Ed Schultz Is Moving

The Bismarck Tribune is reporting:

Heartland liberal Ed Schultz is losing his prime-time show on MSNBC.

The cable network says Schultz is being moved to the weekends, to host two-hour shows Saturday and Sunday at 5 p.m. EDT.

Union advocate Schultz, whose nightly show preceded Rachel Maddow, has increasingly seemed out of place in MSNBC's bookishly liberal lineup.

He should do well in the time slot, Sunday night, 5:00 pm EDT. These are a few of the shows he will be competing with:

• Relieve your foot pain with WalkFit! -- The CW Network
• SpongeBob SquarePants -- Nick
• Pastor Brown -- Lifetime Network
• The Bible -- History Channel

And so it goes.

Williston: Fastest Growing Micropolitan Area -- Second Year In A Row

The Dickinson Press is reporting:

Williston ranks as the fastest-growing micropolitan area in the country for the second year, the U.S. Census Bureau said today.

Census population estimates show that the Williston area gained 2,281 residents between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2012, a 9.3 percent increase.

Dickinson ranks third on the list of fastest-growing micro areas with a population increase of 1,624 people during the same period, a 6.5 percent increase, according to Census estimates.

A micropolitan area has a population between 10,000 and 50,000 people.

I guess that answers The Atlantic Monthly's question: is the Bakken boom over?

I assume cities with populations less than 10,000 are referred to as "nanopolitan" areas, not to be confused with "neapolitan" ice cream.

Wells Coming Off Confidential List Friday; Newfield Reports Another Gusher; WPX Reports a Huge Well; Liberty Resources Will Report a Huge Well in East Fork;

21560, drl, QEP, MHA 7-31-25H-150-92, Heart Butte,
21592, 2,771, Newfield, Sand Creek Federal 153-96-23-14-3H, Keene, frac data not seen; t2/13/ cum
22444, 432, OXY USA, Easton 1-35-26H-142-95, Murphy Creek; s6/25; td 7/9; shares a pad with a well that was producing before this well was spud (Samantha 1-3-1H-141-95);21 stages; 1.5 million lbs;, t9/12; cum 23K 1/13;
22887, drl, Hess, LK-Wing 146-97-2215H-5, Little Knife,
22897, 1,510, WPX, Kate Soldier 23-14HZ, Spotted Horn, t12/12; cum 55K; 1/13;
23132, 948, Liberty Resources, Cavalli State 156-100-9-4-1H, East Fork, t9/12; cum 71K 1/13;
23215, 637, WPX, Corn Stalk 20H, Squaw Creek, t1/13; cum 7K 1/13;
23524, drl, SM Energy, Ceynar 4-18HA, Poe,

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

22444, see above, OXY USA, Easton 1-35-26H-142-95, Murphy Creek, gas being flared:

Date	Oil Runs	MCF Sold
1-2013	10635	0
12-2012	3189	0
11-2012	1823	0
10-2012	3594	0
9-2012	3656	0

23132, see above, Liberty Resources, Cavalli State 156-100-9-4-1H, East Fork; gas being flared:

Date	Oil Runs	MCF Sold
1-2013	13147	0
12-2012	12034	0
11-2012	12364	0
10-2012	17282	0
9-2012	15565	0

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

I Gave You My Life, Mars Attacks

Eleven (11) New Permits -- The Williston Basin, North Dakota, USA -- QEP With Five New Permits In The "Helis Grail"

Active rigs: 187 (steady)

Eleven (11) new permits --

• Operators: QEP (5), CLR (3), Fidelity (2), Whiting
• Fields: Grail (McKenzie), Camp (McKenzie), Dutch Henry Butte (Stark), Sanish (Mountrail), Pleasant Valley (Williams)
• Comments:

Wells coming off the confidential list were posted earlier; see sidebar at the right.

Producing wells completed:

• 23292, 575, CLR, Topeka 2-12H, Brooklyn, t2/13; cum --
• 23291, 629, CLR, Topeka 3-12H, Brooklyn t2/13; cum --
• 22683, 615, Hess, EN-Jeffrey-155-94-2215H-3, Alkali Creek, t2/13; cum --
• 22757, 561, BR, Iron Horse 21-2MBH, Union Center, t2/13; cum --
• 23400, 407, Crescent Point, CPEUSC Suitor 13-24-158N-101W, a hz Bakken; Little Muddy, t2/13; cum --

Permit stats: As of today, there have been 503 permits issued for calendar year 2013; that puts the state on track for 2,515 permits for the year. At this time last year (2012), the state had issued 388 permits which put the state on track for issuing 1,940 permits in 2012. In fact, the state issued 2,251 permits in calendar year 2012, of which 30 or so were ultimately canceled. 

