One-Two Punch Knocks Out North Dakota Coal Plant -- July 15, 2016

Data points:

• Great River Energy's Stanton Station power plant
• 189-MW; on-line since 1966
• to close by May, 2017
• one-two punch: a) not economical in low-price environment; b) war on coal/carbon emissions
• will help North Dakota meet the 45 percent CO2 emissions reduction set forth by the Clean Power Plan, currently stalled by lawsuits
• GRE continues to operate the Coal Creek Station power plant near Underwood and the Spiritwood Station plant near Jamestown

Week 28: July 10, 2016 -- July 16, 2016

Military coup in Turkey is being reported; has yet to play out. The attempted coup appears to have begun on Friday, July 15, 2016. There are reports that the Turkish premier is asking for asylum in Germany. [Later: it appears the coup has failed. If the military failed, this is most likely Turkey's last chance not to become an Islamic state.]

Director's Cut released today revealed that North Dakota crude oil production in May (2016)  increased ever so slightly after remarkable decline in April. Tea leaves suggest the worse may not be over for the Bakken.

The glut of oil and gasoline has continued to increase. Gasoline is down to $1.68 in some parts of north Texas. The persistently, stubborn low price is causing worry for Saudi Arabia.

Operations
Possible halo effect on a very old vertical well 
An MRO well produced 52,000 bbls in first 20 days 
Rig counts mean little in predicting production in the Bakken -- Mike Filloon
Denbury sells remaining non-core Williston Basin acreage

Fracking
Random update of a re-fracked well following a failed frack 

Pipelines
Update on the Dakota Access Pipeline 

Eight (8) New Permits -- July 15, 2016

Active rigs:

	7/15/2016	07/15/2015	07/15/2014	07/15/2013	07/15/2012
Active Rigs	29	73	194	186	215

Eight (8) new permits:

• Operators: Whiting (3), MRO (2), BR (2), Enerplus
• Fields: Moccasin Creek (Dunn), Reunion Bay (Mountrail), Blue Buttes (McKenzie), Antelope (McKenzie)
• Comments:

Three permits renewed:

• BR (2), a Helson permit and a Craterhawk permit, both in McKenzie County
• Whiting, a Wright permit in McKenzie County

Top 23 Bakken Fields Based On Oil Production Per Well -- May, 2016

Ranked in descending order, fourth column - "May oil / well / month."

Field	May 2016 Production	May Wells	May Oil/Well/Month	Percent Change Apr-to-May
Spotted Horn	756,635	86	8,798	0.52%
Long Creek	233,213	27	8,638	31.08%
Twin Valley	120,559	18	6,698	-16.41%
Pershing	230,624	39	5,913	3.59%
Grail	980,087	172	5,698	-7.56%
Camel Butte	188,393	34	5,541	-9.44%
Bear Den	242,148	44	5,503	-15.36%
Crazy Man Creek	238,769	44	5,427	11.86%
Corral Creek	802,581	148	5,423	8.24%
Antelope	862,851	164	5,261	2.67%
Johnson Corner	157,295	31	5,074	20.79%
Blue Buttes	650,386	140	4,646	26.57%
Elm Tree	138,701	31	4,474	9.89%
Tobacco Garden	229,960	52	4,422	6.47%
McGregory Buttes	410,277	93	4,412	-6.99%
East Fork	456,669	104	4,391	-9.79%
Keene	196,933	45	4,376	13.42%
Bear Creek	117,299	27	4,344	-26.45%
Grinnell	196,253	47	4,176	31.04%
Camp	523,724	127	4,124	13.46%
Mandaree	333,668	82	4,069	-1.82%
South Fork	116,404	29	4,014	-1.48%

The last (fifth) column is the percent change in production per well from April, 2016, to May, 2016. This is independent of the number of new wells or wells newly shut in or inactivated.

Top 20 Fields By Field Production -- May, 2016 -- The Bakken

Field	April Wells	May 2016 Production	May Wells	May Oil/Well/Month	Percent Change Apr-to-May
Sanish	600	1,503,121	600	2,505	0.03%
Parshall	365	1,092,382	433	2,523	-0.74%
Grail	172	980,087	172	5,698	-7.56%
Antelope	162	862,851	164	5,261	2.67%
Alger	310	855,217	312	2,741	22.63%
Corral Creek	148	802,581	148	5,423	8.24%
Siverston	223	788,308	223	3,535	2.21%
Spotted Horn	80	756,635	86	8,798	0.52%
Banks	173	657,457	176	3,736	27.76%
Blue Buttes	137	650,386	140	4,646	26.57%
Reunion Bay	146	582,569	146	3,990	-3.73%
Heart Butte	177	555,355	177	3,138	-2.48%
Alkali Creek	141	554,427	141	3,932	2.29%
Camp	127	523,724	127	4,124	13.46%
Van Hook	178	518,249	178	2,912	14.64%
Truax	171	491,445	171	2,874	-4.04%
East Fork	104	456,669	104	4,391	-9.79%
McGregory Buttes	88	410,277	93	4,412	-6.99%
Big Bend	116	409,073	116	3,526	86.65%
Robinson Lake	168	406,293	172	2,362	-7.65%

Top twenty fields in order of total field production, descending. 

The last (sixth) column is the percent change in production per well. This is independent of the number of new wells or wells newly shut in or inactivated. All data is May, 2016, except for the second column which is the number of producing wells in April, 2016.

So, for example:

• Alger field: only two additional wells in May, but production per well increased by almost 23%.
• Banks field: only three additional wells in May, but production per well increased by almost 28%
• Blue Buttes field: similar results as Alger and Banks fields
• Camp, Van Hook: double digit percent increase in production per well, but same number of wells
• Big Bend: huge increase in percent change in production per well, but number of wells unchanged