Friday, September 4, 2020

New EV Battery Gigafactory Manufacturer In Europe -- September 4, 2020

Link to Tsvetana Paraskova:
Supermajor Total continues to invest in clean energy by creating a joint venture with automaker Groupe PSA to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles in Europe—a project expected to mobilize investment of more than US$5.9 billion (5 billion euro). 
Total, via its subsidiary SAFT, will contribute to the project with industrialization and research and development (R&D) expertise, while PSA will contribute its automotive production experience. 
An R&D center in Bordeaux and a pilot site in Nersac, France, have already launched work to develop new high-performance lithium-ion technologies. The companies plan to launch mass production after the R&D phase ends at two gigafactories in Europe, one in Douvrin, France, and one in Kaiserslautern, Germany.

I've run out of fingers and toes to count all these EV and EV battery manufacturers.

The Bakken Never Ceases To Amaze Me -- Jump From 1,300 Bbls/Month To 15,000 Bbls/Month -- September 4, 2020

See this note.

This well was drilled back in 2012:

  • 20917, 490, Enerplus, Likes Eagle 2-31H, Eagle Nest, t4/12; cum 265K 7/20;

Recent production:

PoolDateDaysBBLS OilRunsBBLS WaterMCF ProdMCF SoldVent/Flare
BAKKEN7-20203187258787747896149238262
BAKKEN6-2020291517615600145261569715065455
BAKKEN5-20201274686920763089637350594
BAKKEN4-20200000000
BAKKEN3-20200000000
BAKKEN2-20200000000
BAKKEN1-20200000000
BAKKEN12-20190000000
BAKKEN11-20190000000
BAKKEN10-201910870000
BAKKEN9-20193013301568554276716850
BAKKEN8-2019271330126055719951526387

Equinor's Richard Well In Banks Oil Field Goes Over 500K Bbls Crude Oil -- September 4, 2020

The well:

  • 30944, 4,040, Equinor, Richard 8-5 XE 1H, Banks, t8/16; cum 501K 7/20; remains on line; was off line 6/18 to 12/18; huge jump in production, 1/20; intermittent production, 4/20;

Recent production:

PoolDateDaysBBLS OilRunsBBLS WaterMCF ProdMCF SoldVent/Flare
BAKKEN7-2020317110701573232758525574203
BAKKEN6-2020305851576571923029028144280
BAKKEN5-2020319897994985423572232926605
BAKKEN4-2020307162732974331981318463107
BAKKEN3-2020317887791097442507423428168
BAKKEN2-20201517461502233469926484153
BAKKEN1-2020311053110551145763907436811565
BAKKEN12-20192355545334895123452210421465
BAKKEN11-20192958345981117692186320478527
BAKKEN10-2019316363630055132347421688863
BAKKEN9-20192974347542157792460222989611
BAKKEN8-20192244334440694613872112112289
BAKKEN7-2019311045310749134783567334294373

This well also just went over 500K bbls:

  • 22808, 4,439, Equinor/Statoil, Cheryl 17-20 4H, t2/13; cum 506K 7/20; off-line 2/18 but back on-line 3/18; off line again, but then back on line 11/18; see this note;

Recent production:

PoolDateDaysBBLS OilRunsBBLS WaterMCF ProdMCF SoldVent/Flare
BAKKEN7-202031229921315294994799452
BAKKEN6-20203031023437779313267132670
BAKKEN5-20203134933200759812348122960
BAKKEN4-20201515261417542943903957385
BAKKEN3-2020191182143535704405431423
BAKKEN2-20202936463806745013190130722
BAKKEN1-20203142824148865914705145810
BAKKEN12-20193155125498959116670165460
BAKKEN11-20193059836004832017279171590
BAKKEN10-201931598059331048415488153631
BAKKEN9-201930541056651086513185130650
BAKKEN8-201931467342401282711734116100

Notes From All Over -- At Best, Maybe December, 2020, Some Price Support -- September 4, 2020

Link here.

