Notable Wells - October 2012

Dunn County

#21700 - KODIAK OIL & GAS (USA) INC., SKUNK CREEK  13-18-17-16H3, SWSW 18-148N-92W, DUNN CO., 1719 bopd

#21961 - MARATHON OIL COMPANY, ELIZABETH STROMMEN   24-12TFH, NENW 13-145N-95W, DUNN CO., 1084 bopd, 1341 bwpd - BAKKEN

#20600 - XTO ENERGY INC., FBIR BLACKMEDICINE  24X-21B, SESW 21-149N-91W, DUNN CO., 1831 bopd, 2518 bwpd - BAKKEN

#21484 - BURLINGTON RESOURCES OIL & GAS COMPANY LP, BARTLETT  31-16TFH, NWNE 16 145N-95W, DUNN CO., 1483 BOPD, 337 BWPD - BAKKEN

#21485 - BURLINGTON RESOURCES OIL & GAS COMPANY LP, BARTLETT  21-16MBH, NENW 16 145N-95W, DUNN CO., 1283 BOPD, 412 BWPD - BAKKEN

#22261 - MARATHON OIL COMPANY, LANDBLOM  14-26H, SWSW 26-144N-96W, DUNN CO., 1188 bopd, 2190 bwpd - BAKKEN


McKenzie County

#22399 - OASIS PETROLEUM NORTH AMERICA LLC, LEFTY  5200 13-30H, NWNE 30-152N-100W, MCKENZIE CO., 3330 bopd, 4810 bwpd - BAKKEN

#21648 - DENBURY ONSHORE, LLC, TOBACCO GARDEN  31-29NEH, NWNE 29-151N-99W, MCKENZIE CO., 1535 bopd, 950 bwpd - BAKKEN

#21541 - BURLINGTON RESOURCES OIL & GAS COMPANY LP, HE  14-20TFH, SWSW 20-151N-97W, MCKENZIE CO., 1202 bopd, 842 bwpd - BAKKEN

#20899 - BRIGHAM OIL & GAS, L.P., ELDRIDGE 29-20  #1TFH, SWSW 29-152N-104W, MCKENZIE CO., 2980 BOPD, 8675 BWPD - BAKKEN

#22021 - BRIGHAM OIL & GAS, L.P., BILL  14-23 2TFH, SWSW 11-151N-101W, MCKENZIE CO., 1135 BOPD, 4923 BWPD - BAKKEN

#21542 - BURLINGTON RESOURCES OIL & GAS COMPANY LP, IVAN  11-29TFH, NWNW 29-151N-97W, MCKENZIE CO., 2978 bopd, 52 bwpd - BAKKEN

#21456 - HELIS OIL & GAS COMPANY, L.L.C., TAT  13-35/26H, SWSW 35-149N-95W, MCKENZIE CO., 2014 bopd, 1562 bwpd - BAKKEN

#21308 - KODIAK OIL & GAS (USA) INC., KOALA  14-32-29-3H, SESW 32-152N-99W, MCKENZIE CO., 2461 BOPD, 1568 BWPD - BAKKEN

#22023 - BRIGHAM OIL & GAS, L.P., BILL 14-23  1H, SWSW 11-151N-101W, MCKENZIE CO., 3079 BOPD, 3638 BWPD – BAKKEN

#21742 - BURLINGTON RESOURCES OIL & GAS COMPANY LP, AMANDA  41-14MBH, NENE 14-148N-98W, MCKENZIE CO., 2832 bopd, 300 bwpd - BAKKEN

#21508 - BRIGHAM OIL & GAS, L.P., MASTON 34-27  #1H, SESW 34-153N-98W, MCKENZIE CO., 3288 BOPD, 2478 BWPD - BAKKEN

#19859 - NEWFIELD PRODUCTION COMPANY, CHAMELEON STATE  153-97-16-21-1H, NWNE 16-153N-97W, MCKENZIE CO., 1102 bopd, 3290 bwpd - BAKKEN

Mountrail County

#22403 - BRIGHAM OIL & GAS, L.P., ESTHER HYNEK   10-11 #4TFH, SWSW 10-155N-93W,MOUNTRAIL CO., 2093 bopd, 5210 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22404 - BRIGHAM OIL & GAS, L.P., ESTHER HYNEK  10-11 #3H, SWSW 10-155N-93W, MOUNTRAIL CO., 2591 bopd, 6025 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22036 - BRIGHAM OIL & GAS, L.P., STROBECK 27-34  4H, NWNE 27-155N-92W, MOUNTRAIL CO., 1904 BOPD, 1803 BWPD - BAKKEN

#22027 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, STUBSTAD  14-6TFX, LOT7 6-152N-92W, MOUNTRAIL CO., 1969 bopd, 2083 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22026 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, STUBSTAD  13-6TFX, LOT6 6-152N-92W, MOUNTRAIL CO., 1040 bopd, 607 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22533 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, ROGGENBUCK  41-24XH, NENE 24-153N-93W, MOUNTRAIL CO., 1631 BOPD, 1205 BWPD - BAKKEN

#22291 - BRIGHAM OIL & GAS, L.P., ARVID ANDERSON   14-11 #3H, SESE 14-155N-92W, MOUNTRAIL CO., 2650 bopd, 6033 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22292 - BRIGHAM OIL & GAS, L.P., ARVID ANDERSON   14-11 #2TFH, SESE 14-155N-92W, MOUNTRAIL CO., 1754 bopd, 4764 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22175 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, KANNIANEN  22-32TFX, SENW 32-154N-91W, MOUNTRAIL CO., 1249 BOPD, 2114 BWPD - BAKKEN

#22173 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, CARL KANNIANEN  22-32TFX, SENW 32-154N-91W, MOUNTRAIL CO., 1180 BOPD, 1639 BWPD - BAKKEN

#22174 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, KANNIANEN  22-32XH, SENW 32-154N-91W, MOUNTRAIL CO., 3126 BOPD, 1268 BWPD - BAKKEN

