Twelve (12) New Permits -- The Williston Basin, North Dakota, USA

Active rigs:

	5/2/2014	05/02/2013	05/02/2012	05/02/2011	05/02/2010
Active Rigs	186	190	209	174	113

Twelve (12) new permits --

• Operators: HRC (3), Hess (3), BR (3), Whiting (2), XTO
• Fields: Four Bears (McKenzie), Bear Creek (Dunn), Little Knife (Dunn), South Heart (Stark), North Tobacco Garden (McKenzie), Keene (McKenzie)
• Comments:

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

Producing wells completed:

• 26794, 88, MRO, Rundle Trust 21-29TH, wildcat, t4/14; cum 158 bbls over six days;
• 26463, 1,169, MRO, Reed 24-35TFH, Reunion Bay, t3/14; cum 3K 3/14;

From The NDIC May, 2014, Dockets -- 32 Wells On A 640-Acre Spacing Unit

Updates

November 13, 2019: what does section 11-149-83 look like five years later? Twenty-five wells sited in this section and a lot of room for more wells:

June 20, 2015: what does section 11-149-83 look like one year later?

Original Post

Case 22340, EOG, Mandaree-Bakken, create a 640-acre unit, 32 wells, Dunn County.

Application of EOG Resources, Inc. for an order amending the field rules for the Mandaree-Bakken Pool to create and establish a 640-acre spacing unit comprised of Section 11, T.149N., R.93W., Dunn County, ND, authorizing the drilling of a total not to exceed thirty-two wells on said 640- acre spacing unit, eliminating any tool error requirements and such other relief as is appropriate.

Wells in section 11-149-93:

• 20090, 392, Petroshale/EOG, Horse Camp 101-11H, 320-acre, t10/11; cum 196K 9/19; offline for four years;
  
• 20091, 1,229, Petroshale/EOG, Horse Camp 2-11H, 320-acre, t10/11; cum 236K 9/19; offline for a year;3
  
• 34990, 760, Petroshale, Horse Camp West 2MBH, one section, Mandaree, t11/18; cum 129K 9/19;
• 34991, 237, Petroshale, Horse Camp West 2TFH, one section, Mandaree, t11/18; cum 50K 9/19;
• 35198, 1,777, WPX, North Mabel 2-35HT, two sections, Mandaree, t4/19; cum 198K 9/19;
• 35199, 2,799, WPX, North Mabel 2-35HF, two sections, Mandaree, t3/19; cum 140K 9/19;
• 35200, 2,194, WPX, North Mabel 2-35HS, two sections, Mandaree, t3/19; cum 173K 9/19;
• 35201, 2,396, WPX, North Mabel 2-35HB, two sections, Mandaree, t3/19; cum 231K 9/19;
• 35202, PNC,
• 35203, 2,615, WPX, North Mabel 2-35HW, two sections, Mandaree, t3/19; cum 215K 9/19;
• 23021, 495, WPX, Independence 2-35HC, t10/12; cum 439K 9/19;
• 26517, 938, WPX, Independence 2-35HY, t5/14; cum 254 9/19;
• 26518, 1,590, WPX, Independence 2-35HZ, t5/14;cum 292K 9/19;
• 26519, 1,077, WPX, Independence 2-35HD, t5/14; cum 357K 9/19;
• 27711, 1,515, WPX, Independence 2-35HI, t6/14; cum 311K 9/19;33
• 33816, 615, Petroshale, Horse Camp 104-11H, 320-acre, Mandaree, t2/18; cum 116K 9/19;
• 33815, 937, Petroshale, Horse Camp 4-11H, 320-acre, Mandaree, t3/18; cum 169K 9/19;
• 37022, conf, Petroshale, Horse Camp 106-11H,
• 37021, conf, Petroshale, Horse Camp 5-11H,
  
• 26512, 1,214, WPX, Mabel Levings 14-23HW, two sections, Manadree, t5/14; cum 289K 9/19;
• 26513, 957, WPX, Mabel Levings 14-23HA, t5/14; cum 301K 9/19;
• 26510, 1,420, WPX, Mabel Levings 14-23HW, t5/14; cum 252K 9/19;
• 26511, 1,064, WPX, Mabel Levings 14-23HB, t5/14; cum 350K 9/19;
• 33818, 1,277, WPX, Mabel Levings 14-23HE, t11/17; cum 291K 9/19;
• 33819, 728, WPX, Mabel Levings 14-23HY, t11/17; cum 116K 9/19;

NDIC Dockets For May, The Agenda; MRO Requests Proper Spacing On The Tyler Formation Rundle Trust Well; 32-Well On A 640-Acre Spacing Unit (EOG)

Note: I have completed this summary. There may be typographical errors. The source is the NDIC webpage.

