Friday, January 5, 2024

A Muscial Interlude -- January 5, 2024

Locator: 46468MUSIC. 

Katie Melua, from wiki:

Ketevan "Katie" Melua, born 16 September, 1984, is a Georgian and British singer and songwriter. 

Melua was born in Kutaisi, Georgia, and raised in Belfast and London.

Under the management of composer Mike Batt, she was signed to the small Dramatico record label.

She made her musical debut in 2003 and within three years, she was the United Kingdom's best-selling female artist as well as Europe's highest selling European female artist.

In November, 2003, Melua released her first album, Call Off the Search, which reached the top of the United Kingdom album charts and sold 1.8 million copies in its first five months of release.

Her second album, Piece by Piece, was released in September, 2005, and to date has gone platinum (one million units sold) four times.

She released her third studio album Pictures in October 2007.

According to the Sunday Times Rich List 2008, Melua had amassed a fortune of £18 million, making her the seventh-richest British musician under the age of 30.

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Now, The Music

Something light this evening.




Week 1: January 1, 2024 -- January 7, 2024

Locator: 46467TOPSTORIES. 

Top, top story: 

  • the earth hangs in the balance (John Kerry, Algore, Greta) but for Biden, geopolitics more important
    • Biden won't allow tax credits for EV autos with Chinese batteries
    • "For want of a rider, the battle was lost. For want of a battle, the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail."

Top story: 

  • regional "wars" everywhere: Gaza, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Ukraine
  • all are in somewhat off a "steady state" situation

Top international non-energy story:

  • Gaza: Israel shows no sign of letting up
  • Ukraine: not looking good for the home team
Top international energy story:
  • OPEC+ no longer in control
  • US producing at record levels
  • Venezuela about to flood the global markets with oil
  • Germany: de-industrializing due to high-priced energy (natural gas and electricity)

Top national non-energy story:

  • US equity markets snap nine-week "winning" streak
  • US economy surprisingly strong; consumer surprisingly resilient
  • auto sector: best year for the industry since 2019;
  • November jobs: unexpected and higher
    • higher than forecast
    • unemployment remains unchanged

Top national energy story:

  • US LNG:
    • US: #1 global exports
    • Qatar falls to #2
  • US crude oil
    • field production at record levels
    • blowing Saudi away
  • three consecutive months > 13 million bopd
  • two different offshore wind projects in the news this past week
    • huge offshore wind project off east coast of US scrapped by developers (Equinor, BP)
    • first wind turbine of new offshore wind project off Martha's Vineyard up and running, providing 5MW of electricity; 

Focus on fracking: link here.

Top North Dakota non-energy story:

Top North Dakota energy story:

Geoff Simon's  quick connects: link here.

Bakken economy: 

  • plugging along;
  • the buzz? Risks of NG takeaway capacity in the New Year!
Commentary: 

Eight New Oil And Gas Permits; Six Permits Renewed; Two Permits Canceled -- January 5, 2023

Locator: 46466B.

WTI: $73.81. Very impressive considering the strength of the dollar.

Active rigs: 32.

Eight new oil & gas permits, #40430 - #40438, inclusive, except #30433, a SWD well:

  • Operators: Enerplus (6); Grayson Mill, Neptune Operating
  • Fields: Spotted Horn (McKenzie); Siverston (McKenzie); Buffalo Wallow (McKenzie)
  • Comments:
    • Enerplus has permits for a six-well "Valor" pad: Strength, Icon, Prowess, Gallant, Purpose, and Fearless; 
      • to be sited at 249/250 FNL and between 2351 FWL and 2523 FEL
    • Grayson Mill has a permit for a Scott well; NWNE 13-150-99; 
      • to be sited 290 FNL and 2420 FEL; and,
    • Neptune Operating has a permit for a Gustafson well, lot 2, section 5-148-100; 
      • to be sited 340 FNL andd 2410 FEL;

Six permits renewed:

  • Lime Rock (3): State, Kary, and Schneider; the first two in Cabernet (Dunn) and Schneider in Fayette (Dunn)
  • Hunt Oil (3): three Redmond permits, Clear Water (Mountrail)

Two permits canceled:

  • 37501, SGOC, Bighorn, Dunn County;
  • 40362, Grayson Mill, Scott, McKenzie County

Three producing wells (DUCs) reported as completed:

  • 39411, 1,754, MRO, Hegge 21-17TFH, Killdeer, see maps and wells at this post:
PoolDateDaysBBLS OilRunsBBLS WaterMCF ProdMCF SoldVent/Flare
BAKKEN11-202330220742207950636142701418517
BAKKEN10-202329210782105151266130541290376
BAKKEN9-202316153541531257361127361258370
  • 39575, 639, Iron Oil Operating, Buffalo 5-17-20H, Buffalo Wallow;
  • 39576, 636, Iron Oil Operating, Buffalo 4-17-20H, Buffalo Wallow;

Haruspicy -- January 5, 2024

Locator: 46465ECON.

Breaking: US Supreme Court to take Colorado - Trump ballot case. My hunch: once multiple states started making different opinions, it was time for the federal court to get involved.

Two links:

Look at the sharp change in direction, factory orders. It's just a single snapshot, but it's pretty remarkable:

Look at sharp change in thoughts re: GDP by FOMC members:

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Duolingo: Spanish 

I reached the 1200-day milestone today.

Today's Close -- January 5, 2024

Locator: 46464INV.

Link here (dynamic).

Nvidia (NVID) link here:

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Energy

NOG, Chord: downgraded, link here. From BofA:

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Meanwhile, In "Big Sky Country"

Link.

South end of Flathead Lake, looking north.