Summary:

  • China's indigestion continues to weigh on the physical oil market. 
  • Current floating storage has increased m-o-m to ~90 million bbls. 
  • We estimate that given the drop in crude exports to China observed in August, it will take at least 45 days to get rid of the excess floating storage. 
  • VLCC tanker rates have also continued to weaken signaling to us the tankers that were used for floating storage will become available, which will further weaken rates. 
  • For now, the oil market's near-term outlook remains weak until China can get rid of all the excess in floating storage. This means that the November cargo nominations (happening now) will remain weak, but if the outlook is really another ~45 days to get rid of the floating storage, then the December nominations will be okay, which will help give oil prices a boost.


If daily production exceeds demand by one- to five-million bbls/day that floating storage represents a lot more than just a single day's global supply. That's at least another 90 days worth of crude oil to soak up.  

The T.A.M.I. Show: the Supremes. This group brings back some incredibly good memories of my coming of my age years in Boston, MA, some  years later. "Touch Me In The Morning," 1973. I better quit here or my wife will shoot me, to paraphrase Hidin' Biden. 

The "close-ups" were almost "over-the-top." I doubt current performers would allow that today.

The Barbarians, from Cape Cod, MA:

At the height of their popularity, the band was touted as an American counterpart of The Rolling Stones
Particularly striking in their appearance was the sight of drummer, Victor "Moulty" Moulton's prosthetic hook used in place of his missing left hand to hold his left drumstick during performances. During their tenure, the Barbarians produced two nationally charting hits, including the novelty single, "Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl?".

Apparently a homemade pipe bomb blew up in his face in 1959, with the resultant loss of his left hand. 

And, now, can you believe it, James Brown?

In interviews, Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones has claimed that choosing to follow Brown and the Famous Flames was the biggest mistake of their careers, because no matter how well they performed, they could not top him.In a web-published interview, Binder takes credit for persuading the Stones to follow Brown, and serve as the centerpiece for the grand finale where all the performers dance together onstage.
Please, Please, Please, James Brown and the Famous Flames

I had not seen this before. I'm not sure I've seen anything more impressive from a rock and roll act. I can see where Janis Joplin was coming from.

And to rap it up, The Rolling Stones. I can only imagine what they were thinking, coming on afterJames Brown. Compared to James Brown, there were truly "old school." LOL. But the crowd shots are unbelievable. 

I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like to be a Santa Monica high school student there that night. And to think these acts did this over two consecutive nights. It's hard to believe how "far" music came from 1959 to 1964. Literally overnight. The Rolling Stones never age. 

I don't know. Keith Richards said it was the band's biggest mistake agreeing to come on after James Brown. I'm not sure. It forced Mick Jagger to kick it up a notch or two. And the crowd was more than warmed up for them. I'm not so sure; following James Brown might have been a huge coup. One can't compare James Brown and The Rolling Stones. Two completely different genres. 

I actually prefer ending the concert with The Rolling Stones rather than James Brown. Can't say why. But certainly after James Brown, Mick Jagger had to kick it up a notch or two.

Top ND Non-Energy Story Of The Week? Cash-Strapped, In Deep Trouble -- American Airlines Adds Non-Stop From Bismarck To Phoenix -- September 4, 2020

Wow, so many story lines, but I'm enjoying The T.A.M.I. Show to do any more than simply post the screenshot:

Right now, I'm watching Leslie Gore. I've always wondered where that classic YouTube video was filmed. Now I know: Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1964. Can you imagine being a student, or maybe even a teacher, at Santa Monica High School in 1964.

Wow, Leslie Gore did a full set, not just a single song as I would have expected. I think she sang six songs. Amazingly enough, all the acts hung around for every performance and everyone a) seemed so young, and b) seemed like they were having an incredibly good time. This easily competes with anything D. A. Pennebaker did. 

End of an era:

Wow, so many of those classic YouTube videos were from the 1964 Santa Monica Civic Center concert. This is priceless. A two-hour uninterrupted televised concert of the greatest rock-and-roll acts -- to not include the Beatles or Elvis -- in 1964.

Speaking of the Beatles, even though they were not there, Billy J. Kramer was. And he, and his group, the Dakotas, also performed a full set. Amazing.