See also, these stand-alone posts regarding some of the cases below:

• EOG requests permission for 32 wells in one 640-acre spacing unit
• Slawson, 22 wells in Stockyard Creek
• MRO to drill two more wells in Slope County to test the Tyler
• Oasis: requesting a 1920-acre laydown spacing unit for 16 wells; this might be a first

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

22277, Oasis, Assiniboine-Bakken, proper spacing to develop this field, McKenzie
22278, Oasis, Eightmile-Bakken, proper spacing to develop this field, McKenzie, Williams
22279, Oasis, Ft Buford-Bakken, proper spacing to develop this field, Williams
22280, Oasis, Cottonwood-Bakken, establish 2 overlapping 2560-acre units; 1+ wells, Burke
22281, Oasis, Cottonwood-Bakken, amend, establish a 1920-acre unit; 16 wells, Burke
22282, Oasis, Cottonwood and/or the Alger-Bakken, establish 2 overlapping 2560-acre units; 1+ wells, Mountrail
22283, Oasis, Alger-Bakken, establish 2 overlapping 2560-acre units; 1+ wells, Mountrail
22284, Oasis, Alger-Bakken, establish an overlapping 2560-acre unit, 1+ wells, Mountrail
22285, Oasis, Alkali Creek-Bakken, establish an overlapping 2560-acre unit, 3 wells OR alternatively one well to be drilled on the 2560-acre unit and one additional well on each of the existing 1280-acre or 2560-acre units; has to do with set back rules, Mountrail, McKenzie
222069, Oasis, cont'd
22286, SM Energy, Poe-Bakken, redefine field limits, McKenzie
22287, SM Energy, Poe-Bakken, authorize 11 wells on a 1280-acre unit; establish an overlapping 2560-acre unit, 1+ well, McKenzie
22288, SM Energy, Camp-Bakken, authorize up to 10 wells on a 1280-acre unit; establish 2 overlapping 2560-acre units, 1+ well, McKenzie
22085, SM Energy, cont'd
19399, KOG, cont'd
22289, KOG, Epping-Madison, establish a zone of stand-up 320-acre units within 4 sections (8 units altogether, it appears), unspecified number of wells, Williams
22290, CLR, Rainbow-Bakken, proper spacing, redefine field limits, Williams
22291, Hess, Sather Lake-Bakken, proper spacing, redefine field limits, McKenzie
22292, Hess, Capa-Bakken, establish 1 overlapping 1280-acre; and 1 overlapping 2560-acre unit, 1 well each, Williams
22293, Hess, Manitou-Bakken, establish an overlapping 2560-acre unit, 1 well, Mountrail
22294, Hess, Alkali Creek-Bakken, establish an overlapping 2560-acre unit, 1 well, Mountrail
22295, Hess, Alger-Bakken, establish 3 overlapping 2560-acre units, 1 well each; establish an overlapping 2560-acre unit, 2 wells; Mountrail
22296, Hess, Robinson Lake-Bakken, establish 2 overlapping 2560-acre units, 2 wells on each, Mountrail
22297, Hess, Blue Buttes-Bakken, establish an overlapping 2560-acre unit, 1 well, McKenzie
22298, MRO, temporary spacing for oil pool discovered by the MRO Rundle Trust 21-29TFH (#26794); Slope County
22299, MRO, McGregory Buttes-Bakken, proper spacing for a specific well, Dunn
22300, MRO, create 2 1280-acre units, 1 well each into Tyler formation, Slope
22301, Whiting, temp spacing for Anderson Butte Federal  11-17TFH (#19755), Billings
22302, Whiting, Dollar Joe, Ray, and/or West Bank-Bakken, establish 10 overlapping 2560-acre units, 1 well on each; Williams
22303, Whiting, flaring
22304, Whiting, flaring
22305, OXY USA, Fayette-Bakken, alter stratigraphic limits of the pool; allow up to 14 wells on 5 1280-acre units; establish four overlapping 2560-acre units, 2 wells on each; Dunn
22306, OXY USA, Willmen-Bakken, alter stratigraphic limits; up to 14 wells on 4 1280-acre units; Dunn
22307, OXY USA, Manning-Bakken; define stratigraphic limits; 14 wells on 9 1280-acre units (126 wells); 2 wells on each of 5 overlapping 2560-acre units (10 wells); Dunn
22308, QEP, Spotted Horn-Bakken, establish an overlapping 2560-acre unit, 1 well, McKenzie
22309, QEP, Grail-Bakken, alter the stratigraphic limits,
23310, Williston Exploration, Rocky Ridge-Heath pool, establish either an 80-acre unit or a 160-acre unit, to drill a lateral from the Rocky Ridge-Fritz #1 (#25347), Billings
22084, True, cont'd
22311, Apollo, treating facility
22312, Newalta Environmental, treating facility,
21928, Dyad Corral Creek, cont'd
22090, NDIC, flaring violation
22313, SM Energy, SWD
22314, SM Energy, commingling,
22117, SM Energy, cont'd
22118, SM Energy, cont'd
22315, SM Energy, pooling,
22316, SM Energy, pooling,
22317, SM ENergy, pooling,
22318, Murex, pooling,
22319, Petro-Hunt, pooling,
22320, MRO, pooling,
22321, Hess, commingling,
22322, Hess, commingling,
22323, Hess, commingling,
22324, Hess, pooling,
22325, Hess, Truax-Bakken, 2 wells on a 2560-acre unit, Williams,
22326, QEP, Spotted Horn-Bakken, 10 wells on a 1280-acre unit, sections 12/13-150-95, McKenzie
22327, KOG, South Fork-Bakken, 10 wells on a 1280-acre unit, 8/17-148-93, Dunn
22328, Whiting, pooling
22329, Whiting, Dollar Joe-Bakken, 9 wells on a 1280-acre unit; Williams
22330, Whiting, Ray-Bakken, 9 wells on a 1280-acre unit, Williams 

