Nothing But Good News -- December 28, 2018

Holiday sales: see link --

• last year (2017)
• a record $598 billion dollars — up $33 billion from last year; up 6%
• this year (2018)
• a record $850 billion dollars — up $252 billion from last year; up 42%. 

Holiday travel? records set. Low gasoline prices.

Disconnect: it was my understanding that gold and oil were inflation-hedge investments. Gold is trading at $1,200  -- well off it's recent high of $1,800 and trending lower. And oil? Well, we all know that story.

API, weekly crude oil inventory -- an unexpected build -- EIA data to report later today (Friday -- two-day delay due to holiday); API data:

• forecast: a draw of 2.9 million bbls
• actual API data: a build of 6.9 million bbls

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Back to the Bakken

Wells coming off confidential list today -- Friday, December 28, 2018 --

• 33970, 2,038, Enerplus, Tungsten 147-93-16A-21H, 33 stages; 13.4 million bls small sand, Moccasin Creek, t7/18; cum 113K 10/18;
• 33692, 955, Oasis, Lite Federal 5393 41-11 13BX, 50 stages; 9.8 million lbs, small/medium/large/ceramic, Sanish, t7/18; cum 105K 10/18;
• 32276, drl, Slawson, Gobbler Federal 4-26-35MLH, Big Bend, no production data,

Active rigs:

$45.48	12/28/2018	12/28/2017	12/28/2016	12/28/2015	12/28/2014
Active Rigs	67	50	38	61	173

RBN Energy: part 5, Niobrara production gains spur build-out of NGL pipelines.

Production of natural gas liquids in the Rockies has increased by half since the end of 2012, with the bulk of the output — and those gains — coming from the greater Niobrara play in Colorado and Wyoming. As a result, a number of NGL pipelines out of the Rockies are now running full or close to it, and midstream companies are planning a mix of new pipelines, pipeline expansions and pipeline conversions with the aim of easing takeaway constraints by the latter half of 2019. But, with crude oil prices tanking and crude-focused producers reevaluating their drilling and completion plans, could the Niobrara be headed for an NGL takeaway over-build? In today’s blog, we continue our series with a look at existing and planned NGL pipes out of the Denver-Julesburg (D-J) and Powder River basins.