The Million Dollar Way (The Bakken Oil Blog): 06/07/25

Saturday, June 7, 2025

Is It Time For US Drone Command? June 7, 2025

Locator: 48712DRONES.

The trifecta:

presidents are change agents
Trump created US Space Command in his first term in office
Ukraine's "Operation Spiderweb"

Ask ChatGPT if it's time for the US to have a drone command like space command, and this is what you get, along with comments and graphics by the author of the blog:

You’re raising a timely and increasingly echoed point—many experts and analysts argue that the U.S. military does need a unified Drone Command or Unmanned Systems Command, similar in scope to Space Command or Cyber Command. Here’s a breakdown of why such a command is being discussed, and what it might look like:

Name: United States Unmanned Systems Command (USUSC), or Drone Command

HQ Location: Possibly at an existing joint base or in a drone-development hub like Creech AFB (Nevada) or Eglin AFB (Florida). My vote: Creech AFB, Nevada
my suggestion: four "divisions" --

airborne: Creech AFB, Nevada -- 45 minutes / miles northwest of Nellis AFB / Las Vegas
maritime: underwater drones;
ground (humanoid robots): MacDill AFB, FL (home of Special Ops); alternate US Army, such as Fort Irwin, California.
research and development:

air: Grand Forks AFB, ND
maritime:
ground:

Scope:

UAVs (airborne drones)
UUVs (unmanned undersea vehicles)
USVs (surface sea drones)
UGVs (ground robots)

Mandates:

doctrine and policy development
training and certification
acquisition and modernization
joint/combined operational planning

Challenges to Creating Drone Command

turf battles: each service wants to retain control of its own drone systems.
doctrinal differences: roles vary—Army sees them as ISR assets, Air Force uses them for strategic strike, Navy for mine-hunting or maritime ISR.
budget constraints: creating a new command is expensive and politically sensitive.

Who’s Talking About It?

several think tanks (CSIS, RAND, CNAS) have recommended exploring a unified drone command.
some retired generals and defense policymakers have suggested it’s inevitable—just a matter of when, not if.

From the homepage of Creech AFB this past week:

For SecDef Hegseth: the Star Trek episode with the most focus on drones is likely "Drone" from Star Trek: Voyager, Season 5, Episode 2

The Star Trek: Voyager episode titled "Drone," Season 5, Episode 2, is widely regarded as having the most focus on drones. This episode features a unique situation where a transporter accident results in the creation of an advanced Borg drone, leading to a storyline centered around Seven of Nine interacting with and teaching the drone, nicknamed "One". The episode explores themes of individuality, technology, and the complexities of the Borg Collective, showcasing the nature and abilities of this advanced drone.

Link here.

The C-130 And Other Things -- June 7, 2025

Locator: 48711USAF.

X continues to be an incredibly good source for may things. X and ChatGPT have rendered several of my other "go-to" sites redundant.

I spent most of my military career overseas and much of that overseas portion in England.

From the British dictionary:

In British English, "redundant" has a more specific meaning than in American English. It primarily refers to being dismissed from a job due to the company no longer needing that role. In other words, to be "made redundant" means being laid off, often due to job losses or downsizing. While "redundant" can also mean unnecessary or superfluous, as it does in American English, its most common usage in British English is related to job loss.

And now, "redundant" is related to internet sites no longer needed. That would include the blog but I've allowed AI companies to use the blog to train their LLMs. Seriously. No restrictions. They can use the blog all they want.

I have a handful of folks I follow on x including Evan, Beth and Shay.

From Shay today: link here. It's an incredibly long thread. It begins:

In 2022, or thereabouts, I pivoted to tech. I continued to add to my AAPL position but took on new and relatively large positions in four of the five companies listed above. I specifically did not invest in ASML due to it being located outside of the US. Knowing what I know now about investing (Schwab seminars) I would have added ASML and had the best 5-card poker hand. LOL.

I continued to add to my positions for about one year, but after late 2023 or early 2024 I have completely quit adding to my tech positions, now known as AI.

I am 1000% a buy-and-hold investor and only sell when it becomes obvious it's time to sell. I seldom look at my portfolio any more except when I've accrued enough dividends and taken RMDs that require re-investment. I'm in the process of moving the entire portfolio to the grandchildren.

Next year, I will need to invest in "the next big thing." LOL. Within the existing portfolio, it will be most interesting to see if BRK becomes simply another "mutual fund" or if the new CEO is able to spark some new fireworks. Not likely.

Investors don't like AAPL but college students absolutely love Apple.

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The Book Page -- Hard

This is exactly (the type of) book I was looking for a few weeks ago and I found it in Portland (of course), for $5.00. The math is way over my head but every little bit helps me understand semiconductors. This has nothing do do with investing, simply for interest, if not enjoyment.

*********************
The Book Page -- Easy

I'm a sucker for glossy books published in England on military a/c.

This book was just published.

I know I logged more hours on the C-130 than all other military a/c -- combined -- on which I flew.