Thursday, May 29, 2014 

22331, Zavanna, Stony Creek-Bakken, create an overlapping 1920-acre unit, multiple wells, Williams
22332, North Plains Energy, flaring,
22333, Noah Energy, to build an ark, North Haas-Madison, amend, one hz well in specific quarter section, Bottineau,
22334, QEP, Croff and/or Grail-Bakken, establish one overlapping 1280-acre unit, 1+ wells, McKenzie
21799, WPX, cont'd
21800, WPX, cont'd
22094, Dyad Convergyx, cont'd
22093, Mud Tech, cont'd
22335, NDIC, confiscation of production-related equipment, Rio Petro LTD 1, Sundhagen well, #7168, Williams
22336, Corinthian Exploration, North Souris-Spearfish, proper spacing for #22964, Bottineau
22337, EOG, Sixmile-Bakken, proper spacing for development of the field, Williams
22338, EOG, Squaw Creek-Bakken, create a 640-acre unit, and an overlapping 2560-acre unit, for multiple wells, McKenzie
22339, EOG, Squaw Creek-Bakken, drill multiple wells on an existing 320-acre unit; McKenzie
22340, EOG, Mandaree-Bakken, create a 640-acre unit, 32 wells, Dunn County
22341, EOG, Mandaree-Bakkekn, 14 wells on an existing 320-acre unit, Dunn
22342, EOG, Antelope-Sanish, multiple wells on an existing 320-acre unit; on an existing 640-acre unit; and on each of two 1280-acre units, McKenzie
22343, EOG, Clarks Creek-Bakken, multiple wells on an existing 1280-acre unit; on an existing 1440-acre unit; and on an existing 1920-acre unit, McKenzie
22344, EOG, Spotted Horn-Bakken, multiple wells on each of 2 1280-acre units; and on an existing 2560-acre unit; McKenzie
22345, Statoil, Buford-Bakken, proper spacing for developing the field, Williams, McKenzie
22346, Staoil, Sugar Beet-Bakken, proper spacing for developing the field, Williams
22347, Statoil, Big Butte, Alger, and/or Robinson Lake-Bakken, establish 23 overlapping 2560-acre units, 1 well each on / near section lines, Mountrail
22348, Statoil, Banks-Bakken, establish 18 overlapping 2560-acre units, 1 well each on / near section lines, Williams, McKenzie
22349, Samson Resources, Blooming Prairie-Bakken, establish a 1280-acre unit; 7 wells, Divide
22350, Samson Resources, Ambrose and/or Blooming Prairie-Bakken, establish 4 overlapping 2560-acre units; 1 well each; Divide
22351, Baytex, flaring,
22352, Baytex, flaring,
21628, Baytex, cont'd
22167, Baytex, cont'd
22169, Baytex, cont'd
21627, Baytex, cont'd
22353, Fidelity, flaring,
22354, Fidelity, flaring,
22355, Emerald Oil, MonDak-Bakken, establish a 1280-acre unit, 7 wells, McKenzie
22356, Emerald Oil, Boxcar Btte, South Boxcar and/or Burning Mine-Bakken, establish 2 1280-acr units, 7 wells on each; McKenzie
22357, Enerplus, Spotted Horn-Bakken, establish a 1280-acre unit, 7 wells; establish an overlapping 1920-acre unit, 11 wells; McKenzie, Mountrail
22358, Hunt, flaring,
222359, Hunt, flaring,
22360, Hunt, flaring,
22361, Hunt, flaring,
22362, XTO, flaring,
22363, XTO, Lost Bridge and/or Little Knife-Bakken, establish 12 overlapping 2560-acre units, 1 well each, Dunn
22364, NDIC, Elm Tree-Bakken, determine if wells in a specific standup 2560-acre unit are in compliance with the rules for the field,
22365, CLR,  Dimmick Lake-Bakken, proper spacing for specific well, McKenzie
22366, CLR, Elm Tree-Bakken, create two overlapping 5120-acre units, 6 wells on each; McKenzie
22367, CLR, Stoneview, North Tioga, Lindahl and/or Battleview-Bakken, establish an overlapping 2560-acre unit; 1 well; create 3 overlapping 5120-acre units, 2 wells on each; Williams, Divide
