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Monday, February 28, 2022

US Crude Oil Demand Setting New Records; US Crude Oil / Petroleum Products Hitting New Export Records -- February 28, 2022

NYISO: New Yorkers lashing out at ConEdison over soaring electricity bills.  

Methinks New Yorkers are "lashing out" at the wrong folks. We've only been talking about this for years. Link to Leonard Hyman and William Tilles.

US crude oil / petroleum exports: new record high. Link here.

US crude oil demand hitting new records: link here

US oil demand was 20.764 million bopd in December, 2021; represents a 9.4% y/y increase; (COVID effect); up 1.6% vs December, 2019; pre-Covid. So, we're hitting levels of demand greater than we saw pre-Covid, and this is highest December since 2006.

Crude oil closing prices:

  • Brent: $100.99
  • WTI: $95.73
    • spread: $5.26
    • just prior to the Ukraine incursion, the spread had narrowed to one dollar

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Musical Interlude

Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, Roseanne Cash, and Albert Lee in session, 1983. 

Wow, wow, wow. I just happened to run across these two videos, the first is two hours long and the second is one hour long. I have yet to get through both but they look like they are well worth exploring.

Apparently there are few videos of Albert Lee on YouTube; I don't know. 

Part 1 of 2, posted November 14, 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFcq5FdAMr0&t=2390s.

Part 2 of 2, posted November 15, 2020:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAh-vdzOy6Q.

No New Permits; Eleven Permits Renewed; Four DUCs Reported As Completed -- February 28, 2022

Active rigs:

$95.73
2/28/202202/28/202102/28/202002/28/201902/28/2018
Active Rigs3215526757

No new permits.

Eleven permits renewed:

  • Enerplus (6): six FB Clinton permits in Dunn County.
  • Petro-Hunt (5): three Blikre permits and two Powell permits, all in Burke County.

Four producing wells (DUCs) reported as completed:

  • 37632, 158, BR, Cherry Juice 1T TFH, Haystack Butte, minimal production,
  • 37634, 217, BR, Cherry Pie 1R TFH, Haystack Butte, minimal production,
  • 37918, 595, Slawson, Sniper Federal 4-6-7TFH, Big Bend, minimal production,
  • 37920, 303, Slawson, Whirlcat Federal 5-31-19TFH, Big Bend, minimal production,

Halo effect.

  • 18589, 962, Slawson, Sniper Federal 1-6-7H, Big Bend, t5/10; cum 630K 12/21, recent production:
PoolDateDaysBBLS OilRunsBBLS WaterMCF ProdMCF SoldVent/Flare
BAKKEN12-20213110016101328104778338373791
BAKKEN11-2021301194811822960498509459241
BAKKEN10-2021179030851612428716837453338
BAKKEN9-20210000000
BAKKEN8-20210000000
BAKKEN7-20210000000
BAKKEN6-20210000000
BAKKEN5-20210000000
BAKKEN4-20210000000
BAKKEN3-20211000632731
BAKKEN2-20211570041036
BAKKEN1-20210000000
BAKKEN12-20200000000
BAKKEN11-20200000000
BAKKEN10-20200000000
BAKKEN9-20200000000
BAKKEN8-20200000000
BAKKEN7-20200000000
BAKKEN6-20200000000
BAKKEN5-20200000000
BAKKEN4-20200000000
BAKKEN3-20200000000
BAKKEN2-20200000000
BAKKEN1-20200000000
BAKKEN12-20190000000
BAKKEN11-20190000000
BAKKEN10-20190000000
BAKKEN9-20192817291152402130
BAKKEN8-201930251523557303238280512
BAKKEN7-20193126022940729326528300
BAKKEN6-2019302574234666927081871410
BAKKEN5-201931280629057633231275916
BAKKEN4-20193030053473824336929000
BAKKEN3-201931323326379633446293811
BAKKEN2-2019282526274167624381805230
BAKKEN1-2019241993138858222151776109
  • 28113, 419, Slawson, Sniper Federa l6-6-7TFH, F, Big Bend, t1/21; cum 155K 12/21:
PoolDateDaysBBLS OilRunsBBLS WaterMCF ProdMCF SoldVent/Flare
BAKKEN12-202131107191071216208960266152832
BAKKEN11-2021254805461911326417527081343
BAKKEN10-20211720421735949417272711373
BAKKEN9-20210000000
BAKKEN8-20213021448221952148318909804310715
BAKKEN7-20213024464244043268621222657714496
BAKKEN6-20213020598203643348917820597911691
BAKKEN5-2021271635115951263021399159857873
BAKKEN4-2021281731817712300551489472247531
BAKKEN3-2021271667617149340781425183925724
BAKKEN2-20212816427164004132414379111563083
BAKKEN1-202111442631901474440833525504
BAKKEN11-20200000000

Gut Check: Ukraine Seeks Immediate EU Membership As Russia Closes In On Kiev -- 12:45 P.M. CT -- February 28, 2022

Weekend twitter: some on social media suggested this would be a "Lehman weekend" when the market opened today, and that "the Fed" has no arrows left in its quiver to respond. 

