Samson Resources To Sell Bakken Interests? In Flux: News?

I may have missed this one, but elsewhere they are starting to talk about it.

Here's the link announcing the sale.

PN Bakken has this story which may be related.  With so many companies involved in this story, it's a bit difficult for me to sort out when going through this quickly. If I get more time, and I remember, I will look at this again. I've posted the Baytex/Magnum Hunter story earlier.

Helis With Two Great Wells -- Daily Activity Report -- July 16, 2012

Daily activity report, July 16 2012 --

Twenty-one (21) new permits -- a record for past two years?

• Operators: WPX (14), BEXP (2), Hess (2), Hunt (2), Crescent Point Energy
• Fields: Moccasin Creek (Dunn), Wheelock (Williams), Van Hook (Mountrail), Alexander (McKenzie), West Ambrose (Divide)

Twelve of the WPX permits will be in section 36-148N-93W, Moccasin Creek.   Two wells were previously permitted in this section, so there are now 14 wells permitted in this one section. It appears there will be four pads of 3 wells each (12 wells) and the previously permitted two singlets. It looks like, based on location, 7 will run north; 7 will run south.

And less than a mile to the east, in Heart Butte oil field, section 31-148-92, there are seven wells all closely spaced with each other, also all WPX wells. And in that same section (31-148-92), QEP has four wells nearing completion. So, that section with 11 wells sited within the section but going to different spacing units.

It should be noted that these wells are in the reservation; those inside BLM-managed land are expecting to hear the outcome of Federal fracking regulations later this year (after September, 2012). 

Hunt Oil has permits for two wildcats, both in Divide County. 

Wells coming off the confidential list:

• 20590, no data, Zavanna, Skogen 17-20 1H, McKenzie
• 21263, 325, OXY USA, Wittinger 2-17-5H-143-95, Murphy Creek, t1/12; cum 34K 5/12; 21 stages; "sand frac" but no details seen;
• 21524, 732, CLR, Hartman 2-28H, Chimney Butte, t5/12; cum 17K 5/12; 35 stages, "sand frac" with ceramics;
• 21228, 673, CLR, Nadia 2-30H, Jim Creek, t3/12; cum 24 K 5/12; 30 stages with ceramics;
• 21408, 700, Slawson, Athena 2-36H, Alger, t4/12; cum 33K 5/12; sand frac; I did not see ceramics listed;
• 21757, drl, ERF, Impala 148-04-03b-10-1H, McGregory Buttes, s1/12; completion data not seen yet;
• 22032, drl, Hess, AV-Flugge-162-94-1918H-1, s1/12; completion data not seen yet;
• 22198, 857, Newfield, Moberg Federal 149-95-29-32-3H, Bear Den, t5/12; cum 11K 5/12; 32 stages; "sand frac," additional details not seen; "sand frac" does not preclude use of ceramics;
• 21437, 2,256, Helis, Lawlar 16-8/5H, Grail, t4/12; cum 35K 5/12; completion data not seen
• 21521, 1,521, Helis, Dailey 4-12/13H, Spotted Horn, t3/12; cum 74K 5/12; "sand frac" but included ceramics;
• 21706, 2,002, Denbury Onshore, Lundin 11-13SEH, Siverston, t4/12; cum 31K 5/12; "sand frac" though I didn't find details, except 26 stages;
• 22008, 120, Crescent Point Energy, CPEUSC Burgess 14-23-158-100W, wildcat, t5/12; cum 1,391 bbls; sand and ceramics;
• 22168, 358, Slawson, Athena 5-36TFH, Alger, t4/12; cum 11K 5/12; 15 stages; no ceramics mentioned;

Producing wells that are now completed: none.

Operator transfer:
18 wells from Summit Resources to Legacy Reserves.
8 wells from Panther Creek Resources to Legacy Reserves. Elsewhere others noted the same thing.
1 well from Denbury Onshore to CLR:

• 22987, DNR, Doe 34-23NH, Dunn

America's 100-Year Natural Gas Supply

Great article from The Economist, via CarpeDiem.

Victorville, CA -- Absolutely Nothing To Do With the Bakken

From the LA Times, last week, July 8, 2012.

This has been hanging around my desktop for the past week. With all the other news, it sort of got lost among the Stockton, Mammoth Lakes, and San Bernardino bankruptcies.

Victorville struggled, but apparently is balancing its budget without filing for bankruptcy protection. Good for them.

The city agency, according to the Times, shelled out $76 million for a 500-megawatt power plant that was never built. The city paid one individual $375,000 for his home on that plot of land; the home was worth $38,000 at the time but the city needed the plot of desert land for the power plant. In addition to the overall debacle, it appears the city may have used illegal measures to avoid financial ruin. The guy who got almost $400,000 for this $40K house – he moved to Oregon as soon as he got his money. The city presented a balanced budget this year and says they won’t go bankrupt like Stockton. Unemployment: 14%. The city blames their problems on the collapse of the stock market. 

I was surprised they did not blame the former president. 

Not News; It Was In The Works, But Another One Bites The Dust

MSNBC dissolves, freeing MS to from its own online news service, and for NBC to continue down its own road.