The Message Forum is an ongoing dialogue among classmates. The goal is to encourage friendly interaction, including interaction among classmates who really didn't know each other. Experience on the site has revealed that certain topics tend to cause friction and hard feelings, especially politics and religion. 

Although politics and religion are not completely off-limits, classmates are asked to be positive in their posts and not to be too repetitive or allow a dialog to degenerate into an argument. 

Forums work when people participate - so don't be bashful! Click the "Post Response" button to add your entry to the forum.

Kurt Fischer

Oil Man Steve:

I ran across an interesting newspaper article today.  Okay, the article was from the Dallas Morning News on January 14, 1940... (I sometimes look at the DMN archives which go back to the 1880s.  In this case, I was looking at the news in the run-up to WWII and this article caught my attention.)

Not sure whether you would have access to the article, but I'll leave the link anyway.  https://archives.dallasnews.com/uncategorized/IO_5b28b65e-3579-434b-bfeb-82c73a4331f9/

The gist of the article is:

• Although the demise of oil supplies had been predicted in 1924, 1928 and 1932, there was still a flood of oil.
• A primary reason was "controlled directional drilling".  This allowed us to recover oil in ways we never were able when we could only drill in a straight line.  
• Existing drilling's "straight line" actually allowed up to about a 3 degree margin of error, which would result in a hole being somewhere within 7 acres on a 6,000 foot well.  This was not satisfactory, both from a productivity perspective as well as a legal perspective.
• The new technique developed by Pioneer Contoller Eastman used a combination of a downhole camera as well as downhole wedges to influence the direction of drilling.

Sounds a lot like our current world, but we have better tools.

David Cordell

Kurt,

Loved the link to the old newspaper. When the movie Bonnie and Clyde was released, I became somewhat obsessed with learning about the two. Looked for locations they had robbed. Became fascinated with cars of the '20s and '30s. Spent some time at the downtown Dallas library looking tediously through microfilm for articles about B and C. Hooray for the internet! 

David Cordell

Gun owners may be interested in this story. Not sure if the link will work.

https://www.fa-mag.com/news/a-gun-law-that-shut-wall-street-from-texas-muni-market-is-now-spreading-66327.html?section=43&utm_source=FA+Subscribers&utm_campaign=63d059e7c5-FAN_AM_Send_052220_A-B+Split_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6bebc79291-63d059e7c5-234715281

Wayne Gary

David,

I just read the article about banks doing business.  One thing the article did not mention is the fight originaly started with New York city and state panning Banks from doing business with them that had dealings with firearm businesses.  this included having credit cards for sporting goods stores like Academy and Cabellas.

If I remamber correctly it even banned them from processing credit card purchases from firearm businesses.

Jerry May

We've played it, but I never tire of hearing it!

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

Hyperlinks need not be three sentences long.  They can be simple, easy to read and you can also fix it so that the link will come up in a new window, thus not taking you away from the current web site.  

Just before I left my administration duties on the other website, I created a Tech Tip to show you how to put in a proper hyperlink.  How to insert a hyperlink.

Steve Keene

Kurt,

Directional drilling was a common practice in large reservoirs where a few thousand feet off would not make a difference.  That happened often in the East Texas field near Kilgore the result of which was the recognition that the State of Texas needed a regulatory body to prevent illegal drainage of unowned minerals by offset operators.  They began by sending in the Texas Rangers to investigate and then came up with an agency to prevent waste, protect correlative rights, and to produce oil and gas safely so as to not endanger the public.  An agency was already in place to regulate the Railroads in the State so the Legislature decided to save costs to also let them regulate the oilfields.  Today the majority of the Railroad Commission Activities is with fossil fuels not railroad track.  Directional drilling from that point was utilized in ways that seem to make sense to the public and the parties involved.  Government agencies have continually tried to increase their power and income by grabbing whatever income source they could get their hands on.  The State made a grab for oil royalties by declaring that public land and State land contained minerals that belonged to the State and not the people of the State.  This resulted in them declaring that all navigatable rivers in the state had minerals that belonged to the State.  Surveys were authorized to identify State Land from private land.  The legislature of the State played fast and loose with these rules.

