Locator: 46420B.
SM Energy: increases its quarterly dividend from 15 cents to 18 cents.
**************************
Back to the Bakken
Active rigs: 33.
WTI; $71.65.
One new permit, #40416:
Operator: Kraken
Field: Hebron (Williams)
Comments:
Three permits renewed;
Enerplus: Scaup, Widgeon, and Pintail in McGregory Buttes (Dunn County)
Locator: 46419THEMES.
*************************
Updates Posted In 2025
Major Themes
Investing
Geopolitical
Fourth Industrial Revolution --> Sixth Industrial Revolution
Energy
***********************************
2025 Themes Posted In 2024
New President / Vice President
Trump / Vance vs Harris / Walz
Investing
BRK: under new leadership.
Geopolitical
Mideast: re-mapped after Israel's campaign against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran.
US THAAD troops in Israel: to help Israel defend itself again Iran; US-Israel-Arab dynamic changed.
Fourth Industrial Revolution --> Sixth Industrial Revolution
Sixth industrial revolution: link here.
Wiki, link here.
AI: the magnificent seven.
LCDs: incredible electricity demand.
Energy
EV shake-out.
Natural gas.
Southern Surge
The Gazification of Manhattan
Locator: 46418EVTRUCKS.
If I track the new California - Port - EV truck mandate, effective January 1, 2024, it will be tracked here. Re-posting;
California, E-trucks, and the ports: link here.
Something tells me it's not as rosy as Mr Diaz is making it sound. It
will be interesting to see if his company is still around in 2026. And
the bigger picture: look how much it will take to build out the
infrastructure to accomplish what California and the ports have
mandated. And note that every one of the EV trucks he bought-- Nikolas
-- were recalled with the promise that Diaz would get them back
"sometime" in 2024. If Nikola survives financially. The bigger question:
why didn't he go with Daimler EV trucks? Nikola is in the middle of moving battery operations from California to Arizona.
*********************
Nikola
From link above.
Locator: 46417ARCHIVES.
Personal investing: bought WMT and CAT. Last trades of the year. Sold entire WBA position.
Market: last trading day quiet, subdued, no new records.
*************************
For The Archives
Josh on CNBC, "Half Time Report" -- again, he has it exactly right this morning.
At the linked article, the comments are most important. One would think the Fed now has a quiver full of arrows to take on the next challenge. All things being equal, it all comes down to the Fed. But all things are not equal: presidential election year; Israel-Hamas; Ukraine-Russia; stimulus money winding its way through the economy.
For the market, for WOOPs which grandchildren who are paying attention, great opportunity to move a lot of idle cash into 529s.
***********************
Energy
CVX: one of Barron's top ten for 2024.
Oil: best-performing asset in 2024 -- BofA. Hope springs eternal.
Oil: agree completely. And this isn't going to change any time soon. And for Gen Zers and millennials whose only car is an EV, their EVs are small (e.g., Chevy Bolt), used for local trips and have minimal impact on gasoline demand.
Coal: US coal production rose 7.5% year/year. I find that amazing. 7.5% is not trivial. I bet if you asked most millennials, they would get this one wrong. Assuming millennials are even interested. And I doubt that they are.
California, E-trucks, and the ports: link here. Something tells me it's not as rosy as Mr Diaz is making it sound. It will be interesting to see if his company is still around in 2026. And the bigger picture: look how much it will take to build out the infrastructure to accomplish what California and the ports have mandated. And note that every one of the EV trucks he bought-- Nikolas -- were recalled with the promise that Diaz would get them back "sometime" in 2024. If Nikola survives financially. The bigger question: why didn't he go with Daimler EV trucks? Nikola is in the middle of moving battery operations from California to Arizona.
Locator: 46416B.
WTI: $72.25. Goldilocks range.
Sunday, December 31, 2023: 45 for the month; 194 for the quarter, 764 for the year
None.
Saturday, December 30, 2023: 45 for the month; 194 for the quarter, 764 for the year
39289, conf, Hess, GO-Tong Trust A-LWW-157-96-2032H-1,
Friday, December 29, 2023: 44 for the month; 193 for the quarter, 763 for the year
None.
RBN Energy: top ten RBN Energy prognostications in 2023 (a review).
10. VLCC economics will accelerate the shift to Corpus Christi crude export dominance.
9. The 2023 hiatus on new LNG export-capacity additions will trigger the last oversupplied gas market for a long time to come.
8. NGL production will keep coming on strong in 2023, pushing more volumes to export markets.
7. Canadian crude flows into the U.S. will drop in 2023, narrowing the WTI-WCS differential.
6. Appalachia will see the last throes of natural gas production growth in 2023-24 as takeaway capacity maxes out.
5. The energy transition gravy train has arrived. It’s time to get on board.
4. Permian crude oil pipeline capacity to Corpus Christi will soon max out.
3. Another round of steam crackers is coming to Gulf Coast ethane markets.
2. New natural gas pipeline/LNG supply projects are coming to debottleneck the Sabine River crossing.
1. The resurgence of energy security goals will breathe new life into energy project development opportunities.