WTI Drops Below The All-Important $40-Support Level; Five DUCs Reported As Completed -- September 4, 2020

We'll get to the daily activity report soon enough, but first -- TCM tonight: The T.A.M.I. Show. One word: wow. So many firsts. It was filmed October 28 and 29, 1964, at the Santa Monica Civic Center -- I often think Santa Monica could have become a "bigger city" than it did had the "city fathers" figured out what they had. But I digress. The best segments were put together to make a film which was released December 29, 1964. 

Santa Monica was the terminus of US Route 66

And then -- thank goodness for the remote control -- the complete re-airing of today's first round of the PGA's FedEx Tour Championship.

A little soup for dinner and I'm all set. 

Daily activity report .... coming up. 

Labor Day gasoline prices the lowest in 16 years.  

WTI breaks below $40, dropping almost 4%. More than just Saudi Arabia may be in deep doo-doo.

Brent: closing at $42.66, traded down 3.2%.

******************************
The Daily Activity Report

Active rigs:

$39.77
9/4/202009/04/201909/04/201809/04/201709/04/2016
Active Rigs961625633

No new permits.

Six permits renewed:

  • Crescent Point Energy: three CPEUSC Austin and three CPEUSC Narcisse permits, all in Williams County;

Three Oasis Bobby wells were reported as plugged or producing (#35591, #35592, and, #35593).

Five producing wells (DUCs) reported as completed:

  • 32382, SI/A, CLR, Antelope Federal 9-23H1, Elm Tree, no production;
  • 35144, SI/A, CLR, Durant 3-12HSL1, East Fork, no production;
  • 35146, SI/A, CLR, Durant 5-12H1, East Fork, no production;
  • 35148, SI/A, CLR, Durant 12H1, East Fork, no production;
  • 36690, SI/A, Petro Harvester Operating, FTH1 27-34 161-92 B, Foothills, t--; cum 126K 7/20;
PoolDateDaysBBLS OilRunsBBLS WaterMCF ProdMCF SoldVent/Flare
BAKKEN7-20203114253149632540418547144104137
BAKKEN6-2020301440614307249811385279575895
BAKKEN5-20203115892156072865314069120462023
BAKKEN4-2020301622815900332091301283784634
BAKKEN3-2020311961619504457891445470457409
BAKKEN2-2020271478514606372421438510014285
BAKKEN1-20203114499145344017019358308916269
BAKKEN12-201931160061570510213120477020477
BAKKEN11-2019105390221523760376

This Will Be The Shortest-Lasting Correction On Record -- September 4, 2020

 Wow, I'm in a great mood.

This is going to be the shortest-lasting correction on record. 

TSLA has already turned green for the day, and not by just a trivial amount.

Disclaimer: this is not an investment site.  Do not make any investment, financial, job, career, travel, or relationship decisions based on what you read here or think you may have read here. 

AAPL has had a huge reversal. In a good way.

The Fed is backing up the market.

Productivity surged 10.1%.

Jobs numbers released this morning were incredible.

But this is what has me most excited:

  • the start of the PGA FedEx Tour Championship today; started about an hour ago
    • live coverage begins .... right now ... 12:00 noon, CDT on NBC Golf channel;
    • Dustin Johnson has yet to tee off; already - 10 strokes and two strokes ahead of Jon Rahm in second place
    • it looks like the course is playing tough: early starters are "even" or one stroke better than par
  • the first day ever that the "Minfigs and Bricks" store down the street will start receiving "newly" released Lego products on a regular basis -- and that's where I'm headed in a few minutes
  • actually, this has also put me in good spirits, getting a better handle on the paleontology "across" the Permian Mass Extinction (posted yesterday)
    • just as Pluto was removed from the list of the planets in "our solar system," the paleontologists have added a sixth class to the chordates: the synapsids. Technically there are five orders of chordates, but the experts divide the fish into three orders, giving us seven classes within the chordate phylum; 
    • so, for Sophia: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, synapsids (extinct), and mammals; 
    • although, some experts are substituting "synapsids" for "mammals," bringing us back to the classic five: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and synapsids -- yeah, it's all in flux

********************************
But Before I Go

McKinsey On EV Batteries -- September 4, 2020

You may need a subscription or password to access this article. I do not know, but whatever is required, it will not cost you anything.

From McKinsey: improving battery-electric-vehicle profitability through reduced structural costs.