21997, CLR, cont'd
21755, CLR, cont'd
21478, CLR, cont'd
22180, CLR, cont'd
22181, CLR, cont'd
22182, CLR, cont'd
22183, CLR, cont'd
22184, CLR, cont'd
22186, CLR, cont'd
22187, CLR, cont'd
22189, CLR, cont'd
22190, CLR, cont'd
22191, CLR, cont'd
22192, CLR, cont'd
22194, CLR, cont'd
22195, CLR, cont'd
22196, CLR, cont'd
22198, CLR, cont'd
22199, CLR, cont'd
22200, CLR, cont'd
22201, CLR, cont'd
22202, CLR, cont'd
22203, CLR, cont'd
22204, CLR, cont'd
22205, CLR, cont'd
22206, CLR, cont'd
22207, CLR, cont'd
22208, CLR, cont'd
22209, CLR, cont'd
22210, CLR, cont'd
22211, CLR, cont'd
22212, CLR, cont'd
22213, CLR, cont'd
22215, CLR, cont'd
22216, CLR, cont'd
22217, CLR, cont'd
22219, CLR, cont'd
22220, CLR, cont'd
22368, Liberty Resources, Temple and/or McGregor-Bakken, establish 3 overlapping 2560-acre units; 1 well each, Williams
22369, Slawson, Big Bend-Bakken, establish a 1280-acre unit, 1 well; establish a 1280-acre unit, 2 wells;  establish an overlapping 2560-acre unit, 2 wells; Mountrail
22370, Slawson, Big Bend-Bakken, 2 wells on an existing overlapping 2560-acre unit, and 1 well on an existing 1280-acre unit, Mountrail
22371, Flatland, treating plant, Dunn
22372, Enduro, injection of fluids into unitize formation, Newburg-Spearfish-Charles, Bottineau,
221920, Sequel Energy, cont'd
20658, Peregrine Petroleum, cont'd
21287, Mountain Divide,cont'd
22014, WPX, cont'd
22165, Zavanna, cont'd
22161, Encore, cont'd
22162, NDIC, cont'd
22092, NDEC, cont'd
22373, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Boxcar Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22374, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Boxcar Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22375, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Boxcar Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22376, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Boxcar Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22377, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Boxcar Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22378, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Boxcar Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22379, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Boxcar Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22380, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Boxcar Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22381, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Boxcar Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22382, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Boxcar Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22383, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Charbonneau-Bakken, McKenzie
22384, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Charbonneau-Bakken, McKenzie
22385, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Charbonneau-Bakken, McKenzie
22386, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Foreman Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22387, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Foreman Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22388, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Foreman Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22389, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Foreman Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22390, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Foreman Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22391, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Foreman Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22392, Cypress Energy, SWD
