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Sunday, January 31, 2021

An Enerplus Well In Mandaree Oil Field Will Soon Hit 500K Bbls Crude Oil Cumulative -- January 31, 2021

This page will not be updated. This well is tracked here.

This well will hit 500K bbls crude oil cumulative within the next couple of months. This well, still flowing, no pump:

  • 29974, 380, Enerplus, Thread 149-93-04D-03H, Mandaree, F, t2/16; cum 491K 11/20; strong production profile continues into 2019, producing 7,500 bbls/month as recently as 12/18; recent production; this well is five years old:
    PoolDateDaysBBLS OilRunsBBLS WaterMCF ProdMCF SoldVent/Flare
    BAKKEN12-20203134993649176773475256523
    BAKKEN11-20202935923507191875435125951
    BAKKEN10-20203036263684255774365853109
    BAKKEN9-202030445544212941100148203134
    BAKKEN8-20202843034383321582026209129
    BAKKEN7-20203135423450232969154945106
    BAKKEN6-20202935853761229166164900108
    BAKKEN5-20203038703995190569985262116
    BAKKEN4-20202546474605111673185451139

The MRO Wells On The The P-R-S-4W Pad Have Been Returned To Production -- January 31, 2021

This page will not be updated; these wells are tracked here

The new wells have been completed; work on the pad has been completed; and, now the earlier wells taken off line while newer wells were fracked are back on line. The wells back on line:

The wells:

  • 21630, 1,378, MRO, Waltom USA 43-8TFH, Reunion Bay, t9/12; cum 424K 1/20; off line 1/20; remains off line 4/20; back on line 12/20;
  • 21631, 1,463, MRO, Waljen USA 43-8H, Reunion Bay, t9/12; cum 467K 1/20; off line 1/20; remains off line 4/20; back on line 12/20;

An XTO Bobcat Federal Well In Bear Creek, In Less Than Eighteen Months, Goes Over 500K Bbls Crude Oil --January 31, 2021

This page won't be updated. These wells are tracked here

In eighteen months of production, this well has produced more than 525K bbls of crude oil cumulative.

The well:

  • 34358, 30 (no typo), XTO, Bobcat Federal 14X-35EXH, Bear Creek, 60 stages, 12.0 million lbs, t5/19; cum 512K 11/20; for early production: link here; full production:
PoolDateDaysBBLS OilRunsBBLS WaterMCF ProdMCF SoldVent/Flare
BAKKEN12-202031155301549615028559314492510990
BAKKEN11-202030167821692215573555144018515321
BAKKEN10-20203118721185051690727788217835986
BAKKEN9-202019750277917701906467582284
BAKKEN8-20203119326190361728723884185485310
BAKKEN7-20203120913209981863529733267102987
BAKKEN6-20203021590218451832746208440442127
BAKKEN5-20203129073288542314558360547783552
BAKKEN4-20203028726289672356348334452933033
BAKKEN3-2020312849728149226923937638981295
BAKKEN2-20201512240124621199716365124003920
BAKKEN1-202029256172554721390352082415610965
BAKKEN12-201931338703373829159459293296512863
BAKKEN11-20193034869351052957239322331766048
BAKKEN10-20193134492345763451838273381720
BAKKEN9-20193038132382213405251273441986977
BAKKEN8-20193148796490575693263245577795466
BAKKEN7-20193162002618065224580462205478313
BAKKEN6-2019131497414228180601688180768769
BAKKEN5-201917395095639440944

Brrrr! It's Cold In New York City -- AOC's Constituents Paying "$135 For Electricity" -- Sunday Night -- January 31, 2021

Link here

I don't often see Long Island colored light brown in this context:



*****************************************
The Library Page

On my table next to me:

  • Life Ascending: The Ten Great Inventions Of Evolution, Nick Lane, c. 2010;
  • Dorothy Parker: Complete Broadway, 1918 - 1923, edited by Kevin C. Fitzpatrick, c. 2014

From the second,

Mrs Parker stood out asthe only female critic covering Broadway. She broke ground in a male-dominated profession when women in America could not vote, buy real estate on their own, or get a passport using their maiden name. The Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, granting voting rights wasn't ratified until the summer of 1920 (common knowledge, no doubt) and other women's equality issues would take years to pass. 

