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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Aresco</title> <atom:link href="http://www.arescotx.com/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>http://www.arescotx.com</link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2015 22:05:43 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency> <item> <title>Thanksgiving Holiday Hours</title> <link>http://www.arescotx.com/thanksgiving-holiday-hours/</link> <comments>http://www.arescotx.com/thanksgiving-holiday-hours/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Mon, 23 Nov 2015 19:50:25 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Amy Knickerbocker]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.arescotx.com/?p=7881</guid> <description><![CDATA[In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, our office will be closed Wednesday, November 25th through Sunday, November 29th. We will […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, our office will be closed Wednesday, November 25th through Sunday, November 29th. We will resume normal business hours Monday morning at 8:00am. We wish you and yours a safe and happy Thanksgiving. ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.arescotx.com/thanksgiving-holiday-hours/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Five Fascinating Facts About Onshore Gulf Coast Hydrocarbon Production</title> <link>http://www.arescotx.com/gulf-coast-hydrocarbon-production/</link> <comments>http://www.arescotx.com/gulf-coast-hydrocarbon-production/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2015 22:36:21 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[SEOadmin]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Oil and Gas Current Events]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Oil and Gas Interesting Facts]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Permian Basin Oil News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Texas Oil and Gas Investing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Bakken Shale]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Eagle Ford Shale]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Energy Information Administration (EIA)]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Gas to Liquids]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Haynesville Shale]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Hydraulic Fracturing]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.arescotx.com/?p=7739</guid> <description><![CDATA[Mention the words “oil and gas” and what might come to mind are ocean rigs or land-based oil wells. Though […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/gulf-coast-oil-refinery.jpg" target="_blank" data-rel="lightbox-0" title=""><img class="alignleft wp-image-7741 size-medium" style="border: 0px none; margin: 5px 10px;" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/gulf-coast-oil-refinery-300x200.jpg" alt="Gulf Coast Oil Refinery" width="300" height="200" /></a>Mention the words “oil and gas” and what might come to mind are ocean rigs or land-based oil wells. Though the offshore platform and black rig are among the more well-known representations of U.S. hydrocarbon production, there is much more to oil and gas recovery and refining. And while North Dakota has been receiving attention for the <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/tag/bakken-shale/" target="_blank">Bakken Shale</a>, states rimming the Gulf of Mexico have a long history and great future in the area of onshore recovery and production. The following five facts show why – and why Gulf of Mexico energy investments make sense. 1) Exciting History Two oil discoveries at the start of the 20th century – Spindletop in Beaumont, TX and Heywood #1 Jules Clement near Evangeline, LA – positioned Texas and Louisiana as superior energy producing states. Further to the east, the Fayette and Tuscaloosa Counties of Alabama offered their own “black gold” in 1912. Less than 10 years later, wildcatters in Mississippi began working the Black Warrior Basin, which also extends into Alabama. To this day, the Black Warrior Basin continues producing coal and methane along with natural gas and oil. 2) Prime Location <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/oil-refinery.jpg" target="_blank" data-rel="lightbox-1" title=""><img class="alignright wp-image-7753 size-medium" style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px 0px 5px 10px;" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/oil-refinery-300x200.jpg" alt="Oil Refinery" width="300" height="200" /></a>Thanks to prehistoric sediment, the U.S. Gulf Coast offers a bounty of fossil fuels and natural gas. The Gulf of Mexico is also the ideal import-export channel for goods. As such, it’s not surprising that the U.S. <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/tag/energy-information-administration-eia/" target="_blank">Energy Information Administration (EIA)</a> reported that the Gulf Coast has more than 45% of total U.S. petroleum offshore refining capacity and 51% of total U.S. natural gas processing plant capacity. Meanwhile, the number of onshore gas wells in the Gulf of Mexico in 2014 totaled 1,400, an increase from the 1,146 reported in 2013. And the industry is meeting the processing needs of natural gas. The $20 billion Sabine Pass Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal, located along the Gulf in Cameron Parish, LA, is close to being operational. There will be more to come; Industrial Info Resources predicts a minimum of seven LNG Gulf Coast facilities could be operational by 2020. <a href="http://www.usoilinvestments.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-5412 size-full" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/why-now-is-the-time-to-invest-in-oil.png" alt="Why now is the time to invest in oil..." width="600" height="40" /></a> 3) Strong Stats Texas leads the way in U.S. crude oil production. EIA reported that, as of January 2014, the Lone Star State boasted 27 petroleum refineries and so far in 2015, those refineries produced more than 758 million barrels of crude oil. This accounts for close to 30% of total U.S. refining capacity. Texas also takes the lead in U. S. marketed natural gas production at 29%. Meanwhile, Louisiana’s 19 operating refineries produced a total of 56 million barrels of crude oil so far in 2015. Furthermore, according to Encyclopedia of Alabama, the Cotton State is among the top 10 producers of oil and top 15 producers of natural gas in the U.S. 4) Abundant Shale Plays <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/oil-drilling-site-setup.jpg" target="_blank" data-rel="lightbox-2" title=""><img class="alignright wp-image-7746 size-medium" style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px 0px 5px 10px;" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/oil-drilling-site-setup-300x225.jpg" alt="Oil Drilling Site Setup" width="300" height="225" /></a>Technologies such as <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/tag/hydraulic-fracturing/" target="_blank">hydraulic fracturing</a> have led to more streamlined and less expensive recovery of oil and natural gas. As a result, several shale plays have cropped up during the 21st century. Two of the best-known Gulf Coast shales are Haynesville and <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/tag/eagle-ford-shale/" target="_blank">Eagle Ford</a>. Haynesville Shale This “dry” natural gas formation extends from northwest Louisiana to East Texas. According to Natural Gas Intel (NGI), Haynesville Shale production rates were high, though the numbers have fallen off. The shale peaked at 7.2 billions of cubic feet per day (bcf/d) in January 2012. By fall 2014, production fell to 3.9 bcf/d. NGI analysts believe the decrease is temporary, as plenty of gas is available to harvest. Additionally, the shale is near three proposed (and one nearing completion) LNG export terminals. Eagle Ford Shale The “granddaddy” of shale plays, and the largest in the Gulf Coast, South Texas’s Eagle Ford provides 14% of U.S. shale oil in the forms of dry and wet gas/condensate. The shale is also known for its ongoing spigot of crude oil and natural gas and natural gas liquids. The rig count stood at just above 200 as of late 2014. Though rig counts have declined as crude prices have fallen over the past year or so, NGI analysts believe improvements in drilling techniques will continue to boost the shale’s production numbers. A real world example of this is Anadarko. The Woodlands, Texas-based firm has seen its rig count drop from five to three; however, its production is up from 29,000 BOPD to 32,000 BOPD in third quarter 2015, mostly from improving the horizontal drilling reach in its wells. <a href="http://www.txoilinvestments.