#22037 - BRIGHAM OIL & GAS, L.P., STROBECK 27-34  5TFH, NWNE 27-155N-92W, MOUNTRAIL CO., 2026 bopd, 3880 bwpd - BAKKEN

#21955 - BRIGHAM OIL & GAS, L.P., CVANCARA  20-17 3H, SWSW 20-155N-92W, MOUNTRAIL CO., 2972 BOPD, 2308 BWPD - BAKKEN

#21989 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, TIISTO  44-7XH, SESE 7-154N-91W, MOUNTRAIL CO., 2480 bopd, 1592 bwpd - BAKKEN

#21112 - MARATHON OIL COMPANY, AISENBREY  21-25H, NENW 25-151N-93W, MOUNTRAIL CO., 1358 bopd, 821 bwpd - BAKKEN


Williams County

#20979 - ZENERGY, INC, MORTENSON  6-5H, LOT5 6-153N-102W, WILLIAMS CO., 1027 bopd, 2581 bwpd - BAKKEN

#20398 - GADECO, LLC, GOLDEN  25-36H, NENW 25-155N-99W, WILLIAMS CO., 1313 BOPD, 1912  BWPD - BAKKEN

#21902 - OASIS PETROLEUM NORTH AMERICA LLC, WREN FEDERAL  5300 41-26H, SWSW 26-153N-100W, WILLIAMS CO., 4059 bopd, 2693 bwpd - BAKKEN

#21354 - OASIS PETROLEUM NORTH AMERICA LLC, CORNELL  5501 13-1H, LOT2 1-155N-101W, WILLIAMS CO., 1988 bopd, 2808 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22453 - BRIGHAM OIL & GAS, L.P., MARCIA 3-10  #2TFH, LOT1 3-153N-100W, WILLIAMS CO., 2622 BOPD, 4682 BWPD - BAKKEN

#21709 - BRIGHAM OIL & GAS, L.P., BORSHEIM TRUST 33-28  #3H, NWNW 28-155N-101W, WILLIAMS CO., 2066 BOPD, 3526 BWPD - BAKKEN

#22227 - XTO ENERGY INC., ODEGAARD STATE   21X-16B, NENW 16-157N-95W, WILLIAMS CO., 1144 BOPD, 2404 BWPD - BAKKEN

#21197 - LIBERTY RESOURCES LLC, JACKMAN  156-100-18-19-1H, NWNE 18-156N-100W, WILLIAMS CO., 1100 bopd, 416 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22082 - BRIGHAM OIL & GAS, L.P., SMITH FARM 23-14  #2H, NWNE 26-155N-101W, WILLIAMS CO., 3058 BOPD, 5344 BWPD - BAKKEN

#22081 - BRIGHAM OIL & GAS, L.P., HEEN 26-35   #2H, NENE 26-155N-101W, WILLIAMS CO., 3383 BOPD, 4101 BWPD - BAKKEN


Other Counties

#22489 - MARATHON OIL COMPANY, THOMAS MILLER USA  11-28H, NWNW 28-150N-90W, MCLEAN CO., 1181 bopd, 2515 bwpd - BAKKEN

#21345 - OASIS PETROLEUM NORTH AMERICA LLC, ROWLEY  6093 43-23H, SWSE 23-160N-93W, BURKE CO., 1473 bopd, 4155 bwpd - BAKKEN

#21745 - OASIS PETROLEUM NORTH AMERICA LLC, MARSH  6092 11-33H, NWNW 33-160N-92W, BURKE CO., 1455 bopd, 4306 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22179 - OASIS PETROLEUM NORTH AMERICA LLC, LARRY SWANSON  6093 43-23H, SWSE 23-160N-93W, BURKE CO., 590 bopd, 5085 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22060 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, ZALESKY  31-18PH, NWNE 18-140N-98W, STARK CO., 621 bopd, 1479 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22167 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, FRANK  44-7PH, SESE 7-140N-99W, STARK CO., 1545 bopd, 824 bwpd - BAKKEN

#21251 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, CYMBALUK  21-25TFH, NENW 25-141N-100W, BILLINGS CO., 465 bopd, 1087 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22949 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, LYDIA  11-14PH, SWSW 11-140N-99W, STARK CO., 993 BOPD, 1803 BWPD - BAKKEN

#22950 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, SOLBERG  14-11PH, SWSW 11-140N-99W, STARK CO., 1494 BOPD, 1627 BWPD – BAKKEN

#20524 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, BELL LAKE CREEK  44-23TFH, SESE 23-143N-103W, GOLDEN VALLEY CO., 875 bopd, 1324 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22609 - CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC., KUBAS  1-22H, SESW 22-141N-98W, BILLINGS CO., 327 bopd, 892 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22176 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, MARSH  34-9PH, SWSE 9-140N-97W, STARK CO., 1261 bopd, 887 bwpd - BAKKEN



Source: North Dakota Industrial Commission 

Divide County Update - October 2012

Active rig total 10/30 - 11




For the latest Divide County update, click here

To review previous updates, click here

Permits issued -- 22

#24029  -  BAYTEX ENERGY USA LTD, EBRECK 33-28-162-97H 1NC, SESW 33-162N-97W, DIVIDE CO., 340' FSL and 2196' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, BLUFFTON, 18362', 9-5/8  inch , 2033' Ground, API #33-023-00925

#24069  -  AMERICAN EAGLE ENERGY CORPORATION, STANLEY 8-1E-163-102, SENE 1-163N-102W, DIVIDE CO., 2534' FNL and 220' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, COLGAN, 'Tight Hole', 2202' Ground, API #33-023-00926

#24070  -  AMERICAN EAGLE ENERGY CORPORATION, MURIELLE 9-1E-163-102, NESE 1163N-102W, DIVIDE CO., 1580' FSL and 250' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, COLGAN, 'Tight Hole', 2169' Ground, API #33-023-00927

