Week 2: January 10, 2021 -- January 16, 2021

NOTE: most of this is complete. I still have to add Geoff Simon's top ND energy stories and a few other things, but this is pretty close to finished. 

Most under-reported story this week:

• Semiconductor shortage; Toyota shuts down production in China due to "chip" shortage;
• US imports no Saudi crude oil: first time since 1985;

Most interesting energy story this week:

• China's economy is booming; US? Not so much;

Top story of the week:

• First-ever ethane-produced electricity power plant slated to be built west of Williston, ND;
  

Records:

• The Dow; the S&P 500;

Top international non-energy story:

• Freezing temperatures / snowfall in Spain, China, Japan;
• Apple and Hyundai announce partnership;

Top international energy story:

• Volatility of the price of oil; strong surge at beginning of week, only to plummet at end of week

Top national energy story:

Top North Dakota non-energy story:

Top North Dakota energy story:

• Crude oil production flat m/m (October/November 2020);

Geoff Simon's top ND energy stories:

• Mining lignite for rare earth metals;
• Lawmaker proposes an 80-mph speed limit on parts of I-29 and I-94;
• Hess to finish Tioga gas plant expansion in 2021 after Covid delays;
• Oil companies lock in drilling permits, before Biden is sworn in;
• Dickinson public schools to return to full-time, face-to-face;
• This could be one of the mildest winters on record (no one is complaining)
• Senator Kevin Cramer opens western North Dakota office in Williston;
• Shell's ethane-consuming stream cracker in Pennsylvania in the home stretch;
• Enbridge rejects Michigan's demand to shut down oil pipeline;
• India sees $55 billion investment in clean col over the next decade;
• New Mexico bill would halt fracking permits while state conducts study; whoo-hoo! 
  

Most egregious ND energy story:

Operators:

Operations:

• CLR"s Lundberg Federal wells in Rattlesnake Point;

Fracking: 

• Mining frack sand in ND;

Pipelines:

• KMI's Texas Permian gas pipeline on line; huge story;

Wells of note:

• An old Petro-Hunt well with 65X jump in production;
• MRO: four more huge wells in Reunion Bay;
• MRO to report three huge wells;
• MRO's Prior USA well;
• QEP MHA well in Van Hook;
• QEP MHA well in Van Hook;
• Hess EN-Enger well in Big Butte;

Bakken economy:

• New brewery in Williston;

Commentary:

• Fossil fuel production to increase through 2022; will remain flat in 2021 as increased coal production offsets declines in natural gas production; STEO -- EIA;
• Shale: swing producer, 2021?