High Prairie's protest, noting among other things that "it is not clear that Enbridge Energy has actually denied any request from High Prairie for an interconnection" and that "there is no statutory authority, or judicial or Commission precedent that gives the commission jurisdiction to compel Enbridge Energy to interconnect." We continue to believe High Prairie's additional claims are wholly without merit. Enbridge's response is on file with the FERC requesting that the commission dismiss this complaint just as it denied the earlier protest.

Enbridge has successfully worked with a number of third-party pipeline companies, including Saddle Butte Pipeline, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of High Prairie Pipelines, LLC, to provide pipeline connections and access to its North Dakota system where it is physically capable of receiving and transporting the crude without causing increased apportionment of its system. Enbridge is seeking a business solution to High Prairie's request and remains open to discussing those options. High Prairie has chosen not to engage in further discussions along those lines.

Lake Sakakawea is 'officially frozen.' As are ObamaCliff talks, apparently.