As of later afternoon, Monday, first trading day after severe sanctions put into effect, we are not yet seeing the evidence of a "Lehman weekend."

US equity markets: apparently "we" all survived. 

I don't watch the markets and I don't watch CNBC during such volatility as we see now. I haven't watched CNBC now for three weeks, I suppose and don't miss it one bit. 
There's really no way to do any analysis; and, recommendations to buy, sell, or hold, are no more than hunches by individuals. However, having said that, one can get a pretty good picture of the flip side: what the market is telling us about world events. 
Based on what little I know with regard to the market today, it appears that a) crude oil is still a big deal; and, b) the Russian-Ukraine conflict remains not much more than a regional event. 
What will be most interesting is if the Russian economy can implode and not materially affect the rest of the world. I saw a headline that the Russian central bank was scrambling to buy gold and yet the price of gold hardly moved. At the close, the dollar hardly moved (up 0.1 percent) and gold had gone up 1%. Hardly scary.

Covid: I see mainstream media is reporting that "ahead" of the State of the Union Address, the White House is dropping "the mask mandate." Details to follow. 

I have read and am reading disparaging comments with regard to this decision. The folks making those comments remind us that more folks than ever are sick and testing positive for Covid-19, most likely most of them with the omicron variant. 

Those who make those remarks appear to be misinterpreting what this is all about. This may or may not be political but it does not have anything do with the number of cases, even though the White House says that. I will argue that the "delay" in removing the mask mandate was not a delay at all but rather in line with CDC guidelines and public health officials. I have no complaints.

I continue to look at the glass half full, and not half empty.

EIA's 914 Posted -- February 28, 2022

December, 2021, data. 

From a reader:

EIA 914 out, 0.2MM bopd drop from NOV to DEC. Opposite of my expectation.

https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/production/

Caused by:

1. FGOM. Not sure why, but maybe just decline after the flush production from putting wells back online in NOV, after SEP-OCT hurricanes).

2. NM. Big drop. Not clear why. Lots of rigs there. Almost wonder if something changed in the algorithm or data collection, but they are good at updating old months, so doubt it. But then, not sure why down.

3. ND. Small drop. Cold in DEC. ;-)

4. TX. Small drop. Donno why.

Meanwhile Psaki says no to taking the boot off shale's throat. Wants more Solyndra funding instead for her liberal Goldman/Mckinsey buddies.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/psaki-pushes-renewable-energy-stop-dependence-foreign-oil-instead-of-increasing-us-production.

EIA

  • US, total: down 1.7%; running about 11.6 million bopd
  • Texas:
    • down 0.3%, unremarkable; running about 5 million bopd 
  • Off-shore, GOM:
    • down 4.5%; running about 1.7 million bopd
  • New Mexico:
    • down 4.3%, from 1.423 million bopd to 1.362 million bopd 
  • North Dakota:
    • down 2.1%: from 1.153 million bopd to 1.128 million bopd 
  • Alaska
    • up slightly, up 1.2% still below 500,000 bopd
  • Nothing else matters.

Clearing The In-Box From Overnight -- February 28, 2022

Gold: Russia's central bank is scrambling to buy gold as ruble collapses. 

First group "financial / economic" indicators:

  • 10-Year Treasury: link here. Down eleven basis points; 1.87%.
  • DXY: link here. Over the weekend, pundits said the dollar "would explode (surge): in fact, it barely moved, up 0.20% at $96.81.
  • Silver: link here. Up 1.53%; trading at $24.365.
  • Gold: link here. Up but barely, up 0.3%; trading at $1,894.
  • CBOE volatility index: link here. Explained at Investopedia. Very, very high and rising; up 13% today; at 31.1 now vs 27 previous close. One-year high: 31.96.

Current quotes, for oil:

  • Josh Young: $150
  • Rystad Energy: $130
  • JPMorgan: $120

Trans Mountain pipeline: not on my Monday morning bingo card -- regulator says work on key pipeline terminals can proceed. Link here. 

  • Trans Mountain now expects expansion to be complete in 3Q23;
  • capacity will triple, from Alberta to the Pacific Coast, to almost 900,000 bopd

Lego: will add 60 brand-news on March 1, 2022 -- tomorrow. Caught my eye:

  • John Deere 9620R 4WD Tractor, look at this price point: $29.99
  • Telehandler, $12.99
  • baseplates, several new colors, styles: from $9.99 to $14.99

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PDC: Wattenberg Oil Field

Updates

Later, 7:03 p.m. CT: I see some folks over on twitter don't understand the difference between "Wattenberg" and "D-J." Wikipedia entry will help. Those who do not understand the difference, do not be ashamed: it's a rookie mistake. Twelve years ago I would have not known the difference either but after twelve years of blogging about the Bakken, I understand the difference between the "D-J" and the "Wattenberg."

