Wells coming off the confidential list this weekend and today have been posted.
RBN Energy: narrowing of the WTI and Brent spread.
A reader alerted me to this article, thank you: Millions of gallons of Bakken oil riding the rails across Maine; activists concerned; the story does not mention that activists will try to stop new pipeline or reversal of a pipeline across Maine; previously reported at the MDW; the article also did not state that the spokesman for Maine's Sierra Club showed up for the interview in a late model gas-guzzling SUV; the link to the MDW post was one of my better posts; huge story on so many levels; just between you and me, I'm getting a little tired of environmental activists.
Yahoo!Breakout: three ways to play the quiet breakout in natural gas. The article did not interest me but others might appreciate it.
Disclaimer will go here eventually, if I remember. For now, just a reminder: this is not an investment site.
**********************
Gulfport, Utica, update: I am looking for another article on this story; it was posted earlier today, but can't find it. This was linked before. Will see if I can find that other story. Okay, here it is: make or break for Gulfport? We will know more in a few days. Many story lines in the article, including:
- Utica more "gassy" than originally thought; not good news
- Ohio state government gives "oil updates" once yearly, compared to monthly for North Dakota
- only 500 permits issue in Ohio since 2011; and not all of them drilled
On March 31 this year, data from between 50 and 60 wells drilled in 2012 will be given to the state. It will then be made available on the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' website in April, the department said. It did not give a specific date but last year the report came on the second of the month.
While around 500 drilling permits have been issued in the state since 2011, only those wells that have actually produced will be covered in the report. It will show output over the lifetime of every new well, its location, and its owner, providing some proof of which acreage, and which companies, are performing best.From the article:
Ohio publishes well data only once a year, making it one of the least transparent states in reporting energy output. Most states publish every quarter. [North Dakota posts a summary every month; and North Dakota updates data daily; North Dakota updates rig data throughout the day if it warrants. In addition, the NDIC website is incredibly user-friendly.] On April 2 last year, production was published from just five wells. That is the only official state record on the play two years after drilling began there.
Results from the five wells drilled by Chesapeake Energy in Carroll and Harrison counties showed lower than expected oil production, and stronger natural gas output, the state report said.
Since then, a long list of companies, including Britain's BP, Anadarko Petroleum and Hess Corp, have acquired acreage in Ohio. Most remain quiet about their progress for fear that it will push lease prices higher.I was always led to believe, growing up in North Dakota, that the eastern states, like Massachusetts and Ohio, were "eons" ahead of North Dakota. I've learned a lot since blogging.
*******************
Okay, enough of that. Back to a Bakken company: Hess. For Hess, Norway Interest? in the WSJ. Could Statoil buy Hess? Disclaimer goes here: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment decisions based on the crazy things you read at this article. Teegue says it's all nonsense, anyway.
*******************
Three articles affecting XOM:
- Is the XOM empire falling apart? Motley Fool says "no." Read this article and then think about Statoil and Hess.
- China and Russia partnering in the Arctic. There is an XOM connection. MDW has posted that connection before.
- Wow: Iraq misses estimates by a huge amount. Iraq hoped to get to 4.5 million bopd; will be lucky to get to 2.9 million bopd. Perhaps it is Allah's wish. [Update: Iraq says they will hit 4.5 million bopd by end of next year; this will be interesting to follow. Reported in Rigzone, March 25, 2013.]
*******************
Network TV losing viewers ... fast. Signals weak for TV-ad market. Change in average prime-time audience among viewers 18-49, season-to-date, through March 15:- CBS: down 3%
- ABC: down 8%
- NBC: down 7%
- Fox: down a whopping 23%
*******************
Another Chinese oil deal: Sinopec will acquire $3 billion in oil and gas assets held by its state-owned parent in countries including Kazakhstan (a country the US protects); Colombia (I assume, in South America); and, Russia.
*******************
Cyprus gets new bailout deal; no link; story is everywhere.