The severe cold weather sweeping across the mid-United States is threatening to curtail booming oil production as it disrupts traffic, strands wells and interrupts drilling and fracking operations.
Weather stations across the U.S. Midwest recorded some of the coldest temperatures in two decades this weekend, with many schools closed and flights delayed. Arctic cold air is also spreading across Texas on Monday with temperatures expected to drop to single digits in the morning.
Output in North Dakota, the second-largest oil producing state, usually ebbs in winter as producers scale back on drilling and well completion services such as fracking, which pumps a slurry of water, sand and chemicals into wells.
But analysts are bracing for a possibly worse than usual impact on output from the state, that could affect operations of companies such as Continental Resources, Marathon Oil and Hess Energy. The companies did not immediately reply to questions about operations on Monday.
"It is so cold that they cannot produce at full capacity, if at all. That should support prices," said Carsten Fritsch, senior oil analyst at Commerzbank in Frankfurt.I suppose that's what the Germans thought in WWII when they launched the Ardennes Offensive in the middle of winter (December, 1944 - January, 1945) -- that Americans couldn't function in cold weather. The Germans lost the Battle of the Bulge to the Americans.
The concern about oil output, I guess, explains why oil continues to fall in price. LOL.
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Global Warming
A Note to the Granddaughters
I do not recall, ever, seeing headlines like the ones we are now seeing from across the United States. A sampling:
- oil production is threatened from North Dakota to Texas
- the average temperature in the US hit 15 degrees (and slightly lower)
- the south pole (where that research team was stranded/frozen in) is WARMER than Chicago
- the Indianapolis mayor has banned driving
- JetBlue will halt all flights to/from Boston, New York, New Jersey
- American Airlines is now canceling flights due to frozen fuel supply, cold employees
- Texas grid pushed to edge
- power demand soars
- Arctic birds seen in Florida (I think the snowy owls are smarter than our own president)
This is an interesting story which will be missed by most: the sardine industry has "crashed" off California. The Los Angeles Times is reporting:
To blame is the biggest sardine crash in generations, which has made schools of the small, silvery fish a rarity on the West Coast. The decline has prompted steep cuts in the amount fishermen are allowed to catch, and scientists say the effects are probably radiating throughout the ecosystem, starving brown pelicans, sea lions and other predators that rely on the oily, energy-rich fish for food.
If sardines don't recover soon, experts warn, the West Coast's marine mammals, seabirds and fishermen could suffer for years.Hold that thought.
Remember the "warmists" telling us that global warming would result in ocean warming, disrupting the ecosystem there.
The sardine "crash" is not due to a warming ocean. Although no one knows for sure, some think the "crash" may be due to a cooling ocean:
One factor is a naturally occurring climate cycle known as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, which in recent years has brought cold, nutrient-rich water to the West Coast. While those conditions have brought a boom in some species, such as market squid, they have repelled sardines.Now back to the story. Are you still holding that thought? Remember all those concerns about global warming and the polar bears? The main prey for polar bears is the seal. Fewer seals due to a cooling ocean and few polar bears, I suppose. It's very possible the "sardine" crash won't have any effect on the seals eaten by polar bears but I couldn't help but see the irony.
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By the way, along with "you can keep your doctor, you can keep your insurance," President Obama on November 1, 2013:
"Excessively high temperatures" are "already" harming public health nationwide, Pres. Obama declared on Nov. 1, 2013, two months before today's assault by record low temperatures.
In his executive order on climate change, Obama warned that too much rain - and not enough rain - also dictated that executive action against climate fluctuations.Too much rain? Tell that to the Californians who are experiencing their worse drought ever. The San Jose Mercury News is reporting (this was posted just a week ago):
The driest year on record is turning the golden hills of California to dust, drying up wells, pastures and cash reserves in a season that is traditionally lush and generous.
The official drought map of California looks as if it has been set on fire and scorched in the center. The Bay Area has pulled out its umbrellas only few times this year. Normally, December offers a reprieve, delivering at least a storm or two. But the jet stream that usually pushes rains across our landscape remains up in the Pacific Northwest, allowing a warm and dry high pressure system to linger overhead.
Records are being broken all over the state, according to the National Weather Service. San Jose has only received 3.8 inches since January, well short of its 14-inch average. Oakland is even drier -- 3.39 inches this year, compared with its 22.8-inch average. The last time it was this dry in San Francisco was in 1917, with 9 inches. This year, the city has had less than 6 inches.By the way, don't equate arid with temperature. The coldest place on earth, the Antarctic, is considered a desert.
Again, this is a note to my granddaughters. For the archives.
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Renewable Energy
States are turning against electric cars as revenue begins to fall (predictable). The Daily Caller is reporting:
States are quickly learning that promoting electric cars is coming with a high price tag. Colorado has joined a growing number of states that are imposing fees on electric and alternative vehicles to recover “lost” gas tax revenues.
As of this year, Coloradans driving electric, alternative fuel and high-efficiency vehicles will pay a $50 registration fee to capture more revenue from vehicles that use less traditional gasoline. This is part of a growing trend by which states are looking to recoup declining gas tax revenues as vehicles become more fuel efficient and drivers buy more electric vehicles.
Colorado is one of at least five states that have special fees on hybrid and electric vehicles — Colorado, Nebraska, North Carolina, Virginia and Washington. Earlier this year, Oregon lawmakers were discussing a bill that would impose a fee on electric cars and those getting 55 miles per gallon or better.Actually that opening line is minimally accurate. That opening line conveniently leaves out a whole bunch more. The opening line should read: taxpayers are quickly learning that promoting renewable energy is coming at a huge price tag.
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Radioactivity Surges Off California Coast
Related to Japanese Nuclear Accident?
Health Officials: no concern over fact that radiation levels have increased 500% along California beaches
InfoWars is reporting:
Health officials in California are attempting to brush off public concern after a viral Youtube video showed a large increase in radiation levels on a coast side beach last week.
The video, which has garnered nearly half a million views, shows radiation levels over five times above the normal background level, prompting fears over the ongoing Fukushima disaster.But if there is even a hint that fracking might cause contamination in drinking water, the Californians are all over it. But, hey, a 500% increase in radiation along "our" California beaches -- "we" don't even want to talk about it.
A reader sent in a very, very nice comment about my global warming posts, reminding me that just as one well does not tell the whole Bakken story, one cold spell in North America does not tell the whole global warming story.
ReplyDeleteThe reader noted that I forgot to mention the heat spell and drought in Australia which is severe.
I would have loved to have posted that comment; it was a very good comment and very well put, but I generally don't post comments that have to do with my thoughts on global warming. I do not want to turn the blog into a discussion of global warming. That's why I try to put the global warming stories under the asterisks, away from the Bakken stories, or as notes to my granddaughters.
So, no offense is meant to those who reply to my global warming posts. Global warming is pretty much a political story now and I will present my political views but won't post contrary views for the most part -- not wanting to turn the blog into a political blog. [Newspapers do the same things: picking and choosing which letters to the editor they choose to print.]
There are several reasons why I have that policy. The biggest policy is that I have trouble not replying to comments and I just don't have enough time to get into political discussions. I know I am on the wrong side of mainstream media on global warming and ObamaCare but it will provide some humorous interludes for my granddaughters when they read the blog 20 years from now.