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-4720 size-full" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/investing-in-permian-basin-oil.jpg" alt="Investing in Texas Permian Basin Oil" width="600" height="200" /></a> 5) Continued Strength The Gulf of Mexico is busy when it comes to energy production. And there is more good news coming from potentially strong shale plays. Tuscaloosa Marine Shale <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/tuscaloosa-marine-shale-map.png" target="_blank" data-rel="lightbox-3" title=""><img class="alignright wp-image-7750 size-medium" style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px 0px 5px 10px;" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/tuscaloosa-marine-shale-map-300x232.png" alt="Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Map" width="300" height="232" /></a>Straddling the Louisiana/Mississippi border, the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS) is, according to NGI, “one of the most polarizing unconventional formations in North America, at least in the eyes of the investment community.” Geophysical challenges have made recovery somewhat difficult; however, drillers in certain areas are seeing great results with onshore natural gas production potential equaling that seen typically only from deep water rigs. For this and other reasons, NGI notes the TMS is considered to be the next Eagle Ford Shale, with many drillers already acquiring mineral rights. Floyd-Neal and Conasauga Shales The Floyd-Neal and Conasauga shale plays aren’t discussed much, despite a potential 4 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas reserves according to Oil and Gas Exploration. These two shale plays are part of the Black Warrior Basin. Production has been slow due to difficult sediment formation, according to the Geological Survey of Alabama, though technological advances could boost recovery efforts in the coming years. Conclusion Though plenty of oil and gas is being harvested from offshore rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf Coast hydrocarbon production is just as strong – if not stronger – on dry land. Current and future shale plays, along with the infrastructure to support them, will continue attracting energy investments all along the coast line and beyond. ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.arescotx.com/gulf-coast-hydrocarbon-production/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>5 Reasons to Invest in Texas Oil</title> <link>http://www.arescotx.com/5-reasons-to-invest-in-texas-oil/</link> <comments>http://www.arescotx.com/5-reasons-to-invest-in-texas-oil/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2015 21:06:31 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[SEOadmin]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Texas Oil and Gas Investing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Energy Investing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Investing in Texas Oil]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Oil and Gas Investing]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.arescotx.com/?p=7540</guid> <description><![CDATA[Natural resources investing frequently boasts high reward potential in exchange for moderate risk, often functioning as a reliable hedge against […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/invest-in-texas-oil.jpg" target="_blank" data-rel="lightbox-0" title=""><img class="alignleft wp-image-7542 size-medium" style="border: 0px none; margin: 5px 10px 5px 0px;" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/invest-in-texas-oil-300x149.jpg" alt="Invest in Texas Oil" width="300" height="149" /></a>Natural resources investing frequently boasts high reward potential in exchange for moderate risk, often functioning as a reliable hedge against negative market movement in other asset classes. Offering the possibility of strong returns based on factors outside of traditional market movement but largely tied into global politics, assets like oil make for popular investments. With new technology like <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/tag/horizontal-drilling/">horizontal drilling</a> and <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/tag/fracking/">fracking</a>, the U.S. has upped its oil game and nowhere in the U.S. has as easily accessible natural oil reserves like Texas. With a hospitable business climate and an affordable economy, drilling in Texas has unleashed new horizons in onshore oil production. As an investor, local oil drilling makes for an alluring opportunity, and one that hasn’t gone unnoticed. If you are seeking a strong addition to your portfolio that goes beyond traditional U.S. large and small cap holdings, a domestic oil investment may be the answer. These five reasons to invest in Texas oil make a new addition to your portfolio compelling indeed, boasting the possibility for long-term growth and strong returns – even at today’s oil pricing. <ol> <li> Passive income and a strong ROI potential</li> </ol> Despite today’s depressed oil pricing, Texas oil production is still going strong. Drilling to access oil in shallow, proven reserves can come with a surprisingly low price tag, sometimes low enough to deliver an attractive profit margin at even $40 oil. Producing oil right now in Texas isn’t about discovery; it’s an extraction game where the race is on to drill and produce oil as cheaply as possible. As technology continues to improve, lifting costs may continue to fall, delivering even better profit potential. Strong return on investment potential ranks as the number one reason to invest in Texas oil. <a href="http://www.txoilinvestments.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-5412 size-full" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/why-now-is-the-time-to-invest-in-oil.png" alt="Why now is the time to invest in oil..." width="600" height="40" /></a> <ol start="2"> <li> Technological advancements have decreased risk</li> </ol> <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/horizontal-drilling-hydraulic-fracturing.jpg" data-rel="lightbox-1" title=""><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3697" style="border: 0px none; margin: 5px 5px 10px 10px;" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/horizontal-drilling-hydraulic-fracturing-300x151.jpg" alt="Hydraulic Fracturing or Fracking" width="300" height="151" /></a>Oil investments have long carried an additional risk related to discovery and extraction. The advent of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing in large, contiguous unconventional shale plays has all but eliminated the discovery risk. Oil is present; it’s just a matter of getting it out of the ground as economically as possible. In conventional fields, technological advancements such as 3D Seismic and extensive geoscience including subsurface mapping, micromagnetics, and radiometrics have done much to help target potentially