This is a very, very long article. I won't add anything from the article at this point, except two takeaways for me:

  • with advances in BEV technology, the battery market will likely reach $100 billion in size by 2025, while the e-drive market will likely reach $30 billion; and,
  • BEV profitability will continue to face headwinds from high e-drive and battery costs, as well as the need for high investments at a time when sales volumes remain challenged.

As an investor, huge insights. I remember the apocryphal story that most gold miners in "The Great Gold Rush" did not make money. Those who provided the blue jeans, picks and shovels made the "big money." In fact, the latter are still around; the former, not so much.

In The UK, Interest In Buying A New EV Has Fallen From 16 Percent To 4 Percent -- September 4, 2020

This article is behind a paywall, but I was able to access it quite easily. 

Google: electric car sales double in UK in August

Two takeaway items from this article on EV sales in the UK in August, 2020:

First:

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders calculated that £16.7 billion needs to be spent to have enough charging stations for all new UK cars to become electric -- the equivalent of 507 chargers installed per day between now and 2035. 

That's "per day" in the UK only, a very, very small country compared to the US and very, very dense in population. Absolutely the very opposite of what we see in the US. 

Second:

While new electric car sales have been rising, there are also signs that the pandemic has hurt consumers’ ability to pay the upfront costs of the cars, which tend to be significantly more expensive than fossil-fuel powered vehicles.  

Auto Trader found that the percentage of customers considering buying a battery electric car fell from 16 per cent in January to 4 per cent last month, with half saying their finances had deteriorated because of the economic impact of coronavirus.

This corroborates my feelings that EVs are a luxury item bought by folks when times are flush, and with plenty of money to spend. 

************************************
What Is The Cost Of Installing A Level 2 EV Battery Charger?

Link here.

Level 1, single home units: $3,000. In the near future will probably be standard in any new home where the price will be hidden in the overall price of the home. As an add-on, it will likely provide a huge margin for the homebuilder who may charge (no pun intended) double what the actual cost might be. 

Level 2: On average, $6,000, for commercial units that charge over four to eight hours. This is the kind we will see in apartment complexes, possibly in malls, parking garages.

Fast-charging-units for those needed along highways for cross-country trips: $50,000. These will be the units that Americans want subsidized by the US government. These will also require "parking-lot" footprints several times larger -- perhaps as much as 10x larger -- than the average eight-pump conventional service station. A fast-charging unit -- charging two cars at once -- will require a "parking-lot" footprint for up two ten vehicles: area needed for eight cars waiting (2x 15 minutes / charging unit) or eight vehicles for a two-unit EV charging point plus additional room for turning, re-positioning, exiting.

Notes From All Over -- Like NYC, London Is A Ghost Town -- September 4, 2020

BP will sell London HQ -- Bloomberg -- still early; in flux.

BP Plc plans to sell its headquarters in central London as it cuts jobs and adopts flexible working, The [London] Times reported on Sunday.

The oil major, which employs 6,500 office staff in the U.K., plans to rent back the building on St. James’s Square from the new owner for as long as two years before leaving for good ....

.... the company will move to a mixture of home and office working.
But look at this:

Only 13% of people were back to their offices this month in London. Across the nation’s 63 biggest urban centers the number was 17%, the newspaper said, citing analysis of mobile phone data.

Much more at the linked article. 

******************************************
Post-Covid "Great Reset" Won't Be Fueled By Renewables

 
Link to Gail Tverberg.

I'm not quite sure what to make of this long essay, but I posted it for the archives. I was reading it relatively closely, having trouble following some of her thoughts, but when the first country she mentioned as an example of why intermittent energy does not work was Lebanon, I pretty much bailed on the article. 

Her analogy of the big cats in charge in the lower layers of "a cave in South Africa" vs humans being in charge in the upper layers of that same cave seemed ludicrous. 

She does have it correct when she talks about intermittent electricity.

I may be confused but I never thought Hubbert's theory of "peak oil" was due to peak demand but apparently that's how this analyst sees it. I've seen that disconnect many times over the past few years, suggesting that peak oil would be due to peak demand, whereas I always thought Hubbert was talking about something else.

