Friday, January 2, 2015 -- 171 Active Rigs In North Dakota; Fourteen (14) New Permits

Fourteen (14) new permits --

• Operators: Statoil (7),  SM Energy (4), XTO (3), 
• Fields: Stony Creek (Williams), East Fork (Williams), Ambrose (Divide), Hofflund (Williams)
• Comments: all seven Statoil permits are on SWSW 32-156-100

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

Three Oasis locations were resurveyed, all in McKenzie County.

Oasis changed the name of three wells suggesting a new target; one TF2 well is now a middle Bakken well. Same with CLR, changing the name of one well from a TF2 well to a middle Bakken well. However, CLR did change a middle Bakken well to a TF1 well, it appears. Both of the CLR permits were for wells in Dunn County.

Active rigs:

	1/2/2015	01/02/2014	01/02/2013	01/02/2012	01/02/2011
Active Rigs	171	183	183	197	156

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Russia Confirms Record Oil Production in 2014

This was reported earlier in a short blurb. Here's a much longer article confirming that Russia has hit a new post-Soviet oil production record. Reuters at Rigzone is reporting: 

Russia's 2014 oil output hit a post-Soviet record high average of 10.58 million barrels per day (bpd), rising by 0.7 percent helped by small non-state producers.

Oil and gas condensate production in December hit 10.67 million bpd, also a record high since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The data showed Russia's so-called small producers, mostly privately held, increased their output by 11 percent to just over 1 million barrels per day. 

Exports to China reached a new high of 452,000 bpd, up 43 percent on the year as Russia seeks to diversify its energy customers.

By the way, the conversion factor 22.6 million tonnes (452,000 bpd): 50. 

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A Note to the Granddaughters

Because of out-of-town guests May and I did not have time to visit any fine arts museum in southern California. Today, on the spur of the moment, we got on I-110 in San Pedro, drove 45 minutes north (through central Los Angeles) to near the end of the I-110, getting off at Orange Grove boulevard, to end up at the Norton Simon Museum.

I had forgotten how really great the museum is. An hour or so of viewing the art, then lunch, than another hour of viewing before finishing in the museum store.

My recommendations for first time visitors to the Los Angeles area who want to visit a fine arts museum:

• J Paul Getty Center (great for young children who like to run)
• Norton Simon (boring for young children who like to run)
• J Paul Getty Villa (okay for children)
• LA County Museum of Art
• the Huntington Library in San Marino (near Pasadena) -- great garden

If you like cars, the Nethercutt Museum north of Los Angeles, and then the Petersen Automobile Museum in west Los Angeles. The Nethercutt is free but reservations ARE required. The Petersen is "getting better."

Shopping centers: Farmers Market, the Grove, and then the big shopping center in Costa Mesa.

Aquariums? The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro for a small regional aquarium. For a "major league" aquarium: the Long Beach Aquarium. Having been to both many, many times, I prefer the small Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.

From the Norton Simon:

The Stream of the Puits Noir at Ornans