profitable drilling locations, helping greatly reduce the risks associated with discovery. Today’s innovations combined with the abundance of oil in Texas have set the stage for stable, steady performance potential without the high levels of risk seen in previous natural resources investments. <ol start="3"> <li> Bonus tax incentives</li> </ol> The U.S. government offers tax incentives intended to motivate private investments in domestic oil production, creating a favorable tax situation for those willing to take the plunge. Between 60% and 80% of expenses in drilling programs can be deducted in full as intangible costs, with the rest able to be depreciated as tangible costs over five to seven years. Companies and individual investors can also deduct 15% of gross cash flow as a depletion allowance, with additional deductions available for costs like sales, legal, and accounting expenses. Please check with your tax advisor for details regarding your specific situation. <ol start="4"> <li> A Focus on Reliable Fields</li> </ol> <img class="alignright size-full wp-image-3508" style="border: 0px none; margin: 5px 10px;" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/investing-in-texas-oil.jpg" alt="Investing in Texas Oil" width="250" height="375" />Part of the confusion in oil investing often comes in the exact nature of an investment. What exactly are you investing in, what is the location like, and what is the future potential of the site? Texas oil investments focus on fields with a proven history and a substantial amount of untapped resources, offering a long-term, reliable investment opportunity. Further, many Texas oil fields boast the ability to extract oil from multiple formations, enhancing the ability to provide income for a longer period of time. <ol start="5"> <li> Instant project updates</li> </ol> One of the biggest factors that deter individuals from oil and gas investments is the lack of information. Once the investment money is in the door, many companies stop answering the phones, leaving investors in the dark. By providing consistent status updates, keeping the lines of communication open, and making sure investors are involved throughout the highs and lows, Aresco is able to provide the transparency and trust missing in many other oil investments. Contact us today for more information on our industry-leading Investor Portal. In investing, anything with the potential for strong returns generally carries significant risk. Texas oil investments seek to reduce the risk while building a solid foundation for long-term rewards through proven oil fields, advanced technology, tax incentives, and open communication channels. Natural resources investing in general provides many attractive qualities to those seeking diversification, and Texas oil opportunities have the ability to offer extensive benefits for years to come. <a href="http://www.txoilinvestments.com/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4720" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/investing-in-permian-basin-oil.jpg" alt="Investing in Texas Permian Basin Oil" width="600" height="200" /></a> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.arescotx.com/5-reasons-to-invest-in-texas-oil/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Blowout Preventer Video</title> <link>http://www.arescotx.com/blowout-preventer-video/</link> <comments>http://www.arescotx.com/blowout-preventer-video/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 17 Sep 2015 15:39:53 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[SEOadmin]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Oil and Gas Interesting Facts]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Drilling Technology]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.arescotx.com/?p=7225</guid> <description><![CDATA[To help stave off disaster, the Blowout Preventer, or BOP, is complex safety equipment designed to prevent the uncontrolled flow […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[To help stave off disaster, the Blowout Preventer, or BOP, is complex safety equipment designed to prevent the uncontrolled flow (formation kick) of formation fluids during the drilling and completion operations. Formation kicks have the potential to lead to catastrophic events known as blowouts, hence the name of the equipment, blowout preventer. This short video explains the components and operation of the blowout preventer. <iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uYdXoFV1S6s?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> To learn more or to read the video transcript, see “<a href="http://www.arescotx.com/photos-videos/what-is-a-blowout-preventer/">What is a blowout preventer?</a>” <a href="http://www.usoilinvestments.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-4720 size-full" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/investing-in-permian-basin-oil.jpg" alt="Investing in Texas Permian Basin Oil" width="600" height="200" /></a> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.arescotx.com/blowout-preventer-video/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Houston Energy – Global Powerhouse</title> <link>http://www.arescotx.com/houston-energy-global-powerhouse/</link> <comments>http://www.arescotx.com/houston-energy-global-powerhouse/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 13 Aug 2015 15:48:01 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[SEOadmin]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Oil and Gas Current Events]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Oil and Gas Interesting Facts]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Texas Oil and Gas Investing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Houston]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.arescotx.com/?p=6976</guid> <description><![CDATA[You might think the recent plunge in global oil prices has knocked the wind out of Houston and its status […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-6978" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/houston-skyline.jpg" alt="Houston Skyline" width="1000" height="333" /> You might think the recent plunge in global oil prices has knocked the wind out of Houston and its status as an energy power hub. But that would be a serious underestimation of the fourth most populous metropolis in the U.S. <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/houston-ship-channel.jpg" target="_blank" data-rel="lightbox-0" title=""><img class="alignleft wp-image-6988 size-medium" style="border: 0px none; margin: 5px 10px;" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/houston-ship-channel-300x196.jpg" alt="Houston Ship Channel" width="300" height="196" /></a>Contrary to some perceptions, the Houston energy sector has fortified its role as a global energy powerhouse. Its solid foundational structures deftly position it for adaptability. Houston is the beginning and end point for numerous pipelines including the Los Angeles-Houston natural gas pipeline and the Houston-Philadelphia products pipeline. <a href="http://www.portofhouston.com/about-us/history/" target="_blank">The Houston Ship Channel</a>, a complex of diversified public and private enterprises, is a powerful 25-mile long conduit to the Gulf of Mexico. Though it is home to more than 5,000 energy firms, <a href="http://www.houstontx.gov/abouthouston/houston-facts-and-figures" target="_blank">Houston has a broad industrial base</a> that includes aeronautics, technology, and cutting-edge healthcare. It ranks fourth among the top U.S. port complexes, accounting for $168.1 billion in trade annually. It ranks first in waterborne tonnage handled and second in total tonnage. Believe it or not, it is the tenth largest port in the world. <a href="http://www.usoilinvestments.