******************************************
EV Sales Double In The UK in August, 2020

This article is behind a paywall, but I was able to access it quite easily. 

Google: electric car sales double in UK in August

  • Data points from the article:
  • sales of new electric powered cars in the UK doubled in August
  • overall car market declined by 5 percent
  • purely electric vehicles: rose to 5,589 from 3,147 a year earlier;
  • hybrids climbed to 2,922 from 910 the previous August
  • combined, the vehicles accounted for one in 10 new cars sold in the UK
  • overall, new car sales dropped almost 6% to 87,226
  • August is typically the quietest month of a normal year

So, it is what it is, but I've maintained -- as a constant and recurring theme in the blog -- that the infrastructure is not ready for the EV revolution some folks are predicting. 

Note what this article had to say:

Despite the rise in electric sales, the industry on Friday warned that government plans to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035 require a steep increase in spending on charging infrastructure.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders calculated that £16.7 billion needs to be spent to have enough charging stations for all new UK cars to become electric.

I can't get  my hands around $20 billion for infrastructure but this I understand ... let me re-post the entire sentence:

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders calculated that £16.7 billion needs to be spent to have enough charging stations for all new UK cars to become electric -- the equivalent of 507 chargers installed per day between now and 2035.

Quick, how many chargers did you see installed in your neighborhood last year? That's what I thought. 

Who should pay (again, remember this is from the UK):

Charging bays are a particular issue for buyers without off-street parking, who are reliant on local councils to agree roadside installations and often have to park far from home to find a free charging place. 
Mr Hawes argued that the industry globally has spent £54bn developing electric vehicles to meet emissions standards, but investment in charging infrastructure was needed from other businesses or government. 
Many carmakers across the world have echoed that sentiment that governments — which impose emissions rules or possible fuel bans — should be responsible for ensuring there are enough charging stations.

And buried at the end of the article:

While new electric car sales have been rising, there are also signs that the pandemic has hurt consumers’ ability to pay the upfront costs of the cars, which tend to be significantly more expensive than fossil-fuel powered vehicles
Auto Trader found that the percentage of customers considering buying a battery electric car fell from 16 per cent in January to 4 per cent last month, with half saying their finances had deteriorated because of the economic impact of coronavirus.

Wouldn't it have been interesting had the writer of this story "inverted" the article, starting with this lede:

The percentage of customers considering buying a battery electric car fell from 16 per cent in January to 4 per cent last month, with half saying their finances had deteriorated because of the economic impact of coronavirus.

No New Production Data But Five Wells On Enerplus "Game Fish" Pad Have Gone To DRL/DRL Status -- Septebmer 4, 2020

See this post. No new production, but five wells on this proposed 10-well pad have now gone to "drl/drl" status. The other five have been canceled.

************************************
Another LEGO Set Out Of Stock



The MRO Jacob Madison Well Shows Nice Jump In Production After Coming Back On Line -- September 4, 2020

See this post, MRO's D-S-T pad. 

At that post I mentioned --

Neighboring wells to watch:

  • 20122, has been off line; just coming back into production, 3/20;
  • 19833, has been off line; just coming back into production, 3/20;
  • 19834, has been off line; just coming back into production, 3/20;

All three wells are back on line and doing quite well. Of the three, this might be the best:

  • 19834, 1,291, MRO, Jacob Madison 11-27H, Reunion Bay, t8/11; cum 382K 7/20; drilled back in 2011, this well is showing "new" life after neighboring wells fracked;

Recent production:

PoolDateDaysBBLS OilRunsBBLS WaterMCF ProdMCF SoldVent/Flare
BAKKEN7-20203037623771225651684292494
BAKKEN6-20203048924880273256174809362
BAKKEN5-202031608760612701505228371689
BAKKEN4-20203074927335380450031744232
BAKKEN3-20202753455346460249743764148
BAKKEN2-20200000000
BAKKEN1-20200000000
BAKKEN12-20190000000
BAKKEN11-2019001610000
BAKKEN10-2019312115205645420091449256
BAKKEN9-2019301970191241019551439227
BAKKEN8-201931221622884432236189429
BAKKEN7-20193122332206459233020160

Huge Decline In OPEC Basket Price; Third Consecutive Day Of Declines -- September 4, 2020

OPEC basket, holy mackerel, huge drop, link here: 43.36.