Mrs Parker told her audience about black revues in Harlem as well as Greenwich Village experimental plays. She let the lily-white dailies cover the standard theater fare as she sought out new plays, playwrights, and actors. In early 1923, Mrs Parker attended a groundbreaking theatre debut, R.U.R. The Capek brothers, Josef and Karel, had coined the term "robot" for Rossum's Universal Robots.

Dorothy nee Rothschild never completed high school. Less than five years before she became NYC's only female theater critic and wrote for Vanity Fair, she left school to take care of her ailing father with slim prospects for her future. Her mother passed away before Dorothy turned five years old (1898).

Though Jewish, she attended a Roman Catholic elementary school, Blessed Sacrament, on West Seventy-ninth Street. Her education lasted until she was fourteen years old.

Her father died in December 1913, leaving Dorothy a little money. Dorothy worked odd jobs and lived with her older sister until she got the big break that changed her life. 

Vanity Fair was launched in 1914 by Condé Nast, the man behind the success of Vogue. The editors stumbled across one of Dorothy's poems, and published it. 

Dorothy would have been twenty-one years of age. On the back of that one poem being published, Dorothy Parker "marched down to the publishing offices on West Forty-fourth Street and asked for a job. She got it. As an editorial assistant.

And the rest is history. But that, too, is common knowledge.

Canola -- January 31, 2021

North Dakota leads the nation, by far, in canola production. I assume this is common knowledge.

Remember this post seven years ago, almost to the day, January 25, 2014? CBR -- canola by rail

At the time: search the blog for "canola."

North Dakota plants 2/3rds of the nation's canola -- is now at 83% -- see below;
North Dakota company building a canola plant in Oklahoma.
Despite moisture problems, North Dakota likely to remain #1 in canola -- back in 2011.

Today, from Reuters: exports empty Canada's canola bins, driving prices to near records

Canada, the world’s biggest canola grower, is running short of the oilseed six months before the next harvest, with strong export demand driving prices to nearly 13-year highs last week.

Supplies of major commodity crops are dwindling worldwide as buyers hoard food supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. China is loading up on grains and oilseeds that it can feed to animals, raising food inflation and causing some nations to restrict exports of their crops.

Canola, known for its bright yellow flowers, is crushed mainly for oil to make French fries, mayonnaise and salad dressings. Its meal is also fed to livestock like pigs.The roots of Canada’s canola shortage trace back to the autumn, when farmers reaped their smallest harvest in five years. Strong export demand for canola seed and oil then drove a late-summer rally that prompted farmers to sell more crop earlier than usual.ICE canola futures retreated late in the week to less than C$700 per tonne, remaining close to levels unseen since the record 2008 commodity boom.

Production by country:

  • Canada: 15.5 million metric tons
  • China: 14.7 million metric tons (net importer)
  • India: 7.8 million metric tons (net importer)
  • Germany: 6.25 million metric tons
  • France: 5.5 million metric tons
  • US: about 4 million metric tons

In the US, by state


Back in 2018
, I found that story so compelling, I posted the following:

From Absolutely Small: How Quantum Theory Explains Our Everyday World, Michael D. Fayer, Ph. D., c. 2010.

