Top Stories For 2019 -- In Progress

Top stories by month for the year of 2019 are here. 

As of January 31, 2020.

The Bakken, 2019. Summary. Pending.

Permits in North Dakota, by county, by field, by operator. Posted here.

Comment: this year, 2019, has the feel of a transition year in which the US economy literally broke away from the rest of the field. One gets the feeling that "2019" is setting the stage for the roaring 20's for the US. First decade in which it neither started nor ended with a recession. First time in history that a US president has not gotten embroiled in a "new" war. US reaches energy independence. For all the divisiveness in Washington, DC, the government was still able to pass a bipartisan $1.3 trillion budget to avert a government shutdown.

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Elevator speech: the stories that dominated the Bakken in 2019:

• the Bakken roared back in 2019; a boom by any other name is still a boom
• North Dakota oil production hits new all-time records on almost record low number of active rigs

Transitions:

• Harold Hamm, the face of the Bakken, steps down as CEO, but isn't going anywhere
• CLR: damn the torpedoes -- full speed ahead 
• T. Boone Pickens, dies, age 91

International, non-energy:

• Boris Johnson, landslide victory; makes Brexit almost a sure thing
• Perhaps what did not happen is the big story: North Korea becomes a non-story

International, energy:  

• Saudi Aramco IPO 
• Drone/missile attack on Saudi export terminal
• Global EV sales decline year-over-year; first time this has happened in history
  

National, non-energy:

• US economy; stock market;
• For the first time in recorded history, the US has more job openings than folks looking for them ... and no wage inflation 
• The New IRA tax rules
• Schwab-Ameritrade merger
• Fake impeachment 
• Mueller report a bust 
• Glacier National Park removing signs that say glaciers will disappear by 2020

National, energy:

• US becomes energy independent;
• US crude oil, condensates, natural gas -- proved reserves -- new all-time record
• US net exporter of petroleum, petroleum products
• US becomes the crude oil swing producer

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Top Stories Of 2019
By Category

 

Top Story of The Year:

• The Articles of Impeachment not forwarded to the US Senate; the Mueller Report does not "indict" President Trump;

Runner-up:

• The US economy: record low unemployment; longest expansion in history

The world:

• North Korea becomes a non-story

Most surprising story of 2019:

• For Art Berman: the Bakken is "back"

The most egregious story to come out of the Bakken:

• North Dakota Supreme Court sides with state on mineral royalties;

The top US story:

• The "fake" impeachment; the Mueller Report  

North Dakota, energy:

• Multiple production records throughout the year

North Dakota economy:

• record low unemployment continues

North Dakota, technology:

• EOR pilot projects

Most exciting small non-operator in the Bakken:

• NOG -- there really is no competition in this category

Most exciting micro operator in the Bakken: 

Most exciting small operator in the Bakken:

• Bruin

Most exciting medium operator in the Bakken:

• Slawson; 
• Oasis, runner-up

Most exciting large operator in the Bakken:

• MRO; 
• Hess and CLR close runners-up for different reasons

Biggest deal:

• OXY buys Anadarko

Most surprising deal:

• OXY buys Anadarko

Record price per Bakken mineral acre, 2019:

• Bonus: $16,000 / acre, Eagle Nest, Dunn County

Bakken operations, rigs:

• Maybe averaged around 60 rigs throughout the year; dwindled to low 50s by end of the year;: 

Bakken operations, production: 

• Records, records, and more records

Bakken operations, density:

• Unitized fields (Hofflund, Grinnell) and high density projects increase (Long Creek Unit)

Top prediction (made in 2019): 

Record initial production:

• Slawson, Torpedo #10; #31278; 

Biggest story in takeaway capacity:

• New NGL pipeline

CBR:

• The year ends with no resolution of Washington State restrictions on CBR

Pipeline:

• Iowa Supreme Court rules in favor of DAPL
• The year ends with ND regulators undecided about allowing DAPL to expand

Fracking:

• Mega-fracks: 94-stage fracking;

Flaring:

• Flaring on BLM getting worse, not better

Natural gas: 

• Production setting all-time records

Refining:

• Davis refinery near the park is still on-track (or is it?)

Investment story of the year:

• Plastics plant for western North Dakota -- not! Developer files for bankruptcy

The "other" Williston Basin formations:

• Almost nothing.

Bakken economy (too many to list):

• New Williston airport opens on schedule; huge success story
• Long X Bridge replacement on track

New (or better-understood) oil patch jargon:

• Advantaged oil
• Full cycle, half cycle costs
• Brownfield vs greenfield

Miscellaneous:

Bakken economy -- Williston Economic Development (WED) top ten stories:

• first flight lands at XWA
• WED earns Bronze Award from International Economic Development Council
• Sloulin redevelopment moves forward; Copeland secures 40 acres
• Shawn Wenko named president of EDND Board
• Williston leads North Dakota in Flex PACE incentives
• Busted Knuckle, Hops and Berry, Cold Stone Creamery to open in Williston
• WED launches Digital Community Gide
• Shawn Wenko earns Chamber's Western Star Award
• Williston Works podcast celebrates second season
• WED employs Gonzaga summer interns