Williston Wire Headlines

Williston Wire headlines; generally no links; it is easy to subscribe to the Williston Wire.

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

Williston is the fastest-growing micropolitan area in the country; Dickinson, third; and, Minot is 25th fastest. In the nation. Among the nation's counties with populations of 10,000 or more, Williams (ND), Richland (MT), and Stark (ND) are among the top five fastest-growing counties in the nation.

An NDSU study says the economic impact of the state's oil industry increased nearly sevenfold in terms of dollars between 2005 and 2011: $4.4 billion in 2005; $30.4 billion in 2011.

Williston has fastest-growing park district in the US.

Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services (AE2S) has purchased the building that formerly housed the Trinity Community Clinic. The article does not say where Trinity is moving. That was probably announced a long time ago and I have forgotten.

A consortium of energy companies working in the Bakken has given $100,000 to the WHS auditorium for renovation.

Home Depot coming to Minot.

All commercial acreage in Crosby's new Southridge Acres addition has been spoken for.

"Bakken Spillover" creates housing shortage in southeast ND. For newbies Fargo is about a 400-mile drive to Williston; that's how far some folks are commuting, or at least housing their families while they work in the oil patch. This story has been posted earlier.

A California developed has moved to Watford City to build homes; previously reported.

Random Update on the Brent/WTI Spread; Bakken Discount To WTI

This was an interesting bit of trivia that I missed on March 5, 2013. It appears that no one else commented on it (at least of the sites I routinely check):

Today:
March 14, 2013:  At Bloomberg energy, Brent - $111; WTI - $93. Spread: $18. Bakken discount at Clearbrook, MN: - 25 cents. So, today, Bakken and WTI are flirting with parity. Bakken is selling for 25 cents less than WTI.

Flashback: 
Back on March 5, 2013: for one day, Bakken sold for a premium at Clearbrook, selling at a premium of + $1.50/bbl compared to WTI. Bakken had not sold at a premium to WTI since October 19, 2012.

A Random and Miscellaneous Note Regarding Scams; Nothing To Do With The Blog; Nothing To Do With The Bakken

Some time ago I mentioned that some readers were getting a warning when they accessed the blog -- various anti-virus software programs were catching something regarding the site.

My links only go to "legitimate" websites and PDFs. If I get a warning (and I think it's only happened once) with regard to a link I try to access, I don't link it to the blog. 

A reader sent me a note mentioning that one of his friends was scammed at a "fake eBay" site while trying to buy a motorcycle engine on-line. That reader just wanted me to alert folks to be aware of scams on-line. So, there's the warning. This had nothing to do with this blog; completely unrelated.

The reader was concerned that a lot of folks, relatively new to the internet because of their interest in the Bakken and their mineral rights, might be easily scammed, not understanding the risks inherent with on-line commerce.

This provides another opportunity to tell folks that this blog never asks for personal information, and never tries to sell anything through the blog. Occasionally readers will send me notes regarding property for sale (or something along that line) and I will post it, but I always make it clear I have no relationship with the individual posting the information.

Bakken/WTI At Parity; Despite Sequester: Best Unemployment Number Since 2007! Say What? Sequestor? What Sequester?Thursday Already? This Week Went By Quickly! Links

Physicists: Drudge linking report that the "God Particle" has been found. And a new pope. More on the former later. 

RBN Energy: Isobutane and isopolymerization, part II.

Great way to start the day: how big could the Eagle Ford be for EOG? -- SeekingAlpha. A long time ago, in a land far away, it was mentioned that of the Bakken-centric operators, EOG might be the best bet for investors -- because of the Eagle Ford. So, links to articles on this subject are always exciting. But remember, this is not an investment site; don't make any financial or investment decisions based on what you read, or what you think you read on this site. That was a disclaimer.

Unemployment numbers are going to be out later today. Right now: the CNBC number -- 350,000. And the number is .... 332,000 (down from 342,000 last week); lowest level since 2007. Wow. A new pope, the God particle, and now the lowest unemployment numbers since 2007 -- a trifecta. And, of course, the Dow will hit another all-time high, extending its streak to 10 days in a row, putting itself at the top of the conference, having clinched a playoff spot...oh, wrong, "cut and paste," -- that was the San Antonio Spurs, sorry. The only comment the Business Insider had with regard to best unemployment number in a long time:

This is particularly surprising considering that the sequestration budget cuts began on March 1.