Some data points:

  • fatty acids:
    • myristic acid, a 14-carbon saturated fat is believed to increase cholesterol significantly in a deleterious manner
    • palmitic acid, a 16-carbon saturated fat, is thought to increase cholesterol to some extent
    • stearic acid, an 18-carbon saturated fat, with little effect on cholesterol levels
    • linolenic acid, an 18-carbon polyunsaturated fat, and other polyunsaturated fats decrease cholesterol
    • oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat, and like many monounsaturated fats, with little effect on cholesterol
  • among common oils, going from "bad" to "better" to "best" (in this context)
    • butter fat and coconut oil: large amounts of myristic acid and palmitic acid; very little linolenic acid
    • olive oil: no myristic acid, significant amount of palmitic acid and some linolenic acid
    • canola oil; no myristic acid and almost no palmitic acid; a substantial amount of linolenic acid; ND #1;
    • grape seed oil: no myristic acid; small amounts of palmitic acid, bur very large amounts of linolenic acid
    • safflower oil: same as grape seed oil -- when not processed for high-temperature cooking
    • sunflower oil: same as grape seed oil -- when not processed for high-temperature cooking; ND #1 (link here);
  • chemically-modified fats: for various reasons, many polyunsaturated fats (good) are chemically processed to saturated fats (bad)
  • hydrogenation: chemically converting polyunsaturated fats (good) to saturated fats (bad)
  • because polyunsaturated fats can be beneficial, sunflower oil and safflower oil are seen as advantageous
  • however, sunflower oil and safflower oil are often hydrogenated (bad)
  • how can you tell if the sunflower oil product or the safflower oil product has been hydrogenated? Read the label and look at the ratio of saturated / polyunsaturated
    • sunflower oil / safflower oil: high ratio of saturated / polyunsaturated, then the oil has been hydrogenated (bad)
    • if not hydrogenated (good), sunflower oil / safflower oil will have far greater amounts of polyunsaturated than saturated fats

Having said all that, I practically grew up on slightly salted  / salted sunflower seeds while growing up in North Dakota. 

Back to safflower and sunflower oils: many brands have been partially hydrogenated so they are more usable for high-temperature cooking.

Polyunsaturated (but not saturated) oils more prone to reacting with oxygen and becoming rancid. To extend shelf life, they should be refrigerated.

If polyunsaturated fats are not refrigerated, they should be kept in a cool, dark place; some such oils come in dark bottles to improve shelf life in grocery stores.

Saturated fatty oils will keep for a long time without refrigeration.

Saturated fatty oils are also better for high-temperature cooking, and thus the reason for (partially) hydrogenating safflower and sunflower oil (bad).

We will get to trans-oils (bad) later. If I remember. It is my understanding that McDonald's does not use trans-oils. 

Canola oil is the first oil -- among the seven fatty acids in the frying oil -- usually mentioned when asked what oil McDonald's uses for frying French fries.

***************************************************
My Fair Lady

Wow, the "lov-ely" scene brings forth a lot of tears. What a great story; what a great movie. 

TCM.

*********************
Hard To Resist

Is Silver Next? -- January 13, 2021

Link here

Over at social media sites, there is talk that silver traders are the next ones to be squeezed:

Note: the frenzy include silver coins. We've talked about this before. Whoo-hoo. Link here.

The numbers to watch:

  • tonight and pre-market tomorrow morning: $30
  • before the end of the week: $35

***********************************
PGA

I was quite disappointed with a commentator who I have really respected over the years. Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill. The initial rules official supported the golfer. Later, the head of the rules committee supported the golfer. The CBS announcer has egg all over his face. The commentator, a retired PGA golf champion, won a measly six championships over his entire career. Perhaps not even at the mid-point of his career, the golfer in question has nine major PGA wins under his belt.

The sports commentator ended his commentary yesterday suggesting that if the winner wins by one stroke, this golf tournament would forever be blemished. In fact, the winner won by five strokes over five others. 

Later, February 4, 2021: commentators give golfer a pass despite huge homophobic slur during recent tournament. So, the commentators manufacture a non-story about one golfer, and give another golfer a pass despite his language. His language resulted in some of his sponsors quickly dropping him, including Ralph Lauren. Double standard, much?