#24101  -  SAMSON RESOURCES COMPANY, BAKKE 3229-5TFH, LOT2 5-163N-99W, DIVIDE CO., 230'FNL and 2330' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, AMBROSE, 'Tight Hole', 2071' Ground, API #33-023-00928

#24102  -  SAMSON RESOURCES COMPANY, GJOVIG 0508-5TFH, LOT2 5-163N-99W, DIVIDE CO.,230' FNL and 2355' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, AMBROSE, 'Tight Hole', 2072' Ground, API #33-023-00929

#24103  -  SAMSON RESOURCES COMPANY, BAKKE 3229-4TFH, LOT2 5-163N-99W, DIVIDE CO., 230'FNL and 2380' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, AMBROSE, 'Tight Hole', 2072' Ground, API #33-023-00930

#24104  -  DENBURY ONSHORE, LLC, STENBERG 14-10SWH, SWSW 10-151N-99W, MCKENZIE CO.,370' FSL and 945' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, NORTH TOBACCO GARDEN, 'Tight Hole', 2374'Ground, API #33-053-04488

#24129  -  NORTH PLAINS ENERGY, LLC, STEWART  3A-28-1H, NENW 28-160N-100W, DIVIDE CO.,300' FNL and 2195' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, SMOKY BUTTE, 18898', 9-5/8  inch , 2057' Ground,API #33-023-00931

#24137  -  NORTH PLAINS ENERGY, LLC, SORENSON 4A-27-1H, NWNW 27-160N-100W, DIVIDE CO.,340' FNL and 1290' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, SMOKY BUTTE, 18895', 9-5/8  inch , 2073' Ground,API #33-023-00932

#24176  -  SM ENERGY COMPANY, SIMONSON 1-29HN, NENE 29-163N-100W, DIVIDE CO., 260' FNL and 1005' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, COLGAN, 'Tight Hole', 2176' Ground, API #33-023-00933

#24179  -  AMERICAN EAGLE ENERGY CORPORATION, DEWITT STATE 3-16-163-101, NENW 16-163N-101W, DIVIDE CO., 200' FNL and 2280' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, COLGAN, 'Tight Hole', 2250' Ground, API #33-023-00934

#24185  -  MOUNTAIN VIEW ENERGY INC., LEININGER 3-10-1H, LOT3 3-162N-101W, DIVIDE CO., 250' FNL and 1320' FWL, WILDCAT, WILDCAT, 'Tight Hole', 2323' Ground, API #33-023-00935

#24192  -  BAYTEX ENERGY USA LTD, PULVERMACHER 3-10-161-99H 1XN, SESW 34-162N-99W, DIVIDE CO., 240' FSL and 2000' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, GARNET, 19086', 9-5/8  inch , 2223' Ground, API #33-023-00936

#24211  -  SM ENERGY COMPANY, JEGLUM 3-29HNA, NENW 29-163N-100W, DIVIDE CO., 300' FNL and 2319' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, COLGAN, 'Tight Hole', 2199' Ground, API #33-023-00937

#24212  -  SM ENERGY COMPANY, JEGLUM 3-29HNB, NENW 29-163N-100W, DIVIDE CO., 300' FNL and 2370' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, COLGAN, 'Tight Hole', 2199' Ground, API #33-023-00938

#24216  -  BAYTEX ENERGY USA LTD, LEO 5-8-161-97H 1XN, SESW 32-162N-97W, DIVIDE CO., 300' FSL and 2433' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, FRAZIER, 19022', 9-5/8  inch , 2049' Ground, API #33-023-00939

#24266  -  SAMSON RESOURCES COMPANY, MONTCLAIR 0112-6TFH, LOT2 1-163N-99W, DIVIDE CO., 330' FNL and 1855' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, AMBROSE, 'Tight Hole', 2023' Ground, API #33-023-00940

#24267  -  SAMSON RESOURCES COMPANY, TITAN  3625-6TFH, LOT2 1-163N-99W, DIVIDE CO., 330' FNL and 1880' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, AMBROSE, 'Tight Hole', 2024' Ground, API #33-023-00941

#24268  -  SAMSON RESOURCES COMPANY, MONTCLAIR 0112-5TFH, LOT2 1-163N-99W, DIVIDE CO., 330' FNL and 1905' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, AMBROSE, 'Tight Hole', 2026' Ground, API #33-023-00942

#24269  -  SAMSON RESOURCES COMPANY, TITAN  3625-5TFH, LOT2 1-163N-99W, DIVIDE CO., 330' FNL and 1930' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, AMBROSE, 'Tight Hole', 2024' Ground, API #33-023-00943

#24280  -  BAYTEX ENERGY USA LTD, PULVERMACHER 33-28-162-99H 1PB, SWSE 33-162N-99W, DIVIDE CO., 328' FSL and 2085' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, AMBROSE, 18510', 9-5/8  inch , 2258' Ground, API #33-023-00944

#24311  -  BAYTEX ENERGY USA LTD, MURPHY 29-32-160-99H 1CN, NENW 29-160N-99W, DIVIDE CO., 250' FNL and 2435' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, BURG, 19148', 9-5/8  inch , 2167' Ground, API #33-023-00945

#24317  -  CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC., DOROTHY ANN 1-11H, SESW 11-160N-97W, DIVIDE CO., 440' FSL and 1990' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, WILDROSE, 'Tight Hole', 2252' Ground, API #33-023-00946

#24320  -  CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC., RAYMO 5-31H, SESW 31-161N-95W, DIVIDE CO., 300' FSL and 2335' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, DOLPHIN, 'Tight Hole', 2341' Ground, API #33-023-00947

#24321  -  CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC., RAYMO 4-31H, SESW 31-161N-95W, DIVIDE CO., 300' FSL and 2290' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, DOLPHIN, 'Tight Hole', 2341' Ground, API #33-023-00948

#24322  -  CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC., RAYMO 3-31H, SESW 31-161N-95W, DIVIDE CO., 300' FSL and 2245' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, DOLPHIN, 'Tight Hole', 2341' Ground, API #33 023-00949


