Another Winter Storm Hits The Bakken -- April 2, 2018

EV scorecard: should start seeing data tomorrow. 

Time for UND-EERC to reach out to West Virginia researchers? From Rigzone:

Researchers from West Virginia University, the University of Pittsburgh, the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory, and Shell are developing a technology platform to turn stranded natural gas directly into aromatics, C2-C4 olefins and hydrogen – all key chemical intermediates for manufacturing polymers and specialty chemicals.

A process to turn natural gas into the petrochemicals already exists, but this “indirect synthesis route” requires three steps and presents challenges in terms of economics and energy usage.

Indirect synthesis comprises converting natural gas to syngas, syngas to methanol and then methanol to chemicals. Syngas production: capital intensive; energy-inefficient; and doesn't scale down economically in a stranded gas field.

“It is capital-intensive and energy-inefficient because of the syngas production involved,” Hu explained. “In addition, the indirect synthesis route doesn’t scale down economically to the production capacity of a stranded gas field.”

[Researchers plan to build a pilot-scale plant that eliminates the syngas step and directly converts natural gas to chemicals – a more cost-effective way to monetize associated natural gas that would otherwise be flared.

The modular plant, which will boast a design suitable for shipping to remote oil and gas fields via truck or rail. A microwave reactor will integrate the materials. Shell will contribute its process and reactor modeling capabilities as well as its expertise in the areas of engineering scale-up and commercial demonstration.

Global warming hits North Dakota -- again. From The Bismarck Tribune:

Winds accompanying a winter storm are gusting as high as 50 mph in western and central North Dakota, according to the National Weather Service in Bismarck.

A no travel advisory was extended at 11:30 a.m. into areas from Bismarck to Minot, including Center, Underwood, McClusky, Parshall, Garrison and surrounding areas, due to heavy snow creating hazardous driving conditions and reduced visibility. The advisory remains in effect for Crosby, Tioga, Williston, Watford City, New Town and surrounding areas, according to the North Dakota Department of Transportation along with the North Dakota Highway Patrol.

A stretch: I agree that we will be seeing more mergers/acquisitions in the Permian (and the Bakken) but I doubt it's due to longer and longer wells, unless the Permian is a whole lot different than the Bakken. The mergers will occur but not because the horizontals are getting longer. For me, that's just idle chatter. From Reuters via Rigzone:

A recent drought in oil company mergers and acquisitions could be coming to an end over a new Texas range war: U.S. shale producers are building miles-long horizontal wells that are running into their rivals' land holdings.

This week, U.S. shale producer Concho Resources Inc said longer horizontal wells are among the factors spurring its $8 billion deal for rival RSP Permian Inc, with well spacing and sharing infrastructure needs also playing roles. RSP Permian controlled the land adjacent to its own in many cases.

The average length of U.S. shale wells has grown by roughly 1,500 feet, or 25 percent, in the past three years to 7,213 feet. Producers are drilling longer shale wells - some exceed three miles - to extract more crude from each well.

.... West Texas's Permian, the largest U.S. oilfield, where checkerboard-like leases dating to land grants made to railroads in the 19th century are hemming in producers.

Smaller companies with prime acreage, especially on the Permian's western edge, could be buyout candidates, including Abraxas Petroleum, Lilis Energy and Jagged Peak Energy.

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Active rigs:

$65.27↑	4/2/2018	04/02/2017	04/02/2016	04/02/2015	04/02/2014
Active Rigs	60	50	29	94	190

RBN Energy: LNG and pipeline reversals turn Louisiana gas market upside down, part 4.