****************************************
Business Headlines

NYC: Mayor De Blasio plans 22,000 layoffs; NYC facing a $9 billion deficit that continues to grow. 

Virgin Australia to be sold to US-based Bain Capital. The airline became the world's largest to seek bankruptcy protection after the pandemic grounded much of the aviation industry.

Dairy Queen sells out of Blizzard-scented candles within an hour. Orders opened at 3:00 p.m. ET, September 3, 2020. They were sold out by 3:18. Good ol' Warren Buffett.

Jeff Bezos' ex-wife MacKenzie Scott now world's richest woman. 

**************************************
Out Of Stock

This was only introduced a few weeks ago and is already out of stock (and, no, it's not available at Amazon):

Oh-oh! Active Rigs Drop Below Nine; Three Wells Come Off The Confidential List -- September 4, 2020

New restaurant in Tioga, to officially open August 20, 2020. Link here. AJ Cafe. I assume this story will disappear into the ethernet some day; that's sad; it's a great story.

No comment:

OPEC basket, holy mackerel, huge drop, link here: 43.36.

******************************************
Back to the Bakken

Active rigs:

$41.74
9/4/202009/04/201909/04/201809/04/201709/04/2016
Active Rigs961625633

The nine rigs:

  • H&P 454: CLR, Carson Peak
  • N&P 515, Petro-Hunt, USA
  • H&P 492, MRO, Adonijah USA
  • Nabors B27, WPX, Crosby Chase
  • Nabors B21, BR, Cherry Ice Cream
  • Nabors X28, Hess, EN-VP And R
  • Cyclone 38, CLR, Norway
  • Unit 414, Slawson, Osprey Federal
  • Stoneham 11, KT Enterprises, KT Enterprises 34-22 SFI, NESE 22-150-96, McKenzie, #37789; 14 miles east of Watford City;

Three wells coming off the confidential list -- Friday, September 4, 2020:

  • 37135, drl/NC, WPX, Nokota 24-13-12HX, Squaw Creek, t--; cum --;
  • 35999, drl/A,  Hess, AN-Mogen Trust-153-94-2932H-8, Antelope-Sanish, t--; cum 90K 6/20; off line, 7/20; well in local area with small jump in production;
  • 33865, drl/drl, Hess, BL-Myrtrice-156-96-2536H-4, Beaver Lodge, t--; cum --;

RBN Energy: why midstreamers depend on pigs

Yup. Pigs are critical to the safety and integrity of pipelines. Some are your basic utilitarian pigs, while others are quite smart, if not downright cool. No, these are not the pigs down on the farm. Instead, these pigs are devices run through pipes to clean, inspect, and support “batching” on hydrocarbon pipeline networks. They help ensure the safe and efficient transportation of crude oil, NGLs, petroleum products, and natural gas through more than 2.5 million miles of pipeline in the U.S. If you’re interested in energy and energy delivery, you’ve gotta know about pigs, and that's just what we'll be discussing in today’s blog.

There are lots of stories out there about why these contraptions are called pigs. One that seems logical is that “pig” is an acronym for “pipeline inspection gauge” or “pipeline integrity gauge.” But maybe they got their name from the squealing sound they make when traveling through a pipeline, or the fact that, after traveling through a pipe, they look like pigs, covered in muck? Yet another story is how, in the late 1800s, balls of pig leather (and other things) were used to clean pipes, which were then made from wood. No one really knows for sure.

Peak Oil? Mexico Likely To Cut Production Target For 2021; Will Probably Drop To Around 1.5 Million BOPD -- September 4, 2020

If Mexico's output drop sto 1.5 million bopd, that puts its production in the same ballpark as that of the Bakken. And at $40-oil, it's not gonna look pretty. For Mexico.

Link to Julianne Geiger.

Mexico is basing its plans on $40-oil next year (2021). From the linked article:

Mexico will likely cut its crude oil production targets for next year.

The shift in strategy signals that Mexico’s state-run oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), is still struggling under a mountain of debt.

How bad will it be?