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-5412 size-full" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/why-now-is-the-time-to-invest-in-oil.png" alt="Why now is the time to invest in oil..." width="600" height="40" /></a> Cheap Oil Fuels Petrochemical Growth As the world’s largest petrochemical manufacturing zone in the world, the Houston metro area is undergoing a <a href="http://fuelfix.com/blog/2015/06/24/petrochemical-growth-may-keep-houston-out-of-oil-related-recession/" target="_blank">petrochemical boom</a> fueled by cheap commodity prices. Not only is the city a global center for oilfield equipment, it is the leading producer of synthetic rubber, insecticides, pesticides, and other chemicals. Some $30 billion in new petrochemical projects are currently under development. <iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eLvS-cKMS8g?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> In March 2014, Dow Chemical announced its state-of-the-art <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLvS-cKMS8g" data-rel="lightbox-video-0" target="_blank">Texas Innovation Center</a> in Lake Jackson, slated for completion in 2016. The Center will provide laboratory and administrative facilities for more than 2,000 people, heightening collaboration among Dow’s research talent across technologies and markets. It will drive breakthroughs such as new <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20131121005827/en/Preferred-Sands-Dow-Report-Significantly-Increased-Demand#.Va-xrXji-x0" target="_blank">coating technologies</a> Dow has developed for proppants that eliminates the need for certain chemicals in hydraulic fracturing. <a href="http://www.aramcoservices.com/News-Events/Houston-RC-Inauguration.aspx" target="_blank"><img class="alignright wp-image-6981 size-medium" style="border: 0px none; margin: 5px 10px;" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/aramco-rd-center-300x200.jpg" alt="Saudi Aramco Houston Research Center Dedication" width="300" height="200" /></a> In addition, Armaco Services Company, the Houston subsidiary of Saudi Armaco, recently launched the <a href="http://www.aramcoservices.com/News-Events/Houston-RC-Inauguration.aspx" target="_blank">Armaco Research Center</a>—the largest of three new Aramaco research facilities in the U.S. The 60,000 square foot complex will zero-in on upstream energy innovations. Energy Shifts North Houston is driving a massive push to turn the city into a hub for technology startups. The number of entrepreneurs, investors, incubators, and accelerators is surging. Houston’s innovative energy sector, which in large part drove the fracking boom, continues to invest heavily in research and development projects and new technologies. <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/houston-campus-sw-to-energy-center.jpg" target="_blank" data-rel="lightbox-1" title=""><img class="alignleft wp-image-6984 size-medium" style="border: 0px none; margin: 5px 10px;" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/houston-campus-sw-to-energy-center-300x169.jpg" alt="ExxonMobil's Houston Corporate Campus" width="300" height="169" /></a> But perhaps the most significant development is the unspooling of Houston’s second energy corridor, anchored by <a href="http://corporate.exxonmobil.com/en/company/worldwide-operations/locations/united-states/houston-campus/overview" target="_blank">ExxonMobil’s new corporate campus</a>. Located north of downtown and not far from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, the 385-acre development has 20 buildings enveloping 3 million square feet. It will house 10,000 employees including 2,000 people relocated from the company’s 117-acre campus in Fairfax, Virginia as well as employees from the energy giant’s facility in Akron, Ohio. But the bulk of the new campus workforce will come from ExxonMobil locations in and around Houston, including its 45-story downtown office tower. The complex will be devoted to exploration, refining, chemical, corporate law, finance, and other energy industry pursuits. (ExxonMobil’s headquarters will remain in Irving, Texas, just outside of Dallas.) <ul> <li>RELATED – <a style="color: #ff0000;" href="http://www.arescotx.com/fracking-bans-in-texas-outlawed/">Fracking Bans in Texas Outlawed</a></li> <li>RELATED – <a style="color: #ff0000;" href="http://www.arescotx.com/fracking-earthquakes/">Earthquake Controversy Rocks Austin: Fracking Blame Highly Suspect</a></li> </ul> Slated for completion this summer, the project tees-up an energy zone that will compliment the established corridor along the western edge of the city. It will turbo-charge the two engines driving Houston’s growth: energy and exports. It bolsters Houston’s status as a global energy epicenter—one with unsurpassed resilience and formidable staying power. ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.arescotx.com/houston-energy-global-powerhouse/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Utah Challenges Oil Sands Goliath Alberta</title> <link>http://www.arescotx.com/utah-oil-sands/</link> <comments>http://www.arescotx.com/utah-oil-sands/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2015 19:36:01 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[SEOadmin]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Oil and Gas Current Events]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tar Sands]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.arescotx.com/?p=6919</guid> <description><![CDATA[As the per-barrel price of oil bobs around $50, oil exploration and production technological advances are forging ahead. To wit: […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-6920" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/utah-tar-sands-deposits-map-300x232.gif" alt="Utah Tar Sands Deposits" width="300" height="232" />As the per-barrel price of oil bobs around $50, oil exploration and production technological advances are forging ahead. To wit: <a href="http://business.financialpost.com/news/energy/utah-set-to-be-home-of-first-oilsands-mine-project-in-us-by-end-of-2015" target="_blank">Calgary-based U.S. Sands</a> is poised to make Utah a little Alberta. The company is putting the finishing touches on a <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-sands-utah-alberta-205840924.html" target="_blank">pioneering $100 million oil sands project</a> in eastern Utah. When in full production this fall, the project will generate an estimated 2,000 barrels of oil per day making it among the first commercial oil sands mines in the United States. The U.S. Sand project is located in the Uinta basin, a geological formation in northeastern and central southeastern Utah formed during the Early Tertiary period some 65 million years ago. The formation is thought to have 20 to 32 billion barrels of recoverable oil and has more than 50 identified deposits. Key to Oil Sands Extraction? Oranges What makes this play so revolutionary? U.S. Sands is deploying a breakthrough process to extract hydrocarbons from <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/tag/tar-sands/" target="_blank">oil sands</a>, which are a mixture of sand, clay, water and bitumen, a tarry hydrocarbon-rich substance. The company’s technology utilizes d-Limonene, a solvent extracted from orange rinds. U.S. Sands will also be using a mining method call concurrent reclamation where the sand from the mine is replaced at the same rate the oil sands ore is extracted. <a href="http://www.usoilinvestments.