Musings While Touring The Bakken -- And Driving 1,400 Miles Each Way To Get There -- September 30, 2016

Back in September I drove up to the Bakken from north Texas, almost a 3,000-mile round trip. Along the way, I kept a journal, quickly jotting some notes while driving. I was on-the-road again, in a great mood, the radio blaring loudly, and I had hoped to write an essay on each of those thoughts, but then simply ran out of energy or interest. But one never knows, I could come back to them some day.

These were some of the random thoughts I had while driving, posted, so that if I ever want to write about the trip, I have some ideas.

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Random Thoughts While Driving To The Bakken From North Texas

American workers work hard and party hearty.

Lots of construction. All that talk about infrastructure.

The presidential campaign.

The Bakken: Williston "back to normal." Or perhaps, better said, "back to a new normal."

Americans worry too much about making money. Life is more about the journey than the destination.

Restaurants in Williston.

Leaves changing color in the ND Badlands vs New England. Yellow vs yellow and red.

Driverless technology. Low hanging fruit: commuter trains, farm equipment, long haul freight, railroad.

Cattle, China.

Sweet spot: the price of oil.

Reading.

TrumpNever: USA Today, Dallas Morning News, UN, others -- polls overwhelming support for Trump; official count to Hillary.

Finally, A Williston City Administrator -- September 30, 2016

Finally, a city administrator:

Tuan’s military experience guided him towards a career in engineering. Following the completion of his degree from UND in Grand Forks, he came to Williston six years ago.

“I want to this to be the best little city in America,” Tuan said at the meet and greet with the final candidates held in August. “We currently have a pretty strong engine that drives the economy. The growth so far has been healthy. Quality of life is coming along right behind it.”

The position was posted in May by a city-selected consulting firm, Strategic Government Solutions.The city received 23 applicants from 13 states and varying backgrounds to during its  nationwide search for candidates who would reflect the needs and vision of the Williston community.

My note from September 2, 2016.  

Readers:

• David Tuan: 45%
• Troy Anderson: 45%
• Zeke Jackson: 10% 

An earlier story from The Williston Herald with a bit more background of each. 

North Dakotan Sinks Ryder Cup Putt -- September 30, 2016

Story here at Fox News.

US Oil Rig Count Rises Due To Increase In Permian, Williston Basins -- IBD -- September 30, 2016

From Investor's Business Daily: US oil rig count rises again on Permian, Williston gains! Data points:

• US oil rig count rose by seven this past week to 425
• oil rigs have risen in the past 13 out of 14 weeks
• most recently: Williston Basin rose by two to 30; Cana-Woodford rose by two to 35; Eagle Ford steady at 33

Active rigs:

	9/30/2016	09/30/2015	09/30/2014	09/30/2013	09/30/2012
Active Rigs	33	68	190	184	190

Three (3) new permits:

• Operator: Oasis
• Field: Siverston (McKenzie)
• Comments:

No producing wells reported as being completed (DUCs): none.

Two permits canceled:

• 26697, PNC, HRC, Hagbos 2-25-36H, Standahl, 
• 29380, PNC, MRO, Tucker 44-20TFH, Bailey,

Seven permits renewed:

• EOG (3): three Austin permits, Mountrail County
• HRC (2): two Borrud permits, Williams County
• Hunt: an Oakland permit, Mountrail County
• Petro-Hunt: a Jorgenson permit, Burke County

Canadian Prime Minister To Decide Fate Of Several Major Pipeline Projects By End Of Year -- September 30, 2016

USC - LA Times presidential poll (link here, dynamic):

Active rigs:

	9/30/2016	09/30/2015	09/30/2014	09/30/2013	09/30/2012
Active Rigs	34	68	190	184	190

RBN Energy: sending western Canadian natural gas east for export as LNG.

For some time now, discussions about the possible development of Canadian liquefaction/LNG export terminals have focused on the Western Canadian coast in British Columbia––partly because most of Canada’s natural gas reserves are nearby in northeastern BC and in Alberta, and partly due to Asia being a primary LNG target market.

But it could be that liquefaction/LNG export projects in Eastern Canada may make more sense. In today’s blog, “So Far Away –Sending Western Canadian Natural Gas East for Export as LNG,” LNG Ltd.’s Greg M. Vesey considers the rationale for piping Western Canadian natural gas long distances to Quebec and the Canadian Maritimes for export as LNG.

Western Canada has vast reserves of natural gas that would be cost-competitive to drill for, produce and transport to market if only there was a new, incremental market for large natural gas volumes. This conundrum has been a frequent topic in the RBN blogosphere, and has been looked at from several angles. 

Most recently, we discussed the facts that natural gas producers in Alberta and BC have been struggling to replace markets in Ontario and the U.S. Midwest that they’ve been losing to Marcellus/Utica producers in recent years, and that––thanks mostly to the current-and-growing glut of worldwide liquefaction capacity –– no liquefaction/LNG export projects along the BC coast have advanced to Final Investment Decisions (FIDs) and construction. 

Getting approval for big new gas pipelines from BC and Alberta gas production areas to the BC coast has been another challenge. RBN blogs have also handicapped the leading BC projects and at the possibility of moving Marcellus/Utica gas through New York and New England to Canada’s New Brunswick and Nova Scotia provinces not only to meet in-province needs but to export as LNG.

Canadian pipeline. Link here.

• Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau says he will decide by end of year on fate of proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway oil pipeline
• Trudeau must also decide fate of Kinder Morgan Inc.'s Trans Mountain pipeline expansion by end of year
• Trudeau has said he will approve at least one big oil project
• sources say he favors Kinder Morgan over Enbridge