22393, Upland Holdings, SWD
22394, Sinclair, Little Knife-Bakken, 7 wells on an existing 640-acre unit, Dunn
22395, Samson Resources, pooling
22396, Samson Resources, pooling
22397, Samson Resources, pooling
22398, Samson Resources, pooling
22399, Samson Resources, pooling
22400, Samson Resources, pooling
22401, Samson Resources, pooling
22402, Samson Resources, Blooming Prairie-Bakken, 7 wells on each of 2 1280-acre units; Divide,
22403, Samson Resources, commingling
22404, Samson Resources, commingling
22405, Samson Resources, commingling
22406, , Samson Resources, commingling
22407, Fidelity, flaring
22408, Fidelity, Sanish-Bakken; 6 wells on each of 2 640-acre units; 5 wells on a 1280-acre unit; 10 wells on a 1280-acre unit; 7 wells on an overlapping 1920-acre unit; 12 wells each of 3 overlapping 2560-acre units, Mountrail
22409, XTO, commingling
22410, XTO, commingling
22411, XTO, risk penalty legalese, Capa-Bakken, Williams
22412, XTO, risk penalty legalese, West Capa-Bakken, Williams
22413, CLR, pooling,
22040, CLR, cont'd
20814, CLR, cont'd
20815, CLR, cont'd
20816, CLR, Jim Creek-Bakken, 7 wells an existing 1280-acre unit, Dunn
21375, CLR, cont'd
22414, CLR, commingling
22415, Forestar Petroleum, Bailey-Bakken, pooling
22416, Forestar Petroleum, Bailey, Moccasin Creek, and/or Wolf Bay-Bakken, pooling
22417, Liberty Resources, pooling
22418, Liberty Resources, pooling
22419, Liberty Resources, pooling
22420, Liberty Resources, pooling
22421, Liberty Resources, pooling
22422, Liberty Resources, pooling
22423, Liberty Resources, pooling
22424, Liberty Resources, McGregor-Bakken, 13 wells on an existing 1280-acre unit, McKenzie
22425, Emerald Oil, pooling
22426, Emerald Oil, Ray-Bakken, 7 wells on an existing 1280-acre unit, Williams
22427, Emerald Oil, Wheelock-Bakken 7 wells on an existing 1280-acre unit, Williams
22428, Emerald Oil, Cinnamon Creek-Bakken, 7 wells on each of 2 existing 1280-acre units, McKenzie
22429, Emerald Oil, Poker Jim-Bakken, 7 wells on each of 2 existing 1280-acre units, McKenzie
22430, Emerald Oil, MonDak-Bakken, 7 wells on each of 5 existing 1280-acre units, McKenzie
22431, Emerald Oil, Pierre Creek-Bakken, 7 wells on each of 2 existing 1280-acre units, McKenzie
22432, Emerald Oil, Winter Butte-Bakken, 7 wells on each of 2 existing 1280-acre units, McKenzie
22433, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Boxcar Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22434, Emerald Oil, risk penalty legalese, Boxcar Butte-Bakken, McKenzie
22435, Corinthian Exploration, pooling
22436, Corinthian Exploration, commingling
22437, Abraxas Petroleum, pooling
22438, Abraxas Petroleum, pooling
22439, Abraxas Petroleum, pooling
22440, Abraxas Petroleum, pooling
22441, Abraxas Petroleum, pooling
22442, Hunt, flaring
22443, Hunt, flaring
22444, Hunt, flaring
22445, Slawson, Stockyard Creek-Bakken 11 wells on each of 2 960-acre units, Williams
22446, Hanna, SWD
22225, Crescent Point, cont'd
22226, Crescent Point, cont'd
22227, Crescent Point, cont'd
22228, Crescent Point, cont'd
22229, Crescent Point, cont'd
22230, Crescent Point, cont'd
22231, Crescent Point, cont'd
22232, Crescent Point, cont'd
22233, Crescent Point, cont'd
22234, Crescent Point, cont'd