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-5412 size-full" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/why-now-is-the-time-to-invest-in-oil.png" alt="Why now is the time to invest in oil..." width="600" height="40" /></a> The project will consume 50 percent less energy than conventional oil sands extraction processes, recycle 95 percent of the water used, and eliminate large <a href="http://oilsands.alberta.ca/tailings.html" target="_blank">tailing ponds</a>. Tailing ponds are a byproduct of traditional oil sands production that uses hot water and agitation to separate bitumen from oil sands ore. U.S. Sands claims production costs in the $30 per barrel range, considerably less than Alberta producers’ costs, which are in the $60 to $75 range. Consequently, global crude oil prices <a href="http://calgaryherald.com/business/energy/ewart-price-collapse-spurs-oilsands-producers-to-reset-high-cost-structure" target="_blank">are wreaking havoc</a> on Alberta’s oil sands megaprojects as producers struggle <a href="http://business.financialpost.com/news/energy/era-of-canadas-oilsands-megaproject-fades-as-producers-shift-to-bite-sized-ventures" target="_blank">to keep pace </a>with U.S. shale producer costs. Clean Extraction of “Dirty” Oil <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/uinta-basin.gif" target="_blank" data-rel="lightbox-0" title=""><img class="alignleft wp-image-6923 size-medium" style="border: 0px none; margin: 5px 10px;" title="Uinta Basin Utah" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/uinta-basin-293x300.gif" alt="Uinta Basin Map" width="293" height="300" /></a>Then there’s MCW Energy Group. Last October, the Toronto-based holding company unveiled a 250 barrel-per-day oil sands extraction plant in Vernal, Utah. The plant utilizes a process it calls “<a href="http://www.mcwenergygroup.com/technology/overview" target="_blank">closed-loop technology</a>,” which extracts up to 99 percent of all hydrocarbons in oil sands ore. The technology uses low temperatures without applied vacuum or pressures, and proprietary solvents—99 percent of which are recycled. The only byproducts are the extracted crude oil and cleaned sands, which are deposited back into the earth or sold for utilization in construction or fracking projects. The company bills it as America’s first environmentally friendly oil sands extraction project. It claims <a href="http://www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/137975/Utah_Home_of_the_Next_Oil_Sands_Breakthrough" target="_blank">efficiencies of 22:1</a> (energy returned on energy invested) compared to Alberta’s oil sands extraction processes, which are roughly 4:1. The company has set a production target of 6,000 barrels of oil over a 60-day period ending September 30, 2015—an average of 100 barrels per day. The company is planning a $70 million, <a href="http://www.mcwenergygroup.com/about/plans-for-the-future" target="_blank">5,000 barrel per day extraction plant</a> at its Temple Mountain Energy lease site near Vernal. <a href="http://www.txoilinvestments.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-4720 size-full" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/investing-in-permian-basin-oil.jpg" alt="Investing in Texas Permian Basin Oil" width="600" height="200" /></a> Utah’s deposits are estimated to contain 55 percent of all oil sands resources in the U.S. And these resources are relatively easy to develop, with sands located on the surface down to 400 feet. Watch out Alberta. ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.arescotx.com/utah-oil-sands/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Fracking Bans in Texas Outlawed</title> <link>http://www.arescotx.com/fracking-bans-in-texas-outlawed/</link> <comments>http://www.arescotx.com/fracking-bans-in-texas-outlawed/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2015 16:22:59 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[SEOadmin]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Oil and Gas Current Events]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Permian Basin Oil News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Energy Production]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Fracking]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Gas to Liquids]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Horizontal Drilling]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Hydraulic Fracturing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sasol]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.arescotx.com/?p=6788</guid> <description><![CDATA[Fracking bans in Texas were outlawed on May 18, 2015 when Governor Greg Abbott signed into law House Bill 40 […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[Fracking bans in Texas were outlawed on May 18, 2015 when Governor Greg Abbott signed into law <a href="http://www.texastribune.org/2015/05/22/despite-ban-fracking-resume-denton/" target="_blank">House Bill 40</a> that effectively preempts any municipal efforts to ban, limit, or otherwise regulate an oil and gas operation, unless the regulation: <ul> <li>relates only above-ground activity</li> <li>is “commercially reasonable”</li> <li>does not prohibit oil and gas operations conducted by a “reasonably prudent” operator</li> <li>is not otherwise preempted by state or federal law.</li> </ul> <img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-6789" style="border: 0px none; margin: 5px 20px;" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/fracking-300x225.jpg" alt="Fracking Bans in Texas Outlawed" width="300" height="225" />The law still allows for local control over minor issues such as traffic, noise levels, lighting and “reasonable setback requirements” relating to how far any drilling activity must be from structures such as schools, homes, and businesses. As Does Denton The state initiative was a response to an <a href="http://keranews.org/post/denton-vote-fracking-ban" target="_blank">ordinance introduced</a> by the city council of Denton, Texas, in July of 2014. The city sought to ban the 65 year-old technology known as <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/tag/hydraulic-fracturing/">hydraulic fracturing</a> within city limits. This despite the fact that over 200 wells were already in operation there at the time. The Denton ordinance was passed as a local ballot initiative in the general election of November, 2014, but had yet to be enforced when the governor put his signature on the State of Texas trump, effectively banning such bans. Opponents of the Denton ordinance argued, among other points, that the language of the ban was too broad and could potentially have a negative impact on other forms of <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/tag/energy-production/">energy production</a>. In spite of the state’s aggressive response, it is speculated that litigation may continue to keep the debate raging for some time with opposition groups having been organized not only in the North Texas community but also in several other communities around the country. <a href="http://www.usoilinvestments.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-5412 size-full" title="Investing in Oil" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/why-now-is-the-time-to-invest-in-oil.png" alt="Why now is the time to invest in oil..." width="600" height="40" /></a> Oklahoma Does Too Oklahoma took a similar legislative step around the same time to prevent what Governor Mary Fallin called a potential “patchwork of inconsistent municipal regulations across the state” when she made <a href="http://newsok.com/gov.