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Disclaimer
Brief Reminder

Briefly:

I am inappropriately exuberant about the Bakken and I am often well out front of my headlights. I am often appropriately accused of hyperbole when it comes to the Bakken.
I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple.
See disclaimer. This is not an investment site.
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. All my posts are done quickly: there will be content and typographical errors. If something appears wrong, it probably is. Feel free to fact check everything.
If anything on any of my posts is important to you, go to the source. If/when I find typographical / content errors, I will correct them.
Reminder: I am inappropriately exuberant about the Bakken, US economy, and the US market.
I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple.
And now, Nvidia, also. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Nvidia. Nvidia is a metonym for AI and/or the sixth industrial revolution.
I've now added Broadcom to the disclaimer. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Broadcom.
I've now added Oracle to the disclaimer. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Oracle.
Longer version here.

To Start The Weekend -- Actually The Second Or Third Post Of The Weekend -- Just A Reminder -- June 7, 2025

Locator: 48710HISTORY.

June 7, 1494: less than two years after Christopher Columbus does something.

Spain and Portugal sign the Treaty of Tordesillas, which divides discoveries around the world between Portugal and Spain. Portugal got Brazil. Spain got Cuba. Okay, that seems fair enough.

Disclaimer
Brief Reminder

Briefly:

I am inappropriately exuberant about the Bakken and I am often well out front of my headlights. I am often appropriately accused of hyperbole when it comes to the Bakken.
I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple.
See disclaimer. This is not an investment site.
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. All my posts are done quickly: there will be content and typographical errors. If something appears wrong, it probably is. Feel free to fact check everything.
If anything on any of my posts is important to you, go to the source. If/when I find typographical / content errors, I will correct them.
Reminder: I am inappropriately exuberant about the Bakken, US economy, and the US market.
I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple.
And now, Nvidia, also. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Nvidia. Nvidia is a metonym for AI and/or the sixth industrial revolution.
I've now added Broadcom to the disclaimer. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Broadcom.
I've now added Oracle to the disclaimer. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Oracle.
Longer version here.

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June 7

Specific Historical Events on June 7:

1099: The Siege of Jerusalem begins.
1494: Spain and Portugal sign the Treaty of Tordesillas.

1914: The Panama Canal is opened.

1929: Vatican City becomes a sovereign state.

1942: The Battle of Midway concludes.

1965: The U.S. Supreme Court strikes down a Connecticut law banning contraception in Griswold v. Connecticut.

1968: The first LegoLand resort opens.

1975: The first Cricket World Cup begins.

1975: A new constitution is adopted for Greece, replacing the monarchy with a republic.

1983: Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space.

2011: The St. Louis Cardinals win a historic game.

It's Not All AI -- June 7, 2025

Locator: 48709AUTO.

RACE.

Personal Savings Rate -- Americans Have It Pretty Good -- June 7, 2025

Locator: 48708ECONOMY.

Unfortunately, according to ChatGPT, state-by-state data is not available. I was most interested in the savings rate in California.

Remember, the national savings rate right now is 4.9%. That's the "average" I assume across all fifty states.

At the end of the day, only a handful of states make any real difference in the overall average, perhaps:

New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, Utah at the high end;
Rhode Island, Michigan, Oregon, California at the low end.

North Dakota would be in the first list but the population is so small it does not affect the national average; one could say that about Rhode Island, also, but at the opposite end. But I thought it important to note that not all of the northeast is doing as well as New York / New Jersey.

National savings rate, 1-, 3-, and 10-year intervals:

NVDA Vs COST -- Something To Think About -- June 7, 2025

Locator: 48707NVDA.

This is the tweet of the day, the chart of the day.

Absolutely incredible.

This speaks volumes about investors. Wow. LOL.

Link here.

CLR To Test More Layers Of Williston Basin Oily Rock -- Hart Energy -- May 19, 2025 -- Posted June 7, 2025

Locator: 48706CLR.

Sent to me by a reader earlier today (actually yesterday). A huge thank-you to the reader. Very much appreciated.

Link here. Excerpts, much more at the link:

Continental Resources is exploring new Williston Basin formations for stimulated, horizontal potential with 2025-minted D&C recipes.

But which formations are being tested remains under wraps, for now. “I'm not going to tell you right now,” Continental President and CEO Doug Lawler said with a grin at Hart Energy’s SUPER DUG 2025 Conference & Expo.

Lawler did say the Bakken is “very similar to the Powder River [Basin], though.

There are a number of different stratigraphic intervals that have not been fully developed.” Harold Hamm, Continental’s founder, was asked in another session,

“Doug said this morning that y'all are looking at other Williston Basin formations … but he wouldn't tell us what those other ones are. Would you tell us?”

Three Forks 2, 3, and 4.

After proving up the Bakken in western North Dakota, Continental tested each of the four underlying benches of the super-tight Three Forks formation, beginning in 2012. Three Forks 1 worked with the drilling and completion (D&C) formula of the time and Continental added it to its well inventory. However, the lower three were increasingly less economic along the column.

Is there potential now to figure those out with the modern D&C recipe? Lawler said absolutely, adding: “At what point in time each of those could become potentially commercially viable? It's hard to tell there. There are different geologic attributes, water saturations and things that can potentially impact economics.”

Current OFS best practices are making the Bakken itself economic outside of what has been the Tier 1 heart of the play—fringe areas where the technology of the 2010s made it unprofitable, he added.

“There are many parts of the Bakken play that have not attracted investment … that 10 years ago we didn't think would ever get there. And today we're making wells in some of the poorer-quality rock that are equivalent or as good and just slightly better than some of the core Tier 1 acreage.”