For Investors Only

For me today, with regard to the stock market, the most interesting data point was that on a down day (trading near all-time highs, though), when oil had dropped significantly for the week, XOM was one of the Dow leaders today. This suggests to me that XOM is a "safe haven" going into the weekend with the Ukraine continuing to loom.

Trading at new 52-week highs: AA, BRK.B, COP, STO, WIN, XOM.

To be continued. The NDIC docket agenda for May has been released.

Despite Historic CO2 Levels, There Has Been No Global Warming For Eighteen Years

I guess this is important for someone: the 400 parts per million. Bloomberg is reporting:

The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere averaged more than 400 parts per million throughout April, the first time the planet’s monthly average has surpassed that threshold.

For what it's worth, we are now in a period of global cooling. Despite 400 parts per million CO2 in the atmosphere.

Unemployment Plunges

Updates

Later, 10:18 p.m. central time: this is hilarious. Down below I noted that these newly employed folks will need to buy gasoline to get to work. Now, the AP via Rigzone says the price of oil rose today for that very reason: folks going back to work:

The price of oil rose Friday as a report showed a big gain in new jobs in the U.S. But gains were tempered by ongoing concerns about record oil supplies.

Later, 3:16 p.m. central time: I'm traveling so when I stop for coffee, it's not uncommon to see CNBC on the flat screen wherever I might be (better than CNN). At the close (and I think it's on "print media," also, that talking heads wonder about the mediocre market today in light of the great jobs report. They must take "movers and shakers," and the "big money" for fools. That was not a great jobs report. The top number (6.3%) came in better than expected but that was because almost a million folks dropped out of the labor force. The "smart money" can read the fine print.

Later, 10:51 a.m. central time: so, I guess this is what we have

• with 800,000 withdrawing from looking for jobs in April, unemployment natural ly plunges (if no one is looking for work, the unemployment rate is "zero")
• GDP for 1Q14 was 0.1%
• new home sales are at their lowest since July, 2013 

Original Post
 

Bloomberg is reporting:

Employers boosted payrolls in April by the most in two years and the jobless rate plunged to 6.3 percent as companies grew confident the U.S. economy is emerging from a first-quarter slowdown.

The 288,000 gain in employment was the biggest since January 2012 and followed a revised 203,000 increase the prior month, Labor Department figures showed today in Washington. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for a 218,000 advance. Unemployment dropped to the lowest level since September 2008. 

Bloomberg conveniently forgets that much of the 288,000 gain is simply playing catch-up from four months ago:

January 10, 2014: bad, bad report; worst since January, 2011 -- Americans leaving the work force in droves; applications drop 15,000 to 330,000 (weather not a factor). New jobs added were 76,000, worse in three years (weather a factor).

But it is what it is. Regardless of whether the numbers are credible, these are the numbers Wall Street works with.

This should bolster those not supporting an extension of benefits for the long-term unemployed. Unemployment plunges; there is a shortage of workers for the house-building industry (reported in The Wall Street Journal today).

If the numbers are credible and accurate, all these new folks entering / re-entering the job force will need to buy gasoline or diesel to get to work. Very few will be driving EVs. Go Big Oil!

How big an effect is technology having on the workforce? or is it government policy? Whatever: the share of working-age people in the labor force, decreased to 62.8 percent, matching the lowest level since 1978.

Frac-Attack!

 Sorry about the glare .... $24.99 for a double cheeseburger in the Bakken .. but it's huge...