Well file data released

#22540 - CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC., JARLSBERG   1-25H, NWNW 25-160N-97W, DIVIDE CO., 291 bopd, 1838 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22166 - SAMSON RESOURCES COMPANY, OUTBACK  25-36-162-97H, NWNE 25-162N-97W, DIVIDE CO., 48 BOPD, 480 BWPD - BAKKEN

#22284 - CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC., OLAF  1-7H, SWSE 7-160N-97W, DIVIDE CO., 148 bopd, 1532 bwpd - BAKKEN

Source: North Dakota Industrial Commission /

Stark County Update - October 2012

Active rig total 10/30 - 7





Permits Issued - 8

#23959  -  WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, HAVELKA 14-17PH, SWSE 17-140N-97W, STARK CO., 300' FSL and 1800' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, DUTCH HENRY BUTTE, 21736', 9-5/8  inch , 2626' Ground, API #33-089-00744

#23960  -  WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, HAVELKA 34-17PH, SWSE 17-140N-97W, STARK CO., 300' FSL and 1755' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, DUTCH HENRY BUTTE, 20523', 9-5/8  inch , 2626' Ground, API #33-089-00745

#23961  -  WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, HAVELKA 44-17PH, SWSE 17-140N-97W, STARK CO., 300' FSL and 1710' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, DUTCH HENRY BUTTE, 20493', 9-5/8  inch , 2626' Ground, API #33-089-00746

#24021  -  WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, TOMCHUK 11-30PH, NENW 30-140N-98W, STARK CO., 275' FNL and 2000' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, GREEN RIVER, 20778', 9-5/8  inch , 2572' Ground, API #33-089-00747

#24025  -  HESS CORPORATION, RC-LONNA-140-95- 2932H-1, NENW 29-140N-95W, STARK CO., 325' FNL and 2320' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, DAVIS BUTTES, 'Tight Hole', 2494' Ground, API #33-089-00748

#24030  -  FIDELITY EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION COMPANY, LARRY  41-7H, NENE 7-139N-97W, STARK CO., 365' FNL and 1087' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, HEART RIVER, 14842', 9-625  inch , 2479' Ground, API #33-089-0074

#24031  -  WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, MARSH 34-18PH, SWSE 18-140N-97W, STARK CO., 300' FSL and 2080' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, DUTCH HENRY BUTTE, 20312', 9-5/8  inch, 2589' Ground, API #33-089-00750

#24032  -  FIDELITY EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION COMPANY, MULARCHEK 6-7H, LOT3 6-139N-97W, STARK CO., 638' FNL and 1231' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, HEART RIVER, 19668', 9-625  inch , 2541' Ground, API #33-089-00751

Well file data released

#22002 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, IVER & MINNIE  11-14PH, NENW 14-139N-99W, STARK CO., 425 bopd, 1164 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22060 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, ZALESKY  31-18PH, NWNE 18-140N-98W, STARK CO., 621 bopd, 1479 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22167 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, FRANK  44-7PH, SESE 7-140N-99W, STARK CO., 1545 bopd, 824 bwpd - BAKKEN

#22949 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, LYDIA  11-14PH, SWSW 11-140N-99W, STARK CO., 993 BOPD, 1803 BWPD - BAKKEN

#22950 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, SOLBERG  14-11PH, SWSW 11-140N-99W, STARK CO., 1494 BOPD, 1627 BWPD – BAKKEN

#22176 - WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION, MARSH  34-9PH, SWSE 9-140N-97W, STARK CO., 1261 bopd, 887 bwpd - BAKKEN


Source: North Dakota Industrial Commission /

Renville County Update - October 2012

Active drilling rigs 10/24 -- 0




Permits issued

#24147  -  STRIKE OIL INC, SAVELKOUL 7-21, NENW 7-159N-84W, RENVILLE CO., 505' FNL and 1723' FWL, WILDCAT, WILDCAT, 'Tight Hole', 1729' Ground, API #33-075-01430

#24251  -  ENDURO OPERATING, LLC, MRPSU 30-31, NWNE 30-162N-85W, RENVILLE CO., 641' FNL and 1981' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, MOUSE RIVER PARK, 'Tight Hole', 1766' Ground, API #33-075-01432

#24252  -  ENDURO OPERATING, LLC, MRPSU 19-31, NWNE 19-162N-85W, RENVILLE CO., 837' FNL and 2140' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, MOUSE RIVER PARK, 'Tight Hole', 1762' Ground, API #33-075-01433

#24265  -  ENDURO OPERATING, LLC, MRPSU 19-24, SESW 19-162N-85W, RENVILLE CO., 520' FSL and 1868' FWL, DEVELOPMENT, MOUSE RIVER PARK, 'Tight Hole', 1766' Ground, API #33-075-01434

#24250  -  ENDURO OPERATING, LLC, MRPSU 30-33, NWSE 30-162N-85W, RENVILLE CO., 1945' FSL and 1940' FEL, DEVELOPMENT, MOUSE RIVER PARK, 'Tight Hole', 1770' Ground, API #33-075-01431 (approved 10/23/2012)

Source: North Dakota Industrial Commission 

Useful Maps and Graphs

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administrait

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

Source: North Dakota Pipeline Authority

Occidental Easing Back on Bakken Activity

During the conference call for third quarter earnings today, an Occidental Petroleum spokesperson stated the company currently has over 310,000 net acres in the Willison Basin with resource potential estimated at 250 million net barrels. He added the company's production in the basin has tripled since it entered the area over eighteen months ago but added that drilling activity has slowed as the company significantly reduces its rig count due to cost pressures. "While well costs have subsequently declined modestly", he explained, "we will only increase our rig count when costs come down enough to make returns competitive with the rest of our portfolio. We believe that over the long term, our resource base in the Williston basin represents a significant opportunity for the company." Read more

Bakken Biz Briefs - October 2012

10/25/2012 Whiting Petroleum Corporation's quarterly results released yesterday show production in the third quarter of 2012 totaled 7.60 million barrels of oil equivalent, of which 86% were crude oil/natural gas liquids. This third quarter 2012 production total equates to a daily average production rate of 82,615 barrels of oil equivalent (BOE), representing a 17% increase over the third quarter 2011 average daily rate of 70,675 BOE per day. The company exited the month of September 2012 producing 84,550 BOE per day. Read more

10/22/2012 Texas-based Halcón Resources Corporation today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Petro-Hunt, L.L.C. and an affiliated entity, to acquire producing and undeveloped oil and gas assets in the Williston Basin for a total purchase price of approximately $1.45 billion, consisting of $700 million in cash and $750 million in equity. The assets consist of approximately 81,000 net acres located primarily in Williams, Mountrail, McKenzie and Dunn Counties. Read more...

10/8/2012  Continental Resources released its five-year plan today in Oklahoma. The company said it plans to triple its production and proved reserves by 2017. Continental is the #1 leaseholder in the Bakken with nearly one million net acres.  Read more

10/8/2012  Voyager Oil & Gas, Inc., doing business under the assumed business name of Emerald Oil, Inc, has acquired 4,453 net acres in McKenzie County for $3,200 per acre. The purchase included operating permits for 4 wells and a recently constructed well pad and tank battery at an additional cost of $1.18 million, for a total cash purchase price of $15.4 million. Read more

10/5/2012  Global Partners LP has announced it has signed a purchase agreement to acquire a 60% membership interest in Basin Transload LLC , which operates two transloading facilities in North Dakota with a combined rail loading capacity of 160,000 barrels per day. The total purchase price is expected to be approximately $80 million. The transloading facilities are approximately 195 miles apart in Columbus and Beulah. The Columbus facility is located along the Canadian Pacific Railway and provides single line haul service to Global's recently expanded terminal in Albany, NY.  The Beulah site, which supports crude oil production efforts in the Williston Basin, is located along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad with direct long-haul service to the West Coast and Gulf Coast markets. Read more

10/4/2012  Enbridge Inc. reportedly is planning to build an oil pipeline to transport Bakken crude to eastern refineries to avoid competing with increasing volumes converging on the major refineries in Cushing, Oklahoma. The pipeline, to be called "Sandpiper", initially would transport up to 200,000 barrels a day from the Williston Basin to Superior, Wis. with plans to eventually continue on to refineries in eastern Canada, according to an Enbridge official quoted in today's report, which stated Enbridge and other pipeline companies are looking to divert oil away from the saturated Midwest market. • Read more   • Read Bakken Pipeline Update >

10/1/2012  Alliance Pipeline reportedly has received regulatory approval for a proposed pipeline that would deliver natural gas from the Bakken Shale formation to the Chicago market. The 106,500 million-cubic-feet-a-day Tioga pipeline should be running by mid-2013, according to a report out today. Read more

10/1/2012  Triangle Petroleum Corporation  today announced the formation of Caliber Midstream Partners, LP, a joint venture with First Reserve Corporation's Energy Infrastructure Fund, a global energy-focused private equity and infrastructure investment firm. According to Triangle Petroleum, Caliber will be a midstream provider offering a full service pipeline solution to producers for oil, natural gas, flow back and produced water, and freshwater in the Williston Basin of North Dakota and Montana. Construction reportedly is underway on a Phase 1 pipeline system in McKenzie County. Caliber plans to expand that project and to build new infrastructure in other counties of North Dakota and Montana as needed by its customers . Read more

EIA Releases Natural Gas Processing Plant Data

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-757A, Natural Gas Processing Plant Survey Schedule A: Baseline Report
Note: Gray-shaded areas represent current U.S. shale plays.

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In the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which severely disrupted natural gas infrastructure in the Gulf Coast region, EIA established a triennial survey of natural gas processing plants (EIA-757) to be used as a baseline for assessing the effect of extreme weather on natural gas processing infrastructure. This past summer, EIA activated the baseline survey (EIA-757, Schedule A), the results of which are published in EIA's Natural Gas Annual Respondent Query System.

The EIA-757 survey has a baseline portion, Schedule A, to track the country's population of natural gas plants, and an emergency activation portion, Schedule B, to provide the operational status of processing plants in an area affected by a supply disruption, usually a natural disaster such as a hurricane. In August, EIA activated Schedule B to track shut-in capacity caused by Hurricane Isaac. EIA used the information collected on EIA-757B to provide daily updates to the Department of Energy's Situation Report and to write a brief retrospective for Today in Energy.

Data from EIA-757 Schedule A show 517 active natural gas processing plants in the Lower 48 states, with a total processing capacity of 65.5 billion cubic feet per day. Not all processing plants run at full capacity all the time. On average, these plants processed about 44.7 billion cubic feet per day, operating at about 68% of capacity. Plants operate at less than capacity for many reasons: transportation constraints, varying input supplied from wells, and regional economics.

Processing plants are midstream facilities that separate natural gas liquids (NGL) from natural gas. Gas processing plants often perform several other functions, as well: dehydration, contaminant removal, and sometimes fractionation (separating an NGL stream into its component products). This survey is not a complete picture of processing capabilities, nor does it represent all processing plants that touch natural gas before it becomes pipeline-quality gas. At the well site, some upstream field processing may be done to remove condensate before gas is sent to a midstream processing plant for NGL extraction. In addition, gas producers may use dehydration units (to remove water) and amine treaters (to remove hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide).

Downstream from natural gas processing plants, the combined NGL stream is often broken into separate NGL products (ethane, propane, butane, iso-butane, pentane) by a fractionator. Sometimes straddle plants located on large pipelines will extract small quantities of NGL that remain in the stream even after processing. Similarly, newer, more efficient cryogenic plants may also sit downstream of other processing plants to strip out lighter NGLs that are left in the gas stream for technological or economic reasons. Most storage facilities also have some processing capabilities to dehydrate gas that is withdrawn from storage.

Source: EIA

Wind Energy Update

According to a recent release from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), the U.S. wind industry in August for the first time surpassed 50,000 megawatts (MW) of total installed electrical generation capacity – enough to power 13 million homes. Third-quarter figures compiled by the AWEA show the U.S. has added 4,728 MW of wind power so far this year, with another 8,430 MW currently under construction.The third quarter saw 1,833 MW of new installations, putting total U.S. wind capacity at 51,628 MW on Oct. 1. Over 40,000 wind turbines across the U.S. can now produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of all the homes in Michigan, Ohio, Iowa, Colorado, and Nevada combined, according to the AWEA report. Read more

Meanwhile, third quarter earnings have been announced by Florida-based NextEra Energy, which owns wind farms in Barnes and Burleigh Counties in North Dakota through its subsidiary NextEra Energy Resources. NextEra Energy, whose other subsidiary is Florida Power & Light, reported net income of $415m for the third quarter 2012 versus $407m for the same period in 2011.

Regarding its wind energy business, NextEra stated it added 80MW of wind capacity in the US and Canada during the quarter, which brought its 2012 additions to 250MW through September. The company said it expects to add more than 1.2GW capacity in the fourth quarter, bringing 2012 installations to 1.5GW, which NextEra says is the most ever in a calendar year by a US wind company.

Commenting on the production tax credit (PTC) which is set to expire at the end of the year, the company says it is optimistic an extension will be approved for at least a year. A NextEra spokesman said mergers and acquisitions, which the company currently is considering, will likely increase if the PTC is not extended. He added, however, that the company recently signed on to a 100MW farm project with a 20-year signed power purchase agreement that is not contingent on PTC renewal, which he said supports the company's view that there will continue to be wind power development in the U.S. even without tax credits. Read more

ND Clay Deposits Analyzed for Fracking Use

North Dakota geologists reportedly are analyzing clay deposits in the southwestern part of the state to determine whether they hold minerals that can be used by the oil industry. Preliminary studies indicate the deposits contain aluminum oxide, which is used in hydraulic fracturing as a proppant to brace cracks in the surrounding rock so the oil can be pumped out. Since proppant material currently is imported from outside the U.S., state officials say the oil industry could save millions of dollars by having access to a local source. Read more...

Update 10/14/2012

Geologists reportedly have determined there are 1.7 billion tons of kaolin in western North Dakota that could be economically mined. Kaolin is a mineral that commonly contains high amounts of alumimun oxide. The two major deposits of kaolin mapped by geologists are the Bear Den portion of the Golden Valley Formation, located mostly in Dunn County, and the Rhame Bed of the Slope Formation, located primarily in the western half of Stark County. Read more

Update 10/23/2012

The North Dakota State University Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering has released initial findings of a study of 200 clay samples provided by the North Dakota State Geological Survey. The NDSU scientists report a smaller percentage of alumina in the clay than in the analysis on approximately 60 samples done last year by the State Geological Survey. Read more

Petro-Hunt Sells Bakken Assets to Halcon

Texas-based Halcón Resources Corporation today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Petro-Hunt, L.L.C. and an affiliated entity, to acquire producing and undeveloped oil and gas assets in the Williston Basin consisting of approximately 81,000 net acres for a total purchase price of approximately $1.45 billion in cash and equity. Read more...

USDA Awards Switchgrass Research Grant

PHILADELPHIA –Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has awarded Pennsylvania State University a five-year research grant valued at roughly $10 million to develop biomass supply chains for the production of liquid transportation and aviation biofuels in the Northeast. This is the sixth such award made through USDA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), aimed at developing regional, renewable energy markets, generating rural jobs, and decreasing America's dependence on foreign oil. In September 2011, the Secretary announced five major AFRI grants for the formation of five regional systems in the Pacific Northwest, the Northwest, Northern states, Southern states, and the Southeast. Today's announcement underscores USDA's support for public and private research in building the framework for a competitively-priced, American-made biofuels industry in every major American region.

"The creation of this biofuel system will significantly contribute to improving rural prosperity and job creation in the Northeast by funding effective public and private sector partnerships," Vilsack said. "Overall, the six regional systems supported by USDA and the Obama Administration represent an opportunity to create thousands of new jobs and drive economic development in rural communities across America by building the framework for a competitively-priced, American-made biofuels industry."

Vilsack also highlighted how USDA is working with federal partners like the Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Navy and the Federal Aviation Administration to improve America's energy security and provide sustainable jobs in communities across the country. Currently, USDA, DOE and Navy are partnering with the private sector to produce advanced drop-in aviation and marine biofuels to power military and commercial transportation.

The grants announced by Vilsack came through USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The NEWBio Consortium will focus on the non-food biomass sources of willow, miscanthus and switchgrass, which can be grown on former strip mines and marginal floodplains. Through an integrated research, education and Extension approach, the consortium will address the entire biofuel production spectrum, including crop genetic development, harvesting, storage and processing techniques and sustainable production systems. The biomass research will develop sustainable production practices to improve yield by 25 percent and reduce costs by 20 percent.

Source: USDA

Russia Fracks Mature Oilfields

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

Russia was the world's largest producer of crude oil in 2011. As Russia's use of multistage hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling has increased, preliminary Russian crude oil production figures indicate that production has risen in 2012.

West Siberia, Russia's main producing region, accounts for around 6.5 million barrels per day (bbl/d) of liquids production, nearly two-thirds of Russia's total production. While this region is mature, new applications of existing technologies have boosted recovery rates at oil fields that had stopped growing or begun declining.

TNK-BP has announced that it is the first company in Russia to apply a unique improved multistage fracturing technology to develop reserves in mature oilfields in West Siberia. A pilot at the Samotlor oil field has tested a six-stage hydraulic fracturing technology, which resulted in reduced well completion times and increased reservoir productivity. TNK-BP now plans to expand the pilot project to 25 more wells in the Samotlor field by the end of 2012, and, starting in 2013, the company plans to use the technology to fracture about 50 horizontal wells each year across its subsidiaries in Western Siberia.

Production from Samotlor, which accounts for about one-quarter of TNK-BP's output, fell 7% in 2011. The drop was low, however, compared to previous years, indicating that the field's future annual declines may be less severe. Continued use of multistage hydraulic fracturing may result in a decline rate of only 1% by 2016.

In addition to TNK-BP, LUKoil is fighting declining crude oil production in the region using multistage hydraulic fracturing at its Tevlinsko-Russkinskoye, Uryevskoye, Vat-Yeganskoye, and Pokachevskoye fields in Western Siberia. According to LUKoil, use of this technique led to a halt in field declines, although the use of the technology may be limited because of its high cost.

LUKoil and TNK-BP were the second- and third-largest producers of oil in Russia in 2010 at approximately 1.8 and 1.4 million bbl/d, respectively.

Petroleum Refineries Vary by Level of Complexity

With the recent approval of a refinery on the Fort Berthold Reservation (which would be the first new U.S. refinery in 30 years) and a legislative proposal to attract new North Dakota refineries through tax breaks, today's report from the EIA's Today in Energy series seems timely...

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Source: U.S. Ernergy Information Administration

A refinery is an industrial complex that manufactures petroleum products, such as gasoline, from crude oil and other feedstocks. Many different types of refineries exist across the country. What differentiates one refinery from another are their capacities and the types of processing units used to produce these petroleum products.

Refineries have a distillation column and then can have any combination of secondary processing units depending on the type of crude oil they process and the products they want to produce. The simplest refineries have a distillation column and nothing else. These refineries are often referred to as topping refineries.

A distillation column separates crude oil into different petroleum products based on differences in boiling points. By itself the crude distillation column has low yields of high-value transportation fuel products. Many of the other unit operations involve chemical processes that create products by either reshaping hydrocarbons, combining small hydrocarbons into larger hydrocarbons, cracking larger hydrocarbons into smaller higher-value hydrocarbons, or removing impurities such as sulfur. Each secondary processing unit after the distillation column has a specific purpose, whether it is increasing separation; upgrading low-value products, like residual fuel oil, to high value products, like distillate; increasing octane; or enhancing environmental compliance by removing sulfur and other pollutants.

A refinery's level of complexity is often based on how much secondary conversion capacity it has. The Nelson Complexity Index is one measure of refinery complexity. This index was developed in the 1960s by W.L. Nelson in a series of articles for the Oil & Gas Journal. The index measures the complexity and cost of each major type of refinery equipment. In forming the index, the distillation column is given a value of 1 and the other units are assigned a value based on conversion and cost relative to the distillation column. The larger the Nelson index of a refinery, the more complex it is.

As an example, Phillips 66 reports that its U.S. refineries range in Nelson complexity from 7.0 at its Ferndale refinery in Washington because it has a fluid catalytic cracker, alkylation, and hydrotreating units, to 14.1 at its Los Angeles refinery in California because it has a fluid catalytic cracker, alkylation, hydrocracking, reforming, and coking units. In addition to those two West Coast examples, the U.S. Gulf Coast has some of the world's most sophisticated refineries.

The Big Four - August 2012

The four counties below are the core of the Bakken play in North Dakota. Together, they produced 18,237,949 barrels in August (preliminary), or 83.9% of the state's total August oil production of 21,735,166 barrels, according to the most recent figures released by the North Dakota Industrial Commission's Department of Mineral Resources.

• Mountrail County ----- oil production                 

August 2012 oil production -- 6,042,966  bbls
July 2012 oil production -- 5,762,685  bbls
August 2011 oil production -- 4,496,390  bbls
 ___________________________
  ND Department of Mineral Resources  Production Graph  >

• McKenzie County ----- oil production                 

August 2012 oil production -- 5,200,963  bbls
July 2012 oil production -- 4,788,477 bbls
August 2011 oil production -- 2,923,473 bbls
 ___________________________
  ND Department of Mineral Resources  Production Graph  >

• Williams County ------ oil production                 

August 2012 oil production -- 3,823,745 bbls
July 2012 oil production -- 3,655,792 bbls
August 2011 oil production -- 1,919,820 bbls
 ___________________________
  ND Department of Mineral Resources  Production Graph  >

• Dunn County ---------- oil production                 

August 2012 oil production -- 3,170,275  bbls
July 2012 oil production -- 3,214,572 bbls
August 2011 oil production -- 2,000,646 bbls
 ___________________________
  ND Department of Mineral Resources  Production Graph  >

New DOE Report on Power Plant Carbon Capture

Morgantown, W.Va. — Development of new carbon-capture-ready coal-fired power plants are essential to keeping coal, a proven domestic resource, in the domestic energy mix, according to a report released by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Although recent low natural gas prices have favored natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) for new fossil-fuel-fired power plants, the report asserts that it is reasonable to expect gas prices to rise; in this event, retaining the ability to use coal through systems that are constructed ready to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) will be essential for our nation’s continued economic prosperity.

The new report, Techno-Economic Analysis of CO2 Capture-Ready Coal-Fired Power Plants, provides findings from a study conducted by analysts at DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). The authors evaluated options for new supercritical pulverized coal plants that capture CO2, as would be required under a new rule proposed in April 2012 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The proposed rule, Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions for New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units, would restrict CO2 emissions from newly constructed power plants to 1,000 pounds of CO2 per megawatt-hour.

Coal-fired units would be allowed to meet the new standard either by (1) including CO2-capture technology during initial plant construction and controlling CO2 emissions from the start of operations, or (2) constructing the unit to allow for future integration of CO2-capture technology, and then controlling CO2 emissions at a level that would meet the standard, on average, over a 30‑year period. The latter compliance option, which assumes that carbon capture begins after the first 10 years of operations, is the focus of the NETL study.

The analysis showed that the economics of a CO2-capture-ready unit can be competitive with other baseload generation options, such as NGCC or nuclear. Given reasonable assumptions about advances that are likely to occur with CO2-capture technology, along with an additional revenue stream from CO2 sales for enhanced oil recovery, a supercritical CO2-capture-ready unit is competitive with NGCC at natural gas prices as low as $7.75 per million Btu. In addition, the capital cost savings of a CO2-capture-ready unit could be as much as 50–60 percent compared to new nuclear generation, according to several recent cost estimates of actual nuclear projects.

Source: NETL

Refinery News

In an attempt to encourage new refinery construction, an energy committee of the North Dakota legislature reportedly has endorsed a proposal to offer tax breaks for oil that's processed in the state. The idea will be considered when lawmakers convene again in January. Read more

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced in New Town yesterday that the government has approved the construction of a new refinery on the Fort Berthold Reservation. Funding for the facility, which would process approximately 13,000 barrels per day, has not yet been finalized. Read more 

Production Update - August 2012

  North Dakota ---------- total oil & gas production      

 Latest figures from the NDIC Department. of  Mineral Resources >

August 2012 oil production ---- 21,735,166 bbls
August 2012 gas production -- 23,616,598 mcf
August 2012 producing wells -- 7,701 
                                                                     
  ND Department of Mineral Resources  Production Graph  >

One Year Snapshot  using adjusted numbers from NDIC monthly production reports        

8/2011 ---  • 13,829,114  barrels   • 14,349,802 mcf    • 5,971 producing wells
9/2011 ---  • 13,916,609  barrels   • 14,468,539 mcf    • 6,084 producing wells
10/2011 ---• 15,119,429  barrels   • 15,732,385 mcf    • 6,210 producing wells
11/2011 ---• 15,318,314  barrels   • 15,683,641 mcf    • 6,347 producing wells
12/2011 ---• 16,586,477  barrels   • 16,891,897 mcf    • 6,478 producing wells
1/2012 ---  • 16,935,846  barrels   • 17,738,391 mcf    • 6,624 producing wells
2/2012 ---  • 16,198,174  barrels   • 17,454,211 mcf    • 6,739 producing wells
3/2012 ---  • 17,901,807  barrels   • 19,302,603 mcf    • 6,932 producing wells
4/2012 ---  • 18,285,087  barrels   • 19,525,128 mcf    • 7,036 producing wells
5/2012 ---  • 19,839,420  barrels   • 21,360,912 mcf    • 7,205 producing wells
6/2012 ---  • 19,938,546  barrels   • 20,998,335 mcf    • 7,365 producing wells
7/2012 ---  • 20,963,713  barrels   • 22,295,369 mcf    • 7,481 producing wells
8/2012 ---  • 21,735,166  barrels    • 23,616,598 mcf     • 7,701 producing wells preliminary

August 2012
Year-over-year oil production ----- +7,906,052 barrels (57%)
Year-over-year gas production ---- +9,266,796 mcf (65%)
Year-over-year producing wells --- +1,730 (29%)

July 2012
Year-over-year oil production ----- +7,721,824 barrels (59%)
Year-over-year gas production ---- +8,864,124 mcf (66%)
Year-over-year producing wells --- +1,696 (29%)

Source: North Dakota Industrial Commission 

Statoil Rail Transport Update

A Bloomberg report out today updates Statoil's plans for rail shipment of oil production from the Williston Basin. The company reportedly delivered a load of Bakken crude by rail recently to Irving Oil Corp.’s Saint John refinery, the largest in Canada.  A spokesman said Statoil expects to ship 10 percent to 20 percent of its North Dakota production by rail to refineries on the East and West Coasts to take advantage of prices higher than those offered by refineries in the major hub of Cushing, Okla. Read more 

GAO Cites Hurdles for Fracking Regulators

A new report from the Government Accountability Office reportedly discusses the obstacles regulators are encountering in attempting to monitor hydraulic fracturing.  Chief among these are a lack of water-quality data needed to gauge alleged groundwater contamination and the overall difficulty tracking the drilling boom due to the rapid pace of development.  Read more

EIA Releases Winter Fuel Forecast

U.S. households are expected to use more heating fuel this winter compared with last winter because temperatures are expected to be near normal this winter compared with last winter's above-normal temperatures in many parts of the country.

Household natural gas heating demand this winter (October through March) is expected to be up nearly 14%, heating oil up 17%, electricity up 8%, and propane up 17%, according to EIA's Short-Term Energy and Winter Fuels Outlook for the 2012-13 U.S. heating season. While demand is expected to be higher than last winter, consumption is forecast to be less than the five-year average for all the major heating fuels except heating oil.

EIA's forecast for higher household heating demand mainly reflects a much colder winter east of the Rocky Mountains compared with last winter, with heating degree days in the Northeast, Midwest, and South expected to be 20% to 27% greater this winter, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) forecast.

At the same time, supplies look plentiful for most heating fuels this winter:

Natural gas is the most popular heating fuel, used by almost half of U.S. households. Natural gas inventories are expected to climb to 3.9 trillion cubic feet by November 1, a record for that time of year.

Electricity is the main heating source for almost 38% of households. In addition to record natural gas inventories to draw down to generate electricity, coal stocks held by the U.S. electric power sector are forecast to total 187 million metric tons by November 1, up nearly 19% from a year earlier.

Heating oil is burned by 6% of U.S. households for winter fuel, with 8 out of 10 of those heating oil users located in the Northeast. Lower heating oil stocks in the East Coast and Gulf Coast states, along with New York requiring heating oil with lower sulfur levels, are expected to contribute to a tighter heating oil market this winter.

Propane is used to warm about 5% of households, many located in rural areas. Propane inventories totaled almost 76 million barrels in early October, up 32% from the same period a year ago.

Source: EIA

Plants' Role in CO2 Mitigation Questioned

According to a new University of Minnesota study,  plants may not be able to absorb as much of the increased levels of carbon dioxide in the air as originally thought. The study shows that while plants can absorb and benefit from large amounts of carbon dioxide, they may not get enough of the required nutrients from typical soils to absorb the levels of  CO2 that scientists previously believed possible, which raises questions about their role in mitigating fossil-fuel emissions. The study was published in the current issue of the journal Nature Climate Change. Read more