Week 38: September 17, 2017 -- September 23, 2017

Longest running reality show/soap opera continues. These summer re-runs are getting a bit boring. No real need to post / link the most recent update. I will simply copy/paste what I wrote September 19, 2017.

Bye-bye? Nope, buy-buy. CNBC contributor had it exactly right today -- whether GOP repeals ObamaCare or whether it doesn't, investing in US health care companies is a no-brainer. Bottom line for the contributor regarding health care investments: buy-buy. Buy if ObamaCare is "repealed" (wink, wink); buy if ObamaCare survives a GOP vote to repeal. I've said the same thing for months.

For investors: thank Paul Rand and John McCain for scuttling ObamaCare Lite. Rand and McCain insure that the big insurance companies will be the big winners, and for investors, that's good news.

Look at New Mexico -- health care insurance premiums will increase 40%; deductibles and co-pays will pretty much minimize any liabilities for the insurance companies. Increasing their premiums 40% and minimizing any chance they will actually have to pay for anything ... what's not to like?

Infrastructure. The multi-year infrastructure program in Texas and Florida is now underway and soon to begin in Puerto Rico. For investors, building supply stores; lumber companies; and, railroads are going to do very, very well. Mexico City? Not quite ready to re-build -- another 6.1 earthquake hit the metropolis earlier today.

EVs: this may be the biggest non-energy story of the week. Daimler announced it will invest $1 billion for an EV and battery plant in Alabama. This is a big, big deal on so many levels, and so many story lines.

H-bomb over the Pacific: one wonders if that will finally get the attention of Japan, South Korea, and China.

Peak oil. The oil glut actually worsens despite all the headlines suggesting otherwise. US crude oil inventories are now out to almost 32 days, well past the "historical norm" of 18 - 20 days and the time to re-balance is now back up to 46 weeks after a third consecutive week of rising US crude oil inventories. Interestingly enough, WTI has clawed its way back to $50 and "speculators" are trying to get to $51. LOL.

Natural gas. US is well on its way to surpassing Qatar in annual LNG exports.

Enough of that; the above notes were posted for background for the archives to remind me of what was  going on this past week, while back in the Bakken ...

Operations:
The Bakken is among the top five oil and gas plays for IRRs
The Bakken is among the top four oil and gas plays for best break-even prices (Citi)
In-depth look at NP Resources' plan for a 6-well pad
QEP  has permits for another 7-well pad in the Grail
A short Bakken lateral, less than ten years old, goes over 1 million bbls crude oil produced
Some incredible stats for CLR in Elm Creek oil field
Monthly production statistics for North Dakota
The US SPR is now the Bakken and the Permian
Oasis to sell non-core assets in Montana and North Dakota

DUCs:
MRO reported six huge completions

Fracking:
Can you say "high-intensity"? CLR with a 56-stage, 26-million lb frack
Federal oversight back in the news; much ado about nothing -- if Trump  has anything to say about it

Pipelines:
DAPL is ample
Oasis launches a midstream MLP 

Miscellaneous:
Clean-up begins near Tioga of one of nation's largest onshore oil spills

Bakken economy:
Update on the proposed truck route around the northeast side of Williston
Taiwan signs huge ND wheat deal