A case in point of the way they operated is that they declared the Canadian river a navigatible river all the way across the Panhandle to the New Mexico border.  I don't know if you have seen the Canadian river but the only way you can navigate most of it is with a dune buggy not a boat.  For vast stretches the water runs under the sand or is a red trickle on top of the sand with the true river volume flowing underground from the Ogalala Aquifer.  They did this because it gave the state a swath of mineral rights across the largest gas field in the United States at the time, the Panhandle Field. Lawsuits today have returned some of those mineral rights back to the ranch landowners they were stolen from, but not the back royalties collected and spent by the State.  They acknowledge that they stole them, but don't give the money back.

My father was a Petroleum Engineer for Amarillo Oil Company, a division of Pioneer Natural Gas.  He left the company and went to work for the Federal Bureau of Reclamation which built Lake Meredith.  His job was to drill wells using directional drilling techniques to replace the State Well in the Canadian River that would soon be underwater.  He plugged the wells in the lake bottom and then built well pads on the cliffs around the lake and drilled the wells as close as possible to their original locations.  The wells were perforated and fracked using polymer to carry the sand.  If someone were to try to maximize production and royalties for the state, they would not do things this way now.  The wells intersected and treated the zones already most drained in the old wells.  And understanding of the Panhandle Field today would result in a well being drilled as far away from the old wellbore as possible to free gas and oil from undrained matrix.

An interesting article you noted for sure.  Understand that though I may not be the most knowledgeable oil and gas man in the Panhandle Field, I would venture to say that I have drilled and completed more Panhandle Field wells over my lifetime than anyone else living today, more than 700.

Steve Keene

Bob D.,

Several classmates have contacted me and asked where they might find beautiful mountain land at a reasonable price with streams and rivers and scenic outdoor scenes that also have endless outdoor activity opportunities.  People, as they age it seems, want peace and serene quiet if they are not restricted by needing to be near family or children and grandchildren.  Portions of Northern New Mexico  represent some opportunites, but most of the other states have been priced out of the market by Californians or foreigners looking to own scenic U.S. real estate.  Liberal policies are also a detriment in some states.  Colorado is ruined except to sightsee in because the prices have escalated and there is little vacant scenery.  Some asshole has put up a summer chalet on every 40 acres of what used to be unspoiled Rocky Mountain Scenery.  They have also passed laws to outlaw God given rights and promote drug use and neighborhood restrictions.

Utah has been priced out of the market, even in the desert areas.  Oregon Washington and Montana are priced out of affordability.  There are a few places in Wyoming still affordable, but water property has gone the way of Montana.  South Dakota is beautiful, but the crowds are getting harder and harder to navigate.  One place that has it all and is overlooked by most is Southern and Central Idaho.  There is no prettier scenery in the country as the mountains, streams, rivers and lakes of Idaho, but most people speed by them on the Interstate heading to someplace else.  

One place in Idaho really intrigues me for the guy that wants government out of his life and I wanted to inquire if you have heard of it and are the legal arguments valid.  There is a 50 square mile loop that is actually a part of Yellowstone National Park near Cave Creek Campground completely in the State of Idaho.  They say it is a place that one can literally take a fourwheeler into and stay year round.  The drawback is that it is rough forrested and somewhat moutainous country with no neighbors to deal with.  Yellowstone rangers may visit the place one or twice a month during the summer season.  They say you can literally flout Federal Laws including Game and Fish Laws because the 50 square miles have not been assigned to a Federal District Court's jurisdiction.  You could not pay taxes, kill game for food, cut National Forest, and live in a four wheel drive SUV with a generator and solar panels.  Idaho gets a lot of sun.  State laws do not have to be honored in the area because there are no legal residents in the 50 square miles which is supposedly loosely governed by the National Park Service. State laws require you to be tried for crimes committed by a jury of your peers, but with no residents there is no jury pool to draw from.  This is a place where you could actually get away with murder, state tax evasion or anything else you want to attempt.  I am thinking of taking up residence at a spot like this and would like your legal comment on my proposal.

Thanks in advance for your input.  I will invite you up and we can shoot some liberals and hang their heads on the wall while you are there visiting.

Wayne Gary

Steve,

I read about the part of Yellowstone. It is under the jurisdiction of the Federal magistrate\e in YellowStone HQ ins Mammoth springs problem is there are no residents available to sit on a jury.  Fed law states the jurors have to come from the state where the crime is committed.

If you want to have a house in the boonies, I have a cousin that has several ranches outside of Prescot, AZ and one has a house and barn that needs to be fixed up.  She might be willing to rent.  It is on several thousand acres and the town is 30 miles(1hr) drive away.

David