Quick: What Generates More Waste Water -- Conventional Natural Gas Wells or Fracked Natural Gas Wells?

PERC.org, via CarpeDiem, is reporting that conventional gas wells produce a whole lot more waste water than fracked wells:

Our research shows that for the Marcellus Shale -- by far the largest shale gas resource in the United States -- significantly less wastewater is generated for every unit of natural gas recovered by hydraulic fracturing than by conventional gas production.

In the peer-reviewed journal Water Resources Research, we compared wastewater volumes generated by more than 2,000 hydraulically fractured shale gas wells to the wastewater generated by conventional wells. We used publicly available data throughout Pennsylvania.

Our results surprised us: On average, shale gas wells generated about 10 times more wastewater but also produced about 30 times more natural gas. This means conventional wells generate about three times more wastewater than hydraulically fractured wells to produce the same amount of natural gas.

Conventional gas resources -- on which we have relied for more than 150 years -- are drawn from highly porous geologic formations. They are like sponges through which gas can flow freely.

These pores also can harbor large volumes of water. In fact, more deep water -- water that usually contains high concentrations of pollutants -- is usually brought to the surface than natural gas.

Something tells me this will be too hard for faux environmentalists to understand. 

Department of Defense Ordering 650,000 Apple Products

Macrumors is reporting:

The United States Department of Defense is reportedly ordering more than 650,000 iOS devices. 

The report says the DoD will purchase 120,000 iPads, 120,000 iPad minis, 200,000 iPod touches and 210,000 iPhones. The devices will be used in a variety of situations, with more than 50% "headed to the battlefield, afloat, and to associated support commands." The rest will be used in office situations like the Pentagon.

Someone commented at the site:

This is just a small drop in the ocean of sales by a company as big as Apple. It is kind of like Boeing bragging that they sold one more island-hopper type airplane to the military. 

This tells me this individual:

• has never been in the military
• doesn't follow military technology
• is an idiot

This announcement is an endorsement by the Pentagon for all airmen, soldiers, marines, and sailors to "go Apple." It was always known that Apple was the better product but for various reasons Apple was not allowed inside the military (except in graphics departments). This changes everything.

For the better.

Catching Up; New Permits in the Williston Basin

No permits were issued Monday, March 18, 2013, because the server was down.

Seven (7) new permits were issued yesterday:

• Operators: Whiting (3), Oasis (2), WPX, Armstrong
• Fields: Sanish (Mountrail), Van Hook (Mountrail), Willow Creek (Williams)
• Comments: Armstrong has a permit for a wildcat in Dunn County.

Sixteen (16) new permits were issued today:

• Operators: BR (5), XTO (3), Emerald Oil (2), Samson Resources (2), Hess (2), Whiting, Oasis
• Fields: Ambrose (Divide), Big Stick (Billings), Cherry Creek (McKenzie), Siverston (McKenzie), Cottonwood (Mountrail), Keene (McKenzie)
• Comments:  Emerald Oil has two wildcats in McKenzie County.

On Monday, four producing wells were reported as completed:

• 21516, 762, CLR, Lawrence 4-13H, North Tioga, t1/13; cum 15K 1/13;
• 23263, 2,978, BR, Mesa Verde 44-22TFH, Clear Creek, t3/13; cum --
• 21994, 658, Abraxas, Ravin 26-35-2H, North Fork, t2/13; 2K 1/13;
• 23346, 359, CLR, Fenster 2-11H, Hamlet, 4-section spacing, t2/13; cum --

On Tuesday, two producing wells were reported as completed:

• 20163, 795, Hess, EN-Johnson A-155-94-2932H-1, Alkali Creek, t2/13; cum --
• 21982, 706,  CLR, Florida 2-11H, Camp, 4-section spacing; t2/13; cum --; 4-well pad; stand-up spacing unit;

On Wednesday (today), two producing wells were also reported as completed:

• 22249, 752, Slawson, Magnum 2-36-25H, Baker,
• 23347, 425, CLR, Fenster 3-11H, Hamlet, 4-section spacing; t2/13; cum --; 2-wells pad; stand-up spacing unit;

Bakken Premium to WTI at Clearbrook, MN, Doubles Overnight

The premium paid for Bakken oil over WTI oil at Clearbrook, Minnesota, doubled overnight.

Yesterday, the premium paid for Bakken oil at Clearbrook was 25 cents over WTI oil.

Today, the premium doubled to 50 cents.

Active rigs: 184

Wells Reporting High IPs Over The Past Few Days; Look At Those BR Mesa Verde Wells!

I doubt folks spend much time surfing through the archives at the sidebar at the right, but one may want to take a look at the list of Bakken wells with high IPs. These are the wells with high IPs that have been reported in the past five days:

• 23570, 2,602, Newfield, Sand Creek Federal 153-96-23-14-10H, Keene, "Bakken/ThreeForks," t2/13; cum --
  
• 23374, 8,683, Hess, EN-Ortloff 156-94-2635H-2,  Big Butte, t2/13; cum 17K 1/13; 
• 22740, 3,863, Oasis, Larry 5301 44-12B,  Baker, t9/12; cum 51K 1/13;  
• 22642, 2,271, Oasis, Birdhead 5200 41-22T, Camp, t10/12; cum 74K 1/13;
• 21591, 2,662, Newfield, Sand Creek Federal 153-96-23-14-2H, Keene, t2/13; cum --,
• 21057, 2,982, BR, Hilman 31-29H, Haystack Butte, flaring; t12/12; cum 3K 1/13;
• 23295, 2,592, BR, Mesa Verde 14-22TFH, Clear Creek, flaring, t1/13; cum 3K 1/13;
• 23261, 3,880, BR, Mesa Verde 34-22TFH, Clear Creek, t2/13; cum --
• 23263, 2,978, BR, Mesa Verde 44-22TFH, Clear Creek, t3/13; cum --

Clear Creek is right in the middle of the sweet spot of the Bakken, northeast McKenzie County; about 15 miles northeast of Watford City.

Again, for newbies, I only include wells with IPs above 2,000 or so on the "high IP" list. Before the Bakken boom, "we" were happy with wells that had an IP of 350; and thrilled with anything above 500 or 750 bopd for an IP. Of course, IPs exceeding 1,000 bopd were incredible. And then along came BEXP regularly reporting wells with IPs greater than 2,000 bopd. Now, look at this list: Newfield, Hess, Oasis, BR.

By the way, I have my doubts about the Hess EN-Ortloff well. The well file has not been posted so we can't verify that Hess reported this IP. Once the well file has been posted, we will know more.