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

A Note for the Granddaughters

Every time I return to the Bakken, specifically my hometown of Williston, North Dakota, I stop by Books on Broadway to pick up a few books. My recent purchases:

The April-May visit to Williston:

• Surfaces and Essences: Analogy As The Fuel and Fire of Thinking, Douglas Hofstadter & Emmanuel Sander, c. 2013
• Crossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedy, Jim Marrs, c. 2013
• Learning From Leonardo: Decoding the Notebooks of a Genius, Fritjof Capra, c. 2013, hardcover
• Rocket Girl: The Story of Mary Sherman Morgan, America's First Female Rocket Scientist, George D. Morgan, c. 20

The February visit to Williston:

• The Letters of Ernest Hemingway, 1923 - 1925, Vol 2, edited by Sandra Spanier, et al, c. 2013, hardcover
• Crazy Horse: A Lakota Life, Kingsley M. Bray, c. 2006
• I'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen, Sylvie Simmons, c. 2012
• Grand Pursuit: The Story of Economic Genius, Sylvia Nasar, c. 2011
• On The Origin of Tepees: The Evolution of Ideas (And Ourselves), Jonnie Hughes, c. 2011
• Rewriting history: US Grant
• Lakota Noon: The Indian Narrative of Custer's Defeat, Gregory F. Michno, editor and comments, c. 1997; sixth printing, 2007

Bought elsewhere in Williston in February:

• 85 Years Birding, Kenneth J. Johnson, c. 2005;

Flaring In The Bakken: I Knew It Would Be Challenging But Not This Challenging

KOG cut its FY 2014 production guidance to 39K-42K boeday.  Z-Man remains bullish on KOG despite miss. At SeekingAlpha. After pull-back last night in market after closing, the opening this morning for KOG is hardly a whimper -- down about 3% which is nothing in this market, and nothing for KOG, particularly after it says it is reducing its production guidance.

Berkshire Hathaway buying AltaLink for about $3 billion. AltaLink is a Canadian power transmission provider. Berkshire Hathaway Energy is new name for Berkshire Hathaway Mid America Energy.

North Dakota ObamaCare Enrollees: The Bismarck Tribune is reporting:

• 16,627 eligible; 11,974 eligible for financial assistance; 10,597 enrolled
• North Dakota had a good showing from young people who signed up for insurance, with 19 percent of the enrollees under the age of 18. Only Arizona, with 21 percent, had a higher figure.
• The rest of the age breakdown in North Dakota is 8 percent between ages 18-25, 18 percent between 26-34, 14 percent between 35-44, 16 percent between 45-54, and 25 percent between 55-64.

Reporting today:

• CVX: $2.51, before market opens; actual -- $2.36; profit drops 27% y/y; huge miss
• SRE: 95 cents; actual, beats by 9 cents, $1.03
• TransCanada (TRP.TO): 59 cents, before market open; actual -- 60 cents -- great report.

Active rigs:

	5/2/2014	05/02/2013	05/02/2012	05/02/2011	05/02/2010
Active Rigs	187	190	209	174	113

RBN Energy: Flaring in the Bakken

From space the light thrown off by Bakken gas flaring makes sparsely populated western North Dakota look like Minneapolis-St. Paul. But the gathering pipelines, the processing plants and the interstate pipelines needed to transport Bakken gas to market are finally being built, and within a few years the glow of gas flaring in the region is expected to dim.

What all this means is that, while there appears to be sufficient takeaway capacity in place to handle the existing 800 MMcf/d of Bakken gas making its way to market, more pipeline capacity out of the region will be needed as production rises to 1.6 Bcf/d (from the current 1.1 Bcf/d) in late 2015 and as producers make progress in their efforts to reduce how much gas is flared.

With Western Canadian gas still using up big shares of the capacity on both the Northern Border and Alliance pipelines, WBI Energy (a subsidiary of MDU Resources) is seeking to fill that perceived pipeline-capacity gap by planning the 375-mile Dakota Pipeline, which would run from the heart of the Bakken in western North Dakota to northwestern Minnesota and initially have the capacity to move 400 Mcf/d. An open season on the $650 million project is under way. If all goes well, construction could begin in 2016 and the Dakota Pipeline could start moving gas the following year. Whether additional pipeline capacity beyond that will be needed is an open question. 

