Week 18: April 26, 2020 -- May 2, 2020

Top energy story of the week:

• US delays all oil pipeline approvals after environmental ruling;
• OPEC Basket drops to less than $13/bbl; down to $12.41;
• Daimler's Mercedes-Benz killing its hydrogen fuel cell program;

Favorite video:


Bonus video:

• Sophia tap dancing;

Best news all week:

• First day of fishing for Sophia -- catches "big" fish;

Biggest non-story of the entire week:

• Global CO2 emissions to fall significantly this year;

Top international non-energy story:

• Rumor that Kim Jong Un dead;
• Saudi Arabia foreign exchange reserves critical;
• Coronavirus

Top international energy story:

• US total energy exports exceed imports in 2019 for the first time in 67 years;
• Saudi moves millions of bbls of oil to safe harbor(s); here; 176 million bbls in off-shore storage;

Top national non-energy story:

• US jobless claims now total upwards of 30 million over past month or so;
• Biden sex allegations 
• Crawdad festival continues;

Top national energy story:

• US gasoline stocks now out to 49 days; and, here;

Top North Dakota non-energy story:

Top North Dakota energy story:

• Oasis to stop operations in the Bakken;
• EOG looking to put 61 wells on an existing 2560-acre drilling unit; 

Geoff Simon's top ND stories (does not included stories posted elsewhere on this page): pending

• ND crude oil production likely to fall below 1.0 million bopd
• Gas flaring to fall with oil price drop/ regulators look to tighten flaring rules
• State to re-open with distancing rules; schools to remain closed through rest of school year
• New Long X Bridge taking shape
• ONEOK will keep its dividend despite spending cuts
• DOE: Bakken crude oil no more volatile than conventional or Permian Basin oil
• Regulators okay expansion of Mountrail County oil conditioning facility
• Fines rack up for wind farms failing to meet deadline for new lighting
• Williston waives permit fees for new home construction as housing incentive
• Trenton becomes fourth ND school district approved for four-day week
• In 2019, US energy production exceeded consumption for the first time in 62 years

Operations:

• Million-bbl Behr well back on line; 
• An EOG Austin short lateral goes over one million bbls;
• MRO reports a nice well in Reunion Bay;

Operators:

• EOG looking to put 61 wells on an existing 2560-acre drilling unit;

Advantaged oil:

• XTO's Fettig in Squaw Creek; 
• WPX' Joseph Eagle in Mandaree oil field;
• Petro-Hunt's USA well in Charlson oil field;
• CLR's Putnam in East Fork;
• CLR's Patterson Federal in Camp oil field;
• Oasis' Merritt and Ervin wells;

Fracking:

• Nine Point Energy with 80-stage frack on the fringe;

Natural gas:

• New gas processing plant proposed near Williston;

Bakken economy:

Commentary:

• Saudi moving crude oil to safe harbor(s);
• Shutting in old wells in aging oil fields carries big risks;
• One last hurrah -- OPEC oil production surges in April;
• With gasoline at $2.50/gallon, 80 years to recover premium paid for EVs;
• My first question: so what?