And, in a moment, the wells coming off the confidential list have been posted. ... well, that's a bummer. Three of four wells went to DRL status; only one reported an IP. At least two of the three, and perhaps all three, were put on DRL status due to operational decisions, not due to backlog of frack spreads.

WSJ Links

The other day, "Gary" wrote to tell me that the WSJ links below require a subscription, and yet I'm able to access the articles without logging in. I think I've figured it out. 

If you try to access a WSJ article through a link (as I've done below), you need a subscription. 

However, instead of simply clicking on the link, "cut and paste" the exact "headline" into the URL area at the top of the browser and hit "return" and it will take you to the google list of options, and generally the WSJ story will be at the top. 

Again, to repeat: in 9 out of 10 cases, one should be able to access a WSJ article through "google reader" without a WSJ subscription. I hope this helps.

Section D (Personal Journal):

Section C (Money & Investing):

• The almighty dollar is back; no link; not particularly interested; which reminds me, I need to check the WTI/Brent spread -- WTI, 92; Brent, 109; giving a spread of $17, one of the lower spreads in quite awhile; generally it's been about $20 to $21. By the way, I thought I heard yesterday that glut at Cushing was less glutful yesterday; 
• The bloom falls off Treasury debt; investors are demanding larger yield premiums to comparable securities of other wealthy nations; no link; not particularly interested, but Mr Bernanke has a dour face;
• Dollars and oil: But this I am interested in, heard on the street: firing up stronger dollar with oil and gas.
• Bakken discount: By the way, what's the discount for Bakken light sweet at Clearbrook, MN? 25 cents. Parity for all practical purposes.

Section B (Marketplace):

• The future of typing: smartphones are reinventing -- and ditching -- the keyboard. Of course, Apple led the way on that also. No link. Other than cultists like me, I doubt anyone really cares about Apple
• SandRidge gives in. This could be fun. SandRidge has a lot of acres in the Mississippi Lime. 1.8 million, if I recall. 
• CBS to license 'Good Wife" to Amazon and Hallmark. This is a huge story. Maybe more on this later. A non-intuitive look at Netflix, Hulu, VooDoo, cable. No link.

Section A:

• Page 3, and we've talked about page 3 before. Only one story on page 3 today: squeeze looms for doctors. More medical students are in the pipeline, but too few residencies await them. I haven't read this story yet. This is a huge story and might actually be a good-news story. Again, counterintuitive. Lessons learned in the military might be applicable in the "real world."
• Colorado school names conservative-studies professor. University of Colorado, Boulder. No link. Won't read; but interesting headline.
• Lt Gov of Florida resigns -- gambling probe. No link. Hardly surprising.
• Oh, this is good, page A6 -- a map -- and again, North Dakota and Montana are tied for first place; Texas in second, and the northeast (Pennsylvania/Ohio) in third place. First place for what: relocation for work. More people moving to ND, MT, TX, PA for work. Why? One guess: oil. Americans on the move again. Great story, great map. 
• Four shot dead in New York. No link. Witnesses said the shooter was "a loner. He did a lot of walking around town by himself." Okay. No motive yet; Governor Cuomo calls the situation "truly inexplicable." So far, the shooting has not been blamed on a) Mr Bush; or, b) fracking.

And that's all. For now. Now to go back to the "God particle" article.

From wiki:

The Higgs boson or Higgs particle is a theoretical elementary particle predicted to exist by the Standard Model of particle physics.

Experiments to detect the Higgs boson resulted in the discovery of a new, previously unknown boson during 2012; however, contrary to widespread misreporting,the new particle is still being studied as of 2013 to learn whether it is the Higgs boson or not.

Confirmation that the Higgs boson exists would be monumental since it would finally prove the existence of the Higgs field, the Standard Model's explanation of why some fundamental particles have mass when the symmetries controlling their interactions should require them to be massless, and - linked to this - why the weak force has a much shorter range than the electromagnetic force.

Its discovery would validate the final unconfirmed part of the Standard Model, guide other theories and discoveries in particle physics, and – as with other fundamental discoveries of the past – potentially over time lead to developments in "new" physics,and new technology.

I assume the president will let us know how he played a key role in discovering the Higgs boson.