-mary-fallin-signs-bill-preventing-oklahoma-cities-from-enacting-drilling-bans/article/5423712" target="_blank">Oklahoma Senate Bill 809</a> an official law. While Oklahoma had not experienced any municipal resistance such as Texas had seen from Denton, the passage of their measure by an over-whelming majority of votes in both chambers promises to help avoid potential future opposition and economic disruption to the state’s leading industry. A Fracking Explanation <img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-6797" style="border: 0px none; margin: 5px 10px;" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/fracking-diagram-300x200.jpg" alt="Fracking Diagram" width="300" height="200" />Advanced hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as “<a href="http://www.arescotx.com/tag/fracking/">fracking</a>”, is the practice of injecting highly pressurized liquid into shale and other tight rock formations usually thousands of feet below the surface. The process is one step in modern oil and gas drilling that allows economic hydrocarbon production from reservoirs previously deemed unprofitable. The process was patented in 1949, and the first commercial application was made by the exclusive licensee, <a href="http://www.library.hbs.edu/hc/lehman/company.html?company=halliburton_oil_well_cementing_company" target="_blank">Halliburton Oil Well Cementing Company</a> (HOWCO). The combination of fracking and <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/tag/horizontal-drilling/">horizontal drilling</a> has led to a sharp increase in production viability and efficiency that has catapulted the U.S. to the top in terms of international petroleum production. Controversy <img class="alignright size-full wp-image-6799" style="border: 0px none; margin: 5px 10px;" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/gasland-video.jpg" alt="Gasland Video" width="214" height="317" />Despite the strict and voluminous regulation in place monitoring the energy industry, there remains a hum of controversy around the practice of fracking. Arguably, this debate was initially fueled by an environmental alarmist video called GasLand. The film features shocking images of methane-rich well water being ignited as it pours from a kitchen faucet in rural Colorado. The problem with this scene, which enjoys the esteemed status of being the calling card of the movie, is that igniting methane-rich water has been possible since well before fracking was ever developed. Perhaps the earliest documented anecdote involves <a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2008/10/17/science-and-politics-the-tale-of-george-washingtons-swamp-gas/#.Va0at_lWIUM" target="_blank">George Washington and Thomas Paine in 1783</a>. In an effort to understand the mystery of swamp gas, these founding fathers attempted to disturb the river bottoms in an effort to ignite whatever substance was released from the mud. They ending up setting “the river” on fire. While Millstone River in New Jersey may have been the scene of a now historic experiment, the fact that flammable gases can naturally occur in underground water was somehow lost on the filmmakers. The result was an audience incensed into instant mob mentality. The backlash has led to more than a few legal disputes and bumps in the road for an industry otherwise enjoying unprecedented growth and expansion. The newest hurdle faced is the contention that fracking is responsible for a growing number of minor <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/fracking-earthquakes/">earthquakes</a> across the country. Studies now show that the fracturing is not so much to blame as is the disposal of the drilling fluid in deep disposal wells; however, the danger of seismic activity of a significant magnitude is rare. <ul> <li>RELATED: <a style="color: #ff0000;" href="http://www.arescotx.com/fracking-earthquakes/">Earthquake Controversy Rocks Austin, Texas</a></li> <li>RELATED: <a style="color: #ff0000;" href="http://www.arescotx.com/fracking-boom-driving-massive-industrialization-in-louisiana/">Fracking Boom Driving Massive Industrialization in Louisiana (Sasol)</a></li> </ul> Fracking Out the Future Adversity invariably brings about innovation and, regardless of the method that ultimately proves to be the most practical, progress will be made. As an example, the science of “<a href="http://www.arescotx.com/oil-gas-industry-consulting-services/field-revitalization/">re-fracking</a>” existing wells is a relatively new methodology that, as it is more widely employed to exploit previously drilled wells, is becoming a viable alternative to expending critical resources to engage in new site development. <a href="http://www.txoilinvestments.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-4720 size-full" title="Investing in Texas Permian Basin Oil" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/investing-in-permian-basin-oil.jpg" alt="Investing in Texas Permian Basin Oil" width="600" height="200" /></a> Insiders speculate that such options could make market downturns, such as the one currently being felt, merely a footnote in the history of an ever-evolving industry. For these reasons and a myriad more, oil and gas promises to become more <a href="http://www.usoilinvestments.com/" target="_blank">rewarding</a> to those who look to invest in it, more cost effective to the producers who generate it, and more plentiful and cheaper to those who rely upon it. ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.arescotx.com/fracking-bans-in-texas-outlawed/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Earthquake Controversy Rocks Austin: Fracking Blame Highly Suspect</title> <link>http://www.arescotx.com/fracking-earthquakes/</link> <comments>http://www.arescotx.com/fracking-earthquakes/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Tue, 14 Jul 2015 16:02:47 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[SEOadmin]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Oil and Gas Current Events]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Permian Basin Oil News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Fracking]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Fracking Earthquakes]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Hydraulic Fracturing]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.arescotx.com/?p=6701</guid> <description><![CDATA[Texas lawmakers recently approved a $4.5 million to study a succession of earthquakes that rocked the Dallas Fort-Worth area at […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.arescotx.com/fracking-earthquakes/oil-wells-near-dallas-texas-map/" target="_blank" rel="attachment wp-att-6704"><img class="alignleft wp-image-6704 size-medium" style="border: 0px none; margin: 5px 10px;" title="Fracking Earthquakes Controversy" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/oil-wells-near-dallas-texas-map-300x216.png" alt="Fracking Earthquakes Controversy" width="300" height="216" /></a>Texas lawmakers recently <a href="http://www.irvingchamber.com/2015/06/irvings-efforts-lead-to-legislative-action-on-north-texas-earthquakes/" target="_blank">approved a $4.5 million</a> to study a succession of earthquakes that rocked the Dallas Fort-Worth area at the beginning of the year. Purpose: to explore what—if any—connection the temblors have to oil and gas production. The region is home to the Barnett-Shale formation, a play rich in natural gas reserves. Funds will be used to purchase monitoring instruments to study seismic activity around oil and gas wells. The move comes after <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/exxon-to-face-regulators-questions-over-quakes-1433593802" target="_blank">state regulators held hearings</a> in early June to probe any connection between oil and gas production and seismic activity in North Texas. Research Disputed But is there a strong correlation between seismic activity and oil and gas production? A recent study released by <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20150605-energy-executives-question-smu-led-quake-study-at-austin-meeting.ece" target="_blank">Southern Methodist University</a> in Dallas suggests there is. SMU researchers contend a recent cluster of small quakes in the Fort Worth suburb of Azle between November 2013 and January 2014 are linked to waste water injection wells. Fault lines act as pathways for pressure changes that can course to critically stressed areas, triggering the temblors, SMU researchers claim. <a href="http://www.usoilinvestments.