Having sufficient interstate pipeline capacity in place to handle rising gas production from the Bakken is another key element in the plan to reduce flaring in the region—just as important an element as gas gathering pipelines and processing capacity. Those three elements appear to be falling into place, particularly if the NDIC continues tightening its flaring-related rules and WBI Energy proceeds with its Dakota Pipeline plan.

But even the most optimistic goal of reducing Bakken flaring to 5% of production by 2020 would leave the region burning off 10 times the 0.5% share of Texas gas production that is flared. Further reductions in Bakken flaring beyond 5 or 10% will take more aggressive moves, most of them involving the capture and innovative use of gas near where it is produced. Next time we will explore what that might involve.

 East of Williston, April 30, 2014, A KOG well

The Wall Street Journal

Only one in four of ObamaCare enrollees are young (18 - 34) and healthy.

Germany tells Obama: no more sanctions on Russia. My hunch: the US fascination with the Ukraine simply fades from the front page. Meanwhile, XOM is pushing ahead with its plans to drill in Russia's Arctic even though deteriorating relations between Moscow and Washington have increased the risks. XOM: presidents coma and go.

Retirement investors flock back to stocks.

Lynchburg, VA, CBR derailment: train travleing at sppeds well below regulatory requirements.

US factory / manufacturing activity accelerated in April for the 3rd straight month.

Labor shortage besets home builders. What's wrong with that story.

Pfizer-AstraZenaca stalled. The British company wants much more.

DirecTV shows a need for AT&T.

 Canadian Pacific projects growth from CBR: sees revenue double to 10% of the rail's overall total in the next two or three years.

the administration can't blame the weather: jobs-related data is seasonally adjusted. But already, I see there is talk that the formula used for seasonal adjustments is incorrect. Here we go again: massaging the data to get a better number.

Wheat prices are up 15% this year; concern over drought in Kansas.

The Los Angeles Times

Here it comes: apologists for ... 

Toyota's plan to close its Torrance headquarters and ship 3,000 jobs to a Dallas suburb has triggered a new round of hand-wringing among those who see business-friendly Texas gaining at the expense of regulation-choked California.

In Austin, Texas Gov. Rick Perry took a victory lap, crediting his state's low taxes and hands-off policies. Lawmakers and business lobbyists from Torrance to Sacramento said the Golden State must unravel red tape and increase incentives if it hopes to compete for jobs. They ridiculed Gov. Jerry Brown for not even knowing about Toyota's plans to abandon his state.

The trouble is that taxes, regulations and business climate appear to have had nothing to do with Toyota's move. It came down to a simple matter of geography and a plan for corporate consolidation, Toyota's North American chief told The Times. And in the big picture, California's and Texas' economies are growing at a similar pace, with corporate relocations — in either direction — representing only a tiny slice of job growth in both states.

For companies that do move, corporate strategy often plays a bigger role than a state's tax or regulatory climate.

When Northrop Grumman moved its headquarters and 300 jobs to Virginia from Century City three years ago, the company aimed to get closer to Pentagon power brokers who decided on big contracts for the company, the company's chief executive, Wesley B. Bush, said at the time.

Los Angeles-based Occidental Petroleum, which announced earlier this year that it would move its headquarter to Houston, wants to be closer to the profitable Texas oil patch.

So, Toyota, Northrop Grumman, Occidental all leave California in the past few years, and the reporter seems unconcerned. Okay. I would refer the reporter to the Carpe Diem article linked earlier. Not a pretty picture. For California.

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This is irony: the owner of the Clippers still has his team. The head of the LA NAACP quits because of his ties to Donald Sterling.

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Rigzone

North Sea drilling slowing:

Drilling and deal activity on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) will remain at a "steady low" for at least the next year, according to a new report from business consultancy Deloitte.

Deloitte said that poor weather and high costs already had an impact on the amount of exploration and appraisal work conducted by operators in the region during the first quarter.

Are you kidding? 

Work crews for BP Plc were clearing contaminated snow on Thursday on Alaska's North Slope after a Prudhoe Bay well line ruptured, spraying a 34-acre area with crude oil and natural gas.