**********************************
From The Aviator's Corner

Hess Will Report Another Huge Labar Well Tomorrow -- January 31, 2021

The Hess EN-Labar wells are tracked here

This Labar well is coming off the confidential list tomorrow, February 1, 2012:

  • 37067, conf, Hess, EN-Labar-154-94-1003H-10, Three Forks, 33-061-04619, fracked 5/27/20 - 6/5/20,  6.6 million gallons of water, 84.1% water by mass;
DateOil RunsMCF Sold
11-20202217933147
10-20202503037530
9-20202814642572
8-20204133135496

**************************************
Chinese Flu Hasn't Stopped Texas High School Sports

Local high school swim and dive teams, update:

Our middle granddaughter plays soccer for this high school; they are ranked 1st or second in their district. Our oldest granddaughter plays water for polo for a club team and not the high school team. And, of course, six-year-old Sophia is a budding competitive rock climber. She scaled a 5.10 wall yesterday at 54 seconds beating her previous time of 1:03. I cannot recall if she attempted a 5.11 wall.

Link here:




It appears Sophia stopped for tea about halfway up.

Another Red Badge Of Courage -- Surviving Covid-19 And Moving On -- January 31, 2021

Apparently there's a new wrinkle among commercial pilots and Covid-19 but that's a story for another day.

A graphic only: 

Sempra Update -- SeekingAlpha-- January 31, 2021

I honestly don't know why investors still pay attention to analysts after all these years. P/Es, earnings, growth, guidance, no longer matter, it seems. It's all about FOMO and MOJO. 

Exhibit A: GME.

Exhibit B: TSLA.

But it is what it is.

Like Apple, I've always been fascinated with Sempra. I got into one very, very early. I got into the other very, very late. 

I am fascinated by Apple: I think it represents everything going on in America right now (previously posted).

I was never fascinated by Sempra. It was simply a San Diego utility. In fact, didn't it began as San Diego Gas and Electric? If so, it was the second stock I ever bought. The first was Burlington Northern. Both, back in 1985 or thereabouts. Have accumulated shares in both ever since. Of course, with BNI, it's now through Berkshire Hathaway. 

I was never fascinated by Sempra. Until 2018 or thereabouts. With stories and headlines like the following I felt very, very exposed. 

I was curious how Sempra would thread this needle, or how it would dodge a Black Swan event. 

The Oncor acquisition provided great relief. Sempra has telegraphed shareholders and California regulators it has options. 

That acquisition was brilliant. 

Directly or indirectly it led to another brilliant move: Costa Azul. 

I was thrilled to see this at SeekingAlpha today: Sempra: the utility that makes growth look easy. Archived.

Summary:

  • Sempra has been growing dividends and earnings at double-digit rates in the last few years.
  • Recently announced transaction will clarify value on its unregulated infrastructure business, which has achieved important milestones but remains unrecognized.
  • Its 2017 diversification into Texas Oncor is turning out well, now guiding to double the size of the acquired rate base as soon as 2022.

Excerpts:

Good:

Sempra has sold non-core midstream facilities, its US wind and solar generation portfolio and its South American electric utilities. Last month the company announced a set of transactions that will simplify its structure into essentially two parts: a pure-play regulated US utility and a “new” infrastructure platform (of which it intends to sell a minority stake). This platform will integrate its IEnova business and its LNG business.

Extremely bad:

All California utilities, including SDG&E that run electric T&D lines, are exposed to potentially uncapped liabilities from fire. In California, the courts have upheld a doctrine of inverse condemnation to include investor-owned utilities (IOUs). Inverse condemnation gives property owners the ability to claim damages to governments or municipalities when property is lost. In California this condition is extended to include investor owner utilities, when their equipment is proven to be the cause of the fires. This stands, even if no fault can be placed on the utility (i.e. no negligence is proven).

The legislative rationale behind this revolves around the fact that utilities serve a public good, and therefore damages caused by their activity should be spread out among the population being served. This makes sense and happens automatically with municipalities, for example. However, IOUs are privately funded, and their rates need to be approved by the regulatory body CPUC.

This means utilities are exposed (as PG&E demonstrated recently) to unrecoverable losses when the regulator refuses to pass along costs. In practice, the costs and claims, in an event as large as the fires of 2017 would be difficult to spread among its rate base even if allowed.

For these reasons, the risk has become practically uninsurable.

Weber Grilling -- Thinking Of Those Digging Out Of The Snow In Chicago, New York -- January 31, 2021

Short-sleeve weather in north Texas this weekend. 

There is only one "negative" associated with living in our apartment. That one negative: we are not allowed to grill on the patio. I have no gate leading from the railed patio so it is literally impossible to have a Weber. I could store a Weber on the patio but I could never get it off the patio without a lot of work. 

If I had to list my top five interests or hobbies, grilling on a Weber would make the top-five list. The only question is how high on that list would it appear. Bicycling is, of course, #1 -- yes, ranking higher than blogging on the Bakken, #2. 

So, is grilling on the Weber, #3, #4, or #5? 

Last week  it might have been #5 but then a reader sent me this photo last night and this caption: "It never gets old."

That raised grilling on the Weber to #4 on my list of things I enjoy most. The reader did this, by the way, as a request from his mother, about my age, and obviously with a great taste for life.

But today, the reader raised the ante, again, with one photo and a one-word caption: "Perfect."

Don't you just love the way the ribs are displayed? I so dislike the neatly ordered way "professional" chefs line up their ribs in the typical American football offensive line-up. 

Grilling on the Weber, at the moment, has moved to the top of my top-5 list. 

I am seriously considering moving when the current lease is up. 

After seeing the first photo last night, I checked out several YouTube videos of grilling a rack of lamb. There were several excellent videos. Hands down, the worst video for learning how to grill a rack of lamb was that by super-chef Gordon Ramsay. I was aghast! Cooking a rack of lamb in an indoor oven. LOL.  

The one by Helen Rennie was the best ... until she said she grilled on gas. Ouch. 

Takeaways:

  • removing excess fat is up to the individual; not all would agree with Helen Rennie;
  • no mint. Ever. Rosemary-thyme-Dijon mustard-salt-pepper-olive oil-(garlic)
  • aluminum foil on the ends of the ribs? A bit of affectation: hey, grilling on the Weber should stay simple; no aluminum foil;
  • a thermometer is a must: lamb is just too expensive to miss on this one; goes against the "simplicity" rule but in this case some rules need to be broken
  • if you dare go without a thermometer: 4.5 minutes, with one turn, over direct heat;
  • 125°F is when the lamb comes off direct heat; how you finish is up to you;
    • min: 120°F
    • max: 130°F

The Next Big Thing -- Quick: 2020 Design Of The Year? January 31, 2021

Before we get to the subject at hand, a little "word play."

A couple of new EVs are capturing the interests of myriad automobile buffs. Tesla is so yesterday. The new kids on the block: the new Ford Mustang Mach-E and the new Porsche Taycan.

Quick: using one word, one word only, what does "Taycan" mean? 

Now, back to the subject at hand.

One of my favorite pages on the blog is "the next big thing," linked at the sidebar at the right.

I apologize. It is very difficult to track "the next big think" on the blog. It's become so disjointed. Be that as it may, we will press on.

The very, very first post on "the next big thing" was dated March 21, 2013. My very first "the next big thing" was Netflix. That was back in 2013. It may have been my defining moment with regard to prognostications. 

So, now we have another "next big thing."

Let's run through the process of how this developed.

For those watching cable television like Spectrum and watching mostly networks focused on entertainment, business, and sports, what company jumps out at you as appearing to do much more advertising that it use to?

I limit this to networks focused on entertainment, business, and sports because I don't follow any news networks. I had to add business: even though I watch no business-networks on a regular basis, I occasionally watch CNBC and the company I am thinking of heavily advertises on CNBC.

So, again, what company jumps out at you as appearing to do much more advertising that it use to?

This is like Family Feud, isn't it?

There is no wrong answer. Everyone will think of something different. 

For me, it is/was obvious.

USAA.

Second, what sector seems to have the most advertising on the networks focused on entertainment, sports, and business?

Car insurance. 

So, I was curious. 

Google: dollars spent on television advertising by industry.

Results: from statista.com, "leading TV advertisers in the US from December 3 to December 10, 2020, by weekly advertising spending."  

Wow, wow, wow

Was I rigtht or was I wrong? USAA #10 on the top ten list. Whoo-hoo!

Now, take a second look at that list. What industry is #1 as represented by the companies that make the top ten list? Let's seeGeico (#1); Progressive (#3); State Farm (#8); and USAA (#10). 

Retail, #2 overall: Walmart and Target.

Auto and telecommunications, tied for #3 / #4: Verizon, T-Mobile, Toyota, Ford. 

But clearly, the #1 sector is automobile insurance. Yes, home and rental insurance can be bundled with automobile insurance but the home/rental segment of this bundle is inconsequential compared to the automobile segment.

[Another digression: name five "A" companies not on the chart above.]

With AI-enhanced algorithms there cannot possibly be anything simpler than the automobile insurance industry.

Has anyone else noticed this low-hanging fruit? 

Yup. 

Elon Musk. 

Link here

When competition starts to get really, really tough, look for Ford to announce that they will bundle automobile insurance with every EV they sell. In fact, my hunch if that Ford will offer casualty insurance for free to "qualifying" buyers. 

There will be some strings attached, of course, but this is, too, will be fascinating to watch. 

Financing a $100,000 car over three years would run about $3,000 / month. Link here. Casualty insurance alone (not liability) and with certain strings attached would be a trivial price for Ford to subsidize. 

Can you imagine the consumer's response to "insurance included" when one buys an EV?

Now, back to that "word play" question at the top of the blog:

A couple of new EVs are capturing the interests of myriad automobile buffs. Tesla is so yesterday. The new kids on the block: the new Ford Mustang Mach-E and the new Porsche Taycan.

Taycan translates to "mustang." 

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. 

And finally, on another note:

Oh, one more thing. Which company now has the "real" mustang? 

Finally, the five "A" companies not on the chart at the top of the page:

  • Apple
  • Amazon
  • Alphabet (Google)
  • AARP
  • AAA

Initial Production Data For Wells Coming Off Confidential List This Next Week --- January 31, 2021

The wells:
  • 37067, conf, Hess, EN-Labar-154-94-1003H-10, Alkali Creek
DateOil RunsMCF Sold
12-2020171280
11-20202217933147
10-20202503037530
9-20202814642572
8-20204133135496
  • 36811, conf, Hess, IT-Jenson-158-94-0805H-1, Tioga,
DateOil RunsMCF Sold
12-202097350
11-2020122289274
10-202049183707
9-20201814012698
8-2020154958816
  • 37200, conf, Hess, TI-Bokn-158-94-1720H-1, Tioga,
DateOil RunsMCF Sold
12-2020112800
11-202078407944
10-20201322814614
9-20201932922308
8-20202123716671
  • 32852, conf, BR, Remington 1A MTFH, Blue Buttes, no production data,
  • 37066, conf, Hess, EN-Labar-154-94-1003H-9, Alkali Creek,
DateOil RunsMCF Sold
12-2020197560
11-20202548736968
10-20202645641469
9-20203001744685
8-20204138434128

  • 36243, conf, BR, Stortroen 1D MBH, Dimmick Lake, no production data,

Wells Coming Off The Confidential List This Next Week -- January 31, 2021

Monday, February 8, 2021:
37067, conf, Hess, EN-Labar-154-94-1003H-10,
36811, conf, Hess, IT-Jenson-158-94-0805H-1,

Sunday, February 7, 2021:
None.

Saturday, February 6, 2021:
None.

Friday, February 5, 2021:
None.

Thursday, February 4, 2021:
37200, conf, Hess, TI-Bokn-158-94-1720H-1,

Wednesday, February 3, 2021:
None.

Tuesday, February 2, 2021:
32852, conf, BR, Remington 1A MTFH,

Monday, February 1, 2021:
37066, conf, Hess, EN-Labar-154-94-1003H-9,
36243, conf, BR, Stortroen 1D MBH,

Sunday, January 31, 2021:

  • None.
Saturday, January 30, 2021:
  • None.