Week 49: December 1, 2019 -- December 7, 2019

This day in history: Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941.

Top international non-energy story:

• Independence Day for America -- September 30, 2019 -- a day that will live in history;
• Saudi Arabia foreign exchange reserves trending toward an all-time low;

Top international energy story:

• Saudi Aramco IPO launched; largest company in the world;

Top national non-energy story:

• US economy -- jobs, stock market -- surge; here; and, here;
• Record-setting Black Friday, Cyber Monday;
• Gasoline drops below $2.00 / gallon in Texas (same link as above)
• Nancy Pelosi made it official: directed the Judiciary Committee to draft articles of impeachment
• Global warming smacks the northern tier, northeast US; early winter; 
• Schwab, acquiring Ameritrade, will move headquarters to Ft Worth, Texas, area;

Top national energy story:

• WTI trending toward $60/bbl;
• Midland, TX, now the richest metropolitan area in the US based on per capita income;
• Manufacturers no longer reporting monthly EV sales;

Top North Dakota non-energy story:

Top North Dakota energy story:

• The Bakken will have the "next" largest crude oil production growth in 2019 -- EIA; 
• Williams County denies TENORM permit;

Geoff Simon's top North Dakota energy stories:

• Williams County denies TENORM permit;
• Non-oilfield jobs in high demand across the state;
• North Dakota ponders spending Legacy Fund earnings;

Operations:

• New operator in the Bakken: Red Trail Energy, LLC; 
• Whiting cancels seventeen permits; 
• The staggering Bakken: Antelope oil field; WPX; CLR; MRO; the Helis Grail;
• Four wells, each have gone over 500,000 bbls cumulative;
• A Petro-Hunt Wisness well goes over 500,000 bbls cumulative;
• A BR well goes over 500,000 bbls cumulative; 
• XTO well goes over 500,000 bbls cumulative;
• Update on a Slawson re-entry well;
• Extended long laterals?

Bakken economy

• Three western North Dakota newspapers call it a day; two purchased and will continue operatiosn without interruption; 
• Wind farm update in western North Dakota;

Miscellaneous:

• The Economist extols Bakr al-Baghdadi's enforcement of Sharia law;
• Dickinson firm awarded $270 million contract to build 31 miles of "the wall"
• The Permian doldrums; 

Tethered vehicles:

• Here's the problem;
• Global EV sales down 28% year-over-year, October, 2019;
• Manufacturers no longer reporting monthly EV sales;