Pemex just dropped its production in its largest offshore field, Maloob, by 30.8% year over year, to 276,000 in July, according to IHS Markit. That is down from nearly 400,000 bpd in July 2019 and 460,000 bpd from April 2018—a high for the field.

Although it was understood that Maloob’s production would gradually decline through 2030 as the field depletes, the dropoff was sharper than anticipated.

That output reduction in Maloob brought Mexico’s crude production to 1.54 million barrels per day—a level not seen since the 1970s.

Mexico had targeted more than 2 million barrels per day next year, but this is looking increasingly unlikely.

It won’t hit this year’s target of 1.83 million bpd either. From January to July this year, Pemex has produced an average of just 1.692 million bpd.

Much more at the linked article.

Not Alone Any More, The Traveling Wilburys

Hunkering Down -- Saudi Aramco Shelves $20 Billion Petrochemical Plant -- September 4, 2020

This story will be added to the list of stories at this link.

Saudi Aramco shelves $20 billion petrochemical plant. Link here.

That guaranteed $75-billion dividend payout annually for five years will kill the company. 

At the linked story:

Saudi Aramco is shelving multi-billion-dollar petrochemical and gas projects as the state oil giant’s determination to preserve its dividend forces it to cut back on major investments.

The world’s biggest oil company is abandoning plans to build a $20 billion crude-to-chemicals plant at Yanbu on the kingdom’s Red Sea coast, according to two people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because they aren’t authorized to speak to the media. It’s also reviewing a decision last year to buy 25% of Sempra Energy’s liquefied natural gas terminal in Texas -- which would cost several billion dollars -- and has already taken some staff off the project, according to a separate person.

Aramco declined to comment. Sempra said it continued to work with Aramco and others “to move our project at Port Arthur LNG forward.”

The about-turns come as the Saudi firm tries to honor its pledge to pay a $75 billion dividend annually for the next several years. Rivals such as BP Plc and Royal Dutch Shell Plc slashed shareholder payouts as the coronavirus pandemic crushed energy demand. Oil prices have more than doubled since April to around $45 a barrel but are still down more than 30% this year.

The Thang, Myint Leases From The ND State Lease Sale, August, 2020

Disclaimer: in a long note like this there will be content and typographical errors. If this is important to you go the source. 

From the ND state lease sales, August, 2020, link here See also this post

The Levi Sap Nei Thang, and Myint Myint Swe leases. The locations below are all Levi Sap Nei Thang unless otherwise indicated (two cases).

Billings County:

  • NW4, 142-98-16, 80 acres, $8
  • SE4, 142-98-16, 80 acres, $12
  • NE4, 142-98-16, 80 acres, $26
  • NE4, 142-98-20, 80 acres, $22
  • SE4, 143-100-22, 80 acres, $7

Burke County:

  • E2SE4, 161-91-18, 40 acres, $7
  • SW4, 161-92-2, 8 acres, $31
  • SW, 161-92-11, 8 acres, $44
  • NW4, 162-80-28, 80 acres, $12 -- Myint Myint Swe
  • SE4, 162-92-20, 8 acres, $27
  • N2NE4, Lot 6, 162-91-30, 13.60 acres, $28
  • NE4NW4, Lot 1, 162-91-30, 3.92 acres, $32
  • SE4, 162-92-36, 160 acres, $32 -- Myint Myint Swe
  • SW4, 162-91-36, 80 acres, $34
  • SE4, 162-92-22, 80 acres, $12
  • SW4NE4, 162-94-10, 20 acres, $7
  • NE4, 163-93-36, 80 acres, $6
  • NW4, 163-93-36, 80 acres, $8

Divide County:

  • SE4, 161-103-11, 80 acres, $4
  • E2NW4, 161-103-23, 40 acres, $13

Dunn County:

  • NE4, 144-93-14, 80 acres, $2 -- Saxon oil field, far SE fringe of the Bakken; nothing out there;

McKenzie County:

  • NE4, 146-99-18, 8 acres, $100 -- Rough Rider oil field, far SE corner of McKenzie County; absolutely no activity out there;
  • E2SE4, 146-99-18, 4 acres, $109 -- Rough Rider oil field, far SE corner of McKenzie County; absolutely no activity out there;