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-5412 size-full" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/why-now-is-the-time-to-invest-in-oil.png" alt="Why now is the time to invest in oil..." width="600" height="40" /></a> But representatives from Exxon and its gas subsidiary XTO Energy <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/exxon-tells-texas-regulators-it-didnt-cause-earthquakes-1433964351" target="_blank">dispute these claims</a>. They presented evidence to regulators that the quakes that struck one suburb originated far deeper that the depth of a nearby injection well. EnerVest, a firm that operates a well linked with the Azle quakes, showed evidence the quakes occurred as deep as 20,000 feet. That’s far deeper than the injection wells, which are drilled to depths of roughly 7,000 feet. Irving Shakes <img class="alignleft wp-image-6706 size-medium" style="border: 0px none; margin: 5px 10px;" title="Irving Earthquakes" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/irving-earthquakes-300x169.jpg" alt="Irving, Texas Earthquakes" width="300" height="169" />The Irving quakes that struck in early January 2015 were centered just east of the site of the Dallas Cowboys former home field, Texas Stadium. The two quakes registered 3.5 and 3.6 on the Richter scale—large enough to be felt miles away. Yet there was no drilling or hydraulic fracturing activity anywhere near the quake zone at the time they struck. A single well was drilled in 2009 some two miles away from the stadium site, but it was shut down in 2012. The closest active well is some 20 miles away in Arlington, Texas. In addition, there were no wastewater injection wells anywhere near the quake site (the closest is ten miles away). A more likely explanation, <a href="http://www.bseec.org/irving_earthquakes" target="_blank">posits the Barnett Shale Energy Education Council</a>, is movement along the ancient Balcones Fault zone, a series of fault lines stretching northeast from Southwest Texas. “It’s hard to believe that a frack job that took place many years ago would be resulting in earthquakes today,” seismic researcher Michael Brudzinski <a href="http://keranews.org/post/north-texas-quakes-continue-experts-look-cause" target="_blank">said in an interview</a> with Dallas public radio station KERA. Brudzinki suggested North Texas seismologists drop fracking as a credible quake suspect. <a href="http://www.txoilinvestments.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-4787 size-full" title="Permian Basin Oil Investing Questions?" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/permian-basin-investing-questions.gif" alt="Permian Basin Oil Investing Questions?" width="600" height="40" /></a> Flimsy Linkage A Texas Railroad Commission <a href="http://webapps2.rrc.state.tx.us/EWA/uicQueryAction.do" target="_blank">database lists</a> some 14,000-injection wells scattered across the 5,000-square mile Barnett Shale Play. Yet just <a href="http://energyindepth.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/earthquakes-texas-disposal-injection-fracking.jpg" target="_blank" data-rel="lightbox-0" title="">0.1 percent of these wells</a> is correlated with any seismic activity. But that isn’t stopping anti-fracking groups from seizing the alleged linkage as an “<a href="http://www.downwindersatrisk.org/2014/01/why-downwinders-is-involved-in-the-azle-earthquake-fight/" target="_blank">opportunity to organize and win behind enemy lines</a>.” Other anti-fracking activists are promoting the term “<a href="http://www.earthworksaction.org/earthblog/detail/we_made_the_ground_shake_in_austin#.VYR3TWCtA9V" target="_blank">frackquake</a>.” But correlations do not equal causation. At around the same time earthquakes struck Irving, a swarm of quakes <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/connecticut-rocked-11-earthquakes-one-week-1786792" target="_blank">rocked Connecticut</a> over a single week. There currently is <a href="http://www.nhregister.com/government-and-politics/20140818/connecticut-environmentalists-applaud-fracking-waste-ban-at-east-haven-bill-signing" target="_blank">no fracking activity</a> in that state. ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.arescotx.com/fracking-earthquakes/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>End the Ban On US Crude Oil Exports?</title> <link>http://www.arescotx.com/end-the-ban-on-us-crude-oil-exports/</link> <comments>http://www.arescotx.com/end-the-ban-on-us-crude-oil-exports/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2015 17:57:50 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[SEOadmin]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Oil and Gas Current Events]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Permian Basin Oil News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Crude Oil Export Ban]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.arescotx.com/?p=6635</guid> <description><![CDATA[How the Fall in Oil Prices Has Impacted Texas Oil Oil prices plummeted in 2014 for a number of reasons […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[How the Fall in Oil Prices Has Impacted Texas Oil <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/end-the-ban-on-us-crude-oil-exports/crude-oil-export-ban/" target="_blank" rel="attachment wp-att-6638"><img class="alignleft wp-image-6638 size-medium" style="border: 0px none; margin: 5px 10px;" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/crude-oil-export-ban-300x200.jpg" alt="End the Crude Oil Export Ban" width="300" height="200" /></a>Oil prices plummeted in 2014 for a number of reasons ranging from excess supplies to a slowing economy. Lower oil prices are affecting profit margins among oil producers across the board and this has had a deleterious impact on production around the world. Newer sources such as shale and sands have been hit even harder than that of more traditional wells. Given these economic realities, Texas oil and other oil producing regions across the United States could benefit greatly from a little push. Specifically, overturning the current export ban on U.S. oil would empower Texas crude producers to find new consumers in international markets who may be willing to purchase crude at better prices than their domestic counterparts. The Cost of Banning The current ban on exporting most types of crude was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_Policy_and_Conservation_Act" target="_blank">mandated</a> in 1975 by President Gerald Ford and intended to create a strategic reserve in the United States in order to reduce reliance on foreign sources. The law was primarily in response to the Arab embargo on oil trade with the U.S. that had taken place only two years earlier and which has been characterized as the “first oil shock”. However, economic realities of the present bear little resemblance to those of the past. The need for a strategic reserve has lessened primarily due to the boom in U.S. shale extraction. The United States now sits atop the list of global producers of oil and does not appear to be relinquishing that position any time soon. Further, unintended consequences of the export ban include forcing U.S. producers to sell to a limited market of U.S. refineries for prices lower than those that might be found on the international market. This doubtlessly hurts rather than helps Texas as well as oil producing states across the rest of the country. <a href="http://www.usoilinvestments.