Original Post

PDC: adds to inventory with $1.3 billion core Wattenberg acquisition. Press release.
acquires Great Western Petroleum, a privately held D-J Basin operator owned by group of investors

  • increases quarterly base dividend more than 100% to 25 cents/share
    • plans to increase dividend to 35 cents/share once deal closes
    • commits returning a minimum of 60% of annual post-dividend free cash flow to shareholders
    • systematic share repurchases and special dividend, if needed
  • $1.3 billion deal
    • 55,000 boepd ($24K / boepd)
    • addition of 315 identified locations, including 125 combined DUCs and approved permits

************************************

Global SPR releases: could be as much as 70 million bbls

  • amounts to 18 hours of global consumption

Around the world:

  • Equinor: follows BP, will exit JVs in Russia.
  • Russia: forbids foreigners to sell stocks.
  • Germany: power operators reject call to keep nuclear plants running (someone sees a lot of money from existing wind / solar)
  • XOM: so far, has kept quiet about its huge investments in Russia

Sarah Bloom Raskin: nominated by the president to serve as Vice Chair for Supervision at the Federal Reserve System. In July, 2020, when oil was trading at $40 / bbl, she famously predicted:

"There is no indication that the value of fossil fuel assets is ever going to return. It's one of the worst investments there is, and yet this is one that the Fed has picked."

  • Perfectly qualified for the job; should be a unanimous confirmation
  • Note:
    • SRE, a $124-stock, was up $7 on Friday, last week;
    • today, SRE, a $124-stock is up another $5 today, Monday;
    • one assumes Ms Raskin can do the math
  • Others today:
    • ENB: up 1% today; at/near 52-week high; pays 6.28%; about 600 basis points better than the Fed;
    • EPD: up 2.4% today; at/near 52-week high; pays 7.6%; 760 basis points better than the Fed;
    • EOG: up 5.5% today; at/near 52-week high; pays 2.7%; 270 basis points better than the Fed;
    • CVX: up 2% today; new 52-week high; pays 4%; 400 basis points better than the Fed;
    • PDC: see above
  • Clazy (as my mother-in-law used to say): amazing to know that BlackRock is divesting its fossil fuel energy holdings

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New Book 

Released February 8, 2022:

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Movies

Nine must-see Elizabeth Taylor movies on what-would-have-been her 90th birthday. Link here, includes Giant, which I just saw from start to finish for the first time ever, over the weekend.

  • James Dean's character a bit of a disappointment
  • I now understand the reason for the close relationship between Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor years later, off-stage; great, wonderful relationship from what little I know;
  • all three, Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean brilliant casting choices; hard to imagine anyone else; Robert Mitchum would not have worked for the Rock Hudson character.

Jack Reacher: great movie. Watched it for the third or fourth time over the weekend. Three observations:

  • the public defender really, really was dumb; hard to believe the questions she asked Jack Reacher;
  • the car chase scene lasted a bit too long but all-in-all okay;
  • the final "fist-fight" between Jack Reacher and the arch-henchman was really, really unnecessary; a quick shot to the head would have been more satisfying;
  • Tom Cruise still has his trademark smirk; a little off-putting after all these years;
  • the worst thing: the "mystery" and "solving" the case was incredible; best part of the movie, but, the underlying crime was incredibly mundane and unimaginative; that many innocent people killed and that much follow-on violence for a bit of white-collar crime? Perhaps that was the sign of the times when crime wasn't all that big in the US.

Eight Wells Coming Off Confidential List -- Most In A Long Time -- February 28, 2022

Active rigs:

$95.80
2/28/202202/28/202102/28/202002/28/201902/28/2018
Active Rigs2315526757

Monday, February 28, 2022: 53 for the month, 108 for the quarter, 108 for the year

  • 38208, conf, Petro-Hunt, Gulbranson 163-100-1B-12-3H, Big Gulch, no production data,
  • 38121, conf, CLR, Flint Chips Federal 3-5HSL1, Big Gulch, no production data,
  • 38120, conf, CLR, Dennis FIU 2-8HSL, Big Gulch, no production data,
  • 38119, conf, CLR, Flint Chips Federal 2-5HSL, Big Gulch, no production data,
  • 38118, conf, CLR, Dennis FIU 14-8H, Cedar Coulee, no production data,

Sunday, February 27, 2022: 48 for the month, 103 for the quarter, 103 for the year

  • 38498, conf, Eagle Operating, VM 5-2, Feldner Coulee, no production data,

Saturday, February 26, 2022: 47 for the month, 102 for the quarter, 102 for the year

  • 38117, conf, CLR, Dennis FIU 13-8H1, Cedar Coulee, no production data,
  • 37335, drl/A, Whiting, Miller 44-10-2H, Sanish, first production, 8/21; t--; cum 71K 1/22;

RBN Energy: an update on LNG export projects along Canada's west coast

Global LNG markets have been in overdrive this winter — it seems the world just can’t get enough of the super-cooled natural gas. Moreover, with long-term LNG demand growth in Asia appearing robust well into the next decade, the time would seem ripe to reconsider expanded export opportunities from Canada’s West Coast, one of the closest and potentially largest sources of LNG for Asian buyers. With one major LNG export project already under construction, at least one more awaiting the final go-ahead, and two more serious proposals having emerged last year, Canada’s outlook for additional LNG sales to Asia is clearly bright. In today’s RBN blog, we discuss recent developments regarding Canadian LNG projects.