Week 5: January 26, 2020 -- February 1, 2020

Top story of the week:

• Microsoft carbon-fail in Fargo, ND;

Top international non-energy story:

• Britain officially out of the EU;

Top international energy story:

• Oil prices plunge on coronavirus health scare; also, here;

Top national non-energy story:

• January comes to an end; impeachment trial vote yet to be held

Top national energy story:

• Record crude oil production; surprised analysts; GoM added an additional 90,000 bopd;
• US ethane exports by destination; 
• Chevron, XOM: quarterly losses, huge; Chevron announces dividend increase;

Top North Dakota non-energy story:

Top North Dakota energy story:

Geoff Simon's top North Dakota stories:

• Note: there are several stories that won't be listed here but will have a stand-alone post
• Wind farm developers to argue for an exemption from ND lighting law
• Bighorns released on Ft Berthold Reservation in "nice homecoming"
• The cost of decommissioning wind turbines, wind farms is huge
• US proved reserves of crude oil increased to 47.1 billion bbls, up another 12 percent

Operations:

• Bruin reports a 100K well first month of production;
• Bruin's huge FB James pad in Spotted Horn;
• A WPX Hidatsa well approaching 600K bbls of crude oil cumulative;
• BR Mathistad well produces 500K bbls crude oil in less than two years;
• Three huge MRO wells;
• CLR reports a great Boulder Federal well, Banks oil field; and, here;
• CLR looking to put 22 wells in one drilling unit;
• Nine Point Energy active out in Eightmile;
• Update on EOG permits in Clarks Creek;
• Happy 54th birthday, North Dakota C A 3;

Fracking:

• Random look at DUCs from 1Q18;

Natural gas:

• RBN Energy updates Bakken natural gas sector; 

Advantaged oil:

• Halo effect pushes this old well over 500K bbls crude oil;
• Jump in production: the XTO Christiana wells;

Bakken economy:

• Hess to boost spending in 2020;