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-5412 size-full" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/why-now-is-the-time-to-invest-in-oil.png" alt="Why now is the time to invest in oil..." width="600" height="40" /></a> Is There Sufficient Demand Abroad? Of course, there is little point to lifting the current export ban unless international demand is sufficient to reward producers for sharing their yield outside U.S. borders. Let’s look at the facts. First, much of U.S. crude oil being produced currently consists of “<a href="http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sweetcrude.asp" target="_blank">sweet light crude</a>” with its low sulfur content. However, a significant proportion of U.S. refineries prefer refining heavier, or “sour”, crude with a sulfur content exceeding 0.5%. These refineries have the ability to refine sweet light crude but will not because sour crude tends to be so much cheaper. This condition should prove to force the price of sweet light crude to rise if the international market is re-opened as a result of the increased demand. This disparity between U.S. oil producers and refineries is the result of enormous investment in the early 2000’s by refineries into technology to handle sour crude based on the belief that supplies of sweet light crude were running out even as consumer interest soared. Instead, what happened was that new techniques and new technologies made the production of sweet light crude from shale more efficient and economical. Should the export ban be lifted, oil producers in Texas could face huge and attractive demand for their sweet light crude among refineries abroad that are unable to refine sour crude as efficiently. This shot in the arm from foreign demand should sufficiently offset current higher production costs associated with shale extraction. The Time Has Come <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/should-i-invest-in-oil-gas/" target="_blank"><img class=" wp-image-5536 size-medium alignright" style="border: 0px none; margin: 5px 10px;" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/form-to-download-300x208.png" alt="Should I Invest in Oil and Gas FREE Download" width="300" height="208" /></a>The debate has been waging for several years but due to the boom in production and discoveries of vast new plays, the U.S. is in a much more comfortable position. Long gone are the turbulent polyester and bell-bottom days when consumers faced long lines and later rationing measures. In fact, the U.S. Energy Information Administration supported this view when it stated the following in its revised December 2014 report: “U.S. proved reserves of crude oil and lease condensate have now risen for five consecutive years, and exceeded 36 billion barrels for the first time since 1975.”1 Proving that the debate deserves to move out of shareholder meetings and boardrooms into living rooms and onto the floor of Congress. <ol> <li><a href="http://www.eia.gov/naturalgas/crudeoilreserves/index.cfm" target="_blank">http://www.eia.gov/naturalgas/crudeoilreserves/index.cfm</a></li> </ol>   ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.arescotx.com/end-the-ban-on-us-crude-oil-exports/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Aresco acquires oil interest in Cherokee Platform in Oklahoma</title> <link>http://www.arescotx.com/aresco-acquires-oil-interest-in-cherokee-platform-in-oklahoma/</link> <comments>http://www.arescotx.com/aresco-acquires-oil-interest-in-cherokee-platform-in-oklahoma/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2015 04:00:56 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[SEOadmin]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Oil and Gas Current Events]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Aresco LP]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Brandon Laxton]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cherokee Platform]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Energy Information Administration (EIA)]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.arescotx.com/?p=6608</guid> <description><![CDATA[Aresco LP acquires working interest position in multiple-play opportunity in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma; vertical development prospect targets the Red Fork […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>Aresco LP acquires working interest position in multiple-play opportunity in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma; vertical development prospect targets the Red Fork and Skinner Sandstones and Hunton Lime formation</h3> <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/?attachment_id=6609" target="_blank" rel="attachment wp-att-6609"><img class="alignleft wp-image-6609 size-medium" style="border: 0px none; margin: 5px 10px;" title="Geologic Provinces of Oklahoma" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/cherokee-platform-oklahoma-300x204.jpg" alt="Cherokee Platform Oklahoma" width="300" height="204" /></a>(Dallas, Texas) –– Aresco LP, a Dallas-based energy exploration and production company, today announced the acquisition of a significant working interest position in a 160-acre prospect in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. The prospect acreage sits on the eastern edge of the <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/tag/cherokee-platform/">Cherokee Platform</a> on trend with the Oklahoma City Oil Field, which has produced over three billion barrels of oil since its discovery in 1929 according to the <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/tag/energy-information-administration-eia/" target="_blank">U.S. Energy Information Administration</a>. “Given the current soft pricing landscape, it’s more important than ever to evaluate opportunities based not only on ultimate recovery potential but on cost structure,” said Brandon Laxton, President and Founder of Aresco LP and Aresco Operating. “As such, we’ve been exploring opportunities to drill more shallow wells in proven producing fields with well-established infrastructure. With long-lived well production, this strategic move into Oklahoma provides attractive return potential at today’s prices while also setting our capital partners up for solid cash flow as prices continue to rebound.” The first of two developmental wells is scheduled to begin drilling late-summer 2015 and will test two primary objectives, the Red Fork Sand and Hunton Lime, as well as a secondary objective, the Skinner Sand. Total commingled recovery from the three zones is estimated at 400,000 barrels of oil. <a href="http://www.usoilinvestments.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-5412 size-full" title="Invest in Oil" src="http://www.arescotx.com/wp-content/uploads/why-now-is-the-time-to-invest-in-oil.png" alt="Why now is the time to invest in oil..." width="600" height="40" /></a> About Aresco LP Aresco LP is a privately held Dallas-based exploration and production company actively engaged in developmental drilling, mineral leasing, and production acquisitions in conventional and unconventional oil plays throughout Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico including the <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/tag/permian-basin/" target="_blank">Permian Basin</a> and <a href="http://www.arescotx.com/tag/eagle-ford-shale/" target="_blank">Eagle Ford Shale</a> plays. The company specializes in production-driven projects designed to provide income stability and strong growth potential. Aresco’s asset portfolio provides a strong balance of ownership positions in rapidly developing conventional formations and development projects in proven oilfields with decades of active drilling and production. To learn more, please visit <a href="http://www.arescotx.com">www.arescotx.com</a>. Follow the company on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aresco/510139499068554" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/ArescoLP" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/aresco-lp" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>, or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA6GcWo3qNBKLWvNCeBTU3A" data-rel="lightbox-video-0" target="_blank">YouTube</a>. ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.arescotx.com/aresco-acquires-oil-interest-in-cherokee-platform-in-oklahoma/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss>