Week 16: April 15, 2018 -- April 21, 2018

Of course, in geopolitics, not much is going to "rank higher" than the news that North Korea will suspend all nuclear missile testing/development.

The big energy story, without question, was the very likely possibility that KMI will walk away from the Trans Mountain pipeline project. My hunch: Alberta will take over the pipeline project, but KMI will form a new subsidiary to build the pipeline for Alberta and perhaps a separate subsidiary to operate the pipeline once complete. The names of the new subsidiary (or subsidiaries) will be completely unrelated to Kinder Morgan or KMI.

Of passing interest, it was also reported that India plans to slash by two-thirds any new nuclear reactors, thus "further expanding the country's use of coal for electrical power generation."

As the price of oil starts to creep up, with WTI coming close to $70 briefly at the end of the week,  (WTI topped $68 for the first time in three years), President Trump tweeted that OPEC-Russia were colluding to drive the price "artificially" higher. Within 24 hours of that tweet, is is reported that the EPA will "unveil" more flexible rules for the US oil and gas industry.

Western Dakota Energy Association: top stories of the past week
Natural gas production sets record
NDIC approves tweaks to gas capture rules
NDIC hears high water mark report

• this link will download a pdf to our desktop
• this here will download a PowerPoint presentation 

State, BIA to discuss flaring on Fort Berthold
Davis Refinery moves ahead with engineering; though the North Dakota Department of Health has not yet issued the final permit for construction

Operations
MRO's staggering IPs -- recently completed DUCs; and, here
Newfield may be the best producer in the Bakken -- Filloon
Different completion strategies being tested
February crude oil production drops slightly but sets up record production later this summer -- Zacks

Mineral rights
North Dakota has completed the much-anticipated high water / low water study of the Missouri River in the Bakken

Flaring
North Dakota will be more flexible regarding flaring

Bakken economy
Surprisingly sharp decline in Legacy Fund deposits in April, 2018 

Miscellaneous
US government cedes control of state's carbon capture and storage program to the state

Miscellaneous
Bald eagles make astonishing comeback in North Dakota