Only Five (5) New Permits; Active Rigs In North Dakota Sink To 135; Warren Buffett Sells His XOM Holdings -- February 17, 2015

Updates

Later, 4:59 p.m. CT: it turns out President Obama was golfing in Palm Springs on Monday, not Florida, as I incorrectly wrote initially; it's been corrected. I think I heard "Palm Springs" on the radio but misremembered that Palm Springs was in California, not Florida. Thank you, Don.

By the way,  it appears I was being unfairly harsh with my comments on the president golfing while ISIS was beheading Christians. First, it turns out that President Obama was under the impression this was a new federal holiday enacted by the outgoing Senator majority last year to specifically honor the President and his deft handling of a) America's health care system; and, b) the JV terrorist team. He must have felt very strongly it was imperative to celebrate "HIS" holiday in a manner consistent with the honor. Rumors are he was a bit miffed the holiday was named "Presidents Day" and not "President Obama's Day" but that didn't stop him from flying clear across the United States to play a round of golf.

The second reason my comments may have been too harsh: the rumor is that the president was not told of any atrocities in the Middle East. Considering that he considers the ISIS a JV team, that would make sense. [Also, as a reminder, the word "terrorism" is one of the seven words not allowed to be used in the White House.]

Original Post

A huge "thank you" to a reader who explained why the US Secretary goes to San Francisco, not Los Angeles with regard to the dockworker job action (euphemism for "slowdown").  I thought it was due to Pelosi and Feinstein both being from San Francisco, but it turns out the Pacific Maritime Association and the ILWU are both headquartered in the city. Interesting.

By the way, and I apologize for the digression, but the dockworkers' job action is nothing new. This was back from 2012: Small Union Shuts Down LA Ports -- 40% of The Nation's Import Trade. At that time (back in 2012) the "involved" union wouldn't accept a salary offer of $195,000, up from their current salary of $165,000. Obviously the strike ended; I don't recall (nor do I care) the specifics of the "new" contract agreement. More interesting: I had forgotten that the two LA ports account for 40% of the nation's import trade. Imagine if the most recent job action involves the entire west coast (which would include the ports in Washington and Oregon). 

Filings show Warren Buffett sold his XOM holdings.

After fiery explosion yesterday in West Virginia, new push for Keystone XL. Don't get your hopes up. Even while the Mideast is imploding, ISIS is beheading Christians, and the JV team (now in Libya) is just a short hop from Rome, the President spends his weekend golfing in Palm Springs and says nothing about the atrocities. His spokesperson says the way to fight ISIS is help the 17-year-old recruits find jobs and "build businesses." I cannot make this stuff up. The fiery explosion yesterday of a derailed train will have no bearing on the Keystone XL, though it may lead to even more CBR restrictions.

EPA may delay "clean air rules" on coal plants. Best way to kill an industry: jerk them around with ever-changing deadlines. The White House knows all about "deadlines." Looks at ObamaCare.

Active rigs in North Dakota:

	2/17/2015	02/17/2014	02/17/2013	02/17/2012	02/17/2011
Active Rigs	135	185	181	197	172

Wells coming off the confidential list over the last four days have been posted; see sidebar at the right.

Circling the wagons. Only five (5) more permits --

• Operators: Whiting (5)
• Fields: Sanish (Mountrail), Bell (Stark), Zenith (Stark)
• Comments: most dismal activity report for new permits in a long time

Five (5) producing wells completed:

• 24744, 2,715, MRO, Fox USA 14-1H, Moccasin Creek, t1/15; cum --
• 27224, 95 (no typo), Oasis, Mallard 5692 31-22 11T2, Alger, t10/14; cum 3K 12/14;
• 28302, 2,065, XTO, Omlid 41X-13C, Siverston, t2/15; cum --
• 28638, 587, EOG, Parshall 91-28H, Parshall, t2/15; cum --
• 28815, 616, SM Energy, James 16X-35HA, Camp, t1/15; cum 1K 12/14;

Hess abandons six (6) producers -- all but one part of the current Bakken boom but all were Bakken wells (#15889, #17272, #17710, #17852, #18288, #20690). Disclaimer: I do these quickly; I may have factual and/or typographical errors. I provide this information for my own benefit to learn about the Bakken; if this is important to you, go to the source, generally the NDIC.

• 15889, 38, Hess, Sara G. Barstad 6-44H, Alkali Creek, t12/05; cum 26K as of 6/13; a perforated liner fracked with only 500,000 lbs of proppant;
• 17272, PNA, Hess, IM-Shorty-159-88-0805H-1, wildcat, drilled, apparently cores suggested not worth completing; 8-159-88; on the far edge of the Bakken to the far northeast;
• 17710, 206, Hess, EN-Ritzke-158-93-1522H-1, Enget Lake, open hole, 1.5 million lbs sand/ceramic, t3/09; cum 52K as of 12/10;
• 17852, 374, Hess, EN-Hein-156-94-0112H-1, Big Butte, t5/09; cum 147K as of 51/3;
• 18288, PNA, Hess, EN-Davis-156-94-0805H-1, Big Butte, unsuccessful frack (started fracking; problems; did not complete frack; abandoned well;
• 20690, 25, Hess, EN-Wander-156-94-0904H-1, Big Butte, 11 stages; 1 million lbs, t9/11; cum 372 bbls over 9 days back in 9/11;

Oasis changed the name of two wells suggesting the new wells will target the middle Bakken and the upper Three Forks (T1) rather than the planned second bench of the Three Forks.