NORTH DAKOTA ASSOCIATION OF OIL AND GAS PRODUCING COUNTIES
NDAOGPC Newsletter
September 6, 2013 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greetings!
|  The North Dakota Association of Oil and Gas Producing Counties (NDAOGPC) is the trusted and unified voice for the betterment of the citizens of North Dakota and the membership of the North Dakota Association of Oil and Gas Producing Counties. Through this newsletter we strive to provide accurate, up-to-date information surrounding the energy activities throughout the North Dakota energy producing counties. |
|
Congressman Cramer Visits Oil Patch During Congressional Recess
|
 | |
Congressman Kevin Cramer and NDAOGPC Executive Director Vicky Steiner visit about the public comments in western North Dakota prior to the Congressman's 'Coffee with Cramer' event in Dickinson.
|
U.S. Representative Kevin Cramer hosted three public meetings in western North Dakota this week. Congressman Cramer said that in Minot, Williston, and Dickinson people asked about Syria, social security, Medicare, food stamps, health care, and the farm bill.
Cramer said he would predict today that the resolution to strike Syria would not pass the House. In Dickinson, one of the citizens asked if SNAP or food stamp recipients could be required to look for work or apply for jobs as a requirement of the program. About twenty people attended the Dickinson event this morning.
|
|
|
|
|
Energy Impact Grants to EMS and Fire Protection Districts Available
|
the Energy Infrastructure and Impact Office is accepting grant applications from eligible political subdivisions from counties, cities, rural fire protection districts, and ambulance districts. This grant round is for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and fire department needs resulting from impacts to infrastructure from oil and gas development activities.
Requests for funding to improve readiness, quality, and responsiveness of EMS and fire response teams being impacted from oil and gas development will be considered. Applications should be for projects to improve equipment; facilities; safety; planning efforts to develop or formalize county/regional mutual aid/joint powers agreements; oil industry specific training; leadership development; and obtaining assets to improve emergency response.
 An advisory committee of EMS and fire department officials will assist in reviewing the applications. The Land Board will make grants based in part, upon recommendations of the advisory committee.
Criteria used in evaluating requests include: safety improvement; financial need; result of energy activity; project readiness; and contribution to long term viability. The Land Board has allocated $7 million for EMS and $6 million for fire department grants.
An Energy Impact Office representative will be meeting with applicants in October 2013 to discuss details of the funding being requested. Applicants will be contacted regarding the meeting schedule, which will also be published on the energy impact website at www.nd.gov/energyimpact.
Funds will not be disbursed to successful grant recipients until projects or acquisitions are substantially complete and the supporting documentation is submitted along with a request for distribution of funds.
The application forms and lists of required supporting documentation are on the energy impact office web page: www.nd.gov/energyimpact. This Internet site contains both a PDF and MS Word application form that can be completed on-screen. Please seek the assistance of a library, school or extension office if you do not have computer and Internet access to retrieve this information.
Completed applications and supporting materials should be mailed to the office at the address above or e-mailed to energyimpact@nd.gov. Grant applications must be postmarked September 30, 2013. Applications submitted by e-mail will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. Central Time on September 30, 2013.
|
Where is the Oil?
|
 In the ND Department of Mineral Resources' summer 2013 newsletter, Geo News, Julie LeFever with the ND Geological Survey discusses an interesting topic about where exactly oil is stored within formations. An excerpt from her article in Geo News follows: " Discussion abounds in the press about the unconventional resources of the Bakken Formation; the primary question raised is where is the oil stored? In an attempt to answer this question, the geologist has to revisit the conventional reservoir and examine how it works." Click this link to view the rest of LeFever's article. |
|
Interim Committee Talks Water
| |
At the Interim Water Topics Overview Committee meeting held yesterday, Chairman State Senator Tony Grindberg said it's a "profound time for water." Both Fargo and Grand Forks business developers supported Grindberg's comments about the need for supply and quality water for economic development.
Todd Sando, the State Engineer with the State Water Commission (SWC), said the request for water permits from the Missouri River is "not slowing down at all." The Army Corps of Engineers has only approved one permit, International Western, a larger permit.
If a water permittee violates their permit and uses more than their approved allocation, Sando explained that the SWC has a procedure to take away the extra usage from their next year's water allocation plus take the extra dollars gained in the violation to remove incentive to cheating the system. That's been working, he said. They had two large fines - Power Fuels for $800,000 and Tervita for $600,000.
 Sando defended the SWC action in funding only six rural water systems so far in the biennium, despite funding approval for seventeen. He said it takes time to go through applications to make certain that those projects meet necessary requirements. The priority scoring favors regional systems that bring on new users. State water funds have not been used for routine rehab or maintenance of aging water treatment facilities unless there are special circumstances.
Sando said with $20.3 million in oil tax revenues a month coming into the Resources Trust Fund, the state will have access to money for state water projects that has not been available before. He also said the SWC needs new policies to deal with the pressures of funding projects so that guidelines are fair and consistent. These new policies are in the works, and the public will be asked to comment on them in coming months.
