Eleven (11) New Permits -- The Williston Basin, North Dakota, USA; Shock And Awe In Iraq; President's Visit To North Dakota Closed To The Public

Wells coming off the confidential list Thursday:

• 24663, 377, Whiting, Zalesky 14-8PH, North Creek, t12/13; cum 13K 4/14;
• 25694, drl, Hess, BW-Erler 149-99-1522H-2, Cherry Creek, no production data,
• 26357, 223, OXY USA, Dakota Meyer 1-19-18H-143-97, Crooked Creek, t12/13; cum 21K 4/14;
• 26574, 349, American Eagle, Tangedal 13-31-164-101, Colgan, t3/14; cum 15K 4/14;
• 27016, 141, Hunt, Sioux Trail 160-101-13-24H-1, Sioux Tail, t2/14; cum 10K 4/14;

Active rigs:

	6/11/2014	06/11/2013	06/11/2012	06/11/2011	06/11/2010
Active Rigs	188	187	210	169	125

Eleven (11) new permits  --

• Operators: Zavanna (4), Hess (4), Oasis (3)
• Fields: Long Creek (Williams), Alger 9Mountrail), Baker (McKenzie)
• Comments:

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

WTI oil and Brent oil continue to hold their gains, albeit barely. Reports from Iraq suggest the marauders from the north are sweeping towards Baghdad. The US is making contingency plans to evacuate the US embassy. If the Maliki government falls by the weekend, this will be more shock and awe than the original shock and awe. USA considering air strikes according to some reports.

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Oneok looking to build another 200 mmcfpd natural gas processing plant, this one south of Watford City. KQCD is reporting:

A natural gas processing company has applied for a permit to build a new plant in Western North Dakota, and the Public Service Commission wants to hear from you.

The PSC will hold a public hearing this month on a proposed natural gas processing plant south of Watford City.

ONEOK submitted an application to process natural gas from oil production wells, and could collect up to 200 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.

 This would make #7 for Oneok in North Dakota? 

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It appears to be just a photo op for President Obama, his wife, and a few tribal chiefs. This is the president who wanted promised the most transparent administration ever. The president's visit to North Dakota is closed to "the public." The Bismarck Tribune is reporting. I'm surprised he thought anyone would show up. Actually, it's just the reverse. The turnout was going to be so poor, he didn't want it seen by reporters. I don't think folks know how remote this site is that he will be visiting. No one will be there, regardless if it was open or closed to the "the public." I remember the challenge of organizing "rent-a-crowds" when I was at a remote base and a general officer was going to visit; it was miserable to round up enough people interested in showing up. Regardless, I'm not a bit impressed. I remember when President Ronald Reagan visited Bitburg, Germany: open to all. It was a huge, exciting event. But times are different. Now we have "transparent" presidencies. And selfies of the president are as close as we get.

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Shock And Awe In Iraq

From the linked story above:

Sunni militants extended their control over parts of northern and western Iraq on Wednesday as Iraqi government forces crumbled in disarray. The militants overran the city of Tikrit, seized facilities in the strategic oil refining town of Baiji, and threatened an important Shiite shrine in Samarra as they moved south toward Baghdad.

The remarkably rapid advance of the Sunni militants, who on Tuesday seized the northern city of Mosul as Iraqi forces fled or surrendered, reflects the spillover of the Sunni insurgency in Syria and the inability of Iraq’s Shiite-led government to pacify the country after American forces departed in 2011 following eight years of war and occupation.

Now, for those who might have forgotten, the Sunnis are the "peaceful" Muslims. The Shi'ites are the military Muslims. Good, got that straight.

The New York Times is reporting that President Obama denied Maliki's request for help. I'm reminded of the Manchurian candidate post.  At the time the decision was being made to release the top Taliban leaders, the decision was also being made to deny Maliki the support he requested.

May the force be with you.

The US is considering air strikes but once the marauding bands reach the suburbs of Baghdad, air strikes aren't going to do much good, unless one can justify knocking out $15,000-Toyota pickups with multi-million-dollar air-to-ground missiles.

You will know how the war is going when Ms Christiane Amanpour starts broadcasting on Al-Jazeera.  If I watched television (or even had access to cable television), I would be tuned to Wolf Blitzer in the "Situation Room."