Memo To Saudi: Active Rigs In North Dakota Continue To Rise -- Now At 191; Thursday, December 4, 2014; ENB Pops Almost 12%, Up Almost $6

Updates

Later, 1:49 p.m. CT: see first comment with regard to rig count.

Original Post 

Unemployment benefits: four-week average nears the 300,000 mark. Reuters is reporting:
The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, pointing to

an improving labor market. 

Data points

• initial claims dropped by 17,000 to seasonally adjusted 297,000; 
• analysts had expected a drop to 295,000
• four-week average increased by 4,750 to 299,000

Later we will read that "extreme weather" in all 57 states was the cause of the anomalous jump in unemployment benefits a week earler.

Natural gas fill: 

• The number this week: -22 (a dynamic link).

Active rigs in North Dakota:

	12/4/2014	12/04/2013	12/04/2012	12/04/2011	12/04/2010
Active Rigs	191	192	181	199	164

RBN Energy: update on propane situation in US. This is a must-read; includes a map of five new CHS terminals in North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

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Update On Enbridge

Shares Pop Almost 12%; Surge Almost $6/Share

When I saw the Enbridge dividend news, I thought I needed to check in on Enbridge, something I have (had?) not done in quite some time.

Dividend increase: 33%.  Link here.

Moving assets, restructuring. Link here. Also here.

Enbridge acquires interest in E.ON's wind portfolio. Link here. Press release here. Earlier story on E.ON at the blog here.

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More On E.ON

DW/DE is reporting:

Germany's largest power supplier E.ON is quitting conventional energy to focus entirely on renewables. The overhaul comes amid mounting debt and as Germany gears up to phase out nuclear energy by 2022. 

The energy giant announced plans to spin off its nuclear, oil, coal and gas operations - a move that will include selling its businesses in Spain and Portugal to Australian investment firm Macquarie for 2.5 billion euros ($ 3.11 billion).

"We are convinced that it's necessary to respond to dramatically altered global energy markets," the company's CEO Johannes Teyssen said in a statement late Sunday.

European energy suppliers are experiencing a price slump on the wholesale electricity market, and as E.ON braces for impairment charges of 4.5 billion euros on its operations in southern Europe in the fourth quarter of 2014. The company is already struggling with massive debts.