Ken Vein from the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District said the federal Record of Decision has not been granted by the feds, so the state has the option to do the project themselves. To take the 66-inch pipe from Lake Audubon 122 miles to Lake Ashtabula for a Fargo and Grand Forks water supply line would cost about $660 million in 2010 dollars.
Bismarck attorney Bob Harms, representing the Independent Water Users, said his group expected the SWC to be the "gatekeeper" for additional water depots and locations in the WAWS project, as outlined in SB 2233. Harms said the SWC delegated that "gatekeeper" authority in SB 2233 to Todd Sando, an action which his group does not support.
The next meeting of the Water Topics Overview Committee is in Dickinson November 18, 2013. Topics include Western Area Water Supply and the Corps of Engineers on water supply in western North Dakota.
|
|
NDAOGPC Annual Meeting Online Registration Available, Room Block Extended
|  Registration for the ND Association of Oil and Gas Producing Counties' 2013 Annual Meeting is now available online at the Association website, http://www.ndenergy.org/AnnualMeeting.aspx.
This year's Annual Meeting will take place on Thursday, September 26, 2013 at the Ramada Grand Dakota Lodge in Dickinson, ND. A room block has been set up at the hotel. We encourage everyone to book their hotel rooms as soon as possible; the room block has been extended and will now close next week Monday, September 9.
Speaking this year will be State Treasurer Kelly Schmidt who will give an overview of oil and gas Gross Production Tax distributions and Joel Quanbeck and Mike Schnetzer who will share what was found in the NDAOGPC-commissioned study of emergency service coverage in western North Dakota.
Additionally, we'll hear from Dept. of Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms, and Jim Arthaud, owner and CEO of MBI Energy Services, will lead a panel of several oil and gas industry representatives in discussions on the current trends in oil and gas recovery. Terry Kovacevich, Marathon Oil; Jack Ekstrom, Whiting Petroleum; and Blu Hulsey, Continental Resources, have agreed to participate on the panel.
Members will also have the opportunity to elect county, city, and school district committee members as well as the representatives on the Executive Committee. Current Executive Committee members up for reelection are Mountrail County Commissioner Greg Boschee and City Engineer for the City of Bowman, Dan Brosz. Bowman County School District Superintendent Tony Duletski will be leaving the Executive Committee after nine years of service. Over his years with the Association, Tony has served as President, and we would like to thank him for his contribution to the members of the ND Association of Oil and Gas Producing Counties. His replacement on the Executive Committee will also be elected.
We look forward to seeing you at this year's Annual Meeting in Dickinson!
|
|
Oil Industry Leaders Meet in Williston
|
Oil field investors, developers, businesses, and other industry leaders met at the Williston Summit on Wednesday, September 4 to talk a little bit about everything that's going on in the Williston Basin.
Dr. Nancy Hodur of NDSU talked about her research into population projections in Williston, and the surrounding areas.
In 2010 the census population for Williston was right around 14,000 people. That number only includes permanent residents. To get her projections, Dr. Hodur used two models, the employment and housing models. Both take into account permanent and temporary residents. When you combine both, it's called the service population.
For More Information
|
|
Upcoming Events
|
September 12-14, 2013
ND League of Cities Annual Conference in Bismarck, ND. A preliminary agenda and links to register for the conference are available here or by visiting the League of Cities website at www.ndlc.org. September 16-18, 2013The ND Petroleum Council will hold its annual meeting September 16-18, 2013 in Grand Forks, ND. The meeting will be held in the Alerus Center. Registration is set to open Tuesday, June 25. More information can be found by visiting the ND Petroleum Council website at www.ndoil.org.
September 16-19, 2013
The Alaska Oil and Gas Congress will take place September 16-19 in Anchorage, Alaska. NDAOGPC Executive Director Vicky Steiner will share oil and gas exploration success in North Dakota and how the political subdivisions within the western part of the state are adapting to the changes inherent with oil and gas industry growth.
September 26, 2013
Be sure to mark your calendars for the NDAOGPC 2013 Annual Meeting set for Thursday, September 26, 2013 at the Ramada Grand Dakota in Dickinson, ND. Online registration is now available at http://www.ndenergy.org/AnnualMeeting.aspx.
October 6-8, 2013Online registration is now open for the ND Association of Counties Annual Conference, scheduled for October 6-8 at the Ramkota Hotel in Bismarck. Visit the NDACo website at www.ndaco.org for more information and to register.
May 20-22, 2014
The 22nd Annual Williston Basin Petroleum Conference will be held May 20-22, 2014 at the Bismarck Civic Center in Bismarck, ND. There have already been over 200 hotel rooms reserved for this conference. We recommend booking the hotel rooms that you need now. Conference registration opens on January 29, 2014.
|
|
Oil and Gas Stats
| |
WTI Crude: $107.81
Brent Crude: $115.38
Natural Gas: $3.68
ND Rig Count: 187
From the ND Petroleum Council's News Clips for September 5, 2013 |
|
|
Please take your time to review all materials and links provided for your convenience. We will continue to provide you up-to-date information on upcoming events and news happening in North Dakota's oil and gas producing counties!
Sincerely,
|
Vicky Steiner
Executive Director
Brady Pelton
Deputy Executive Director
ND Assoc. of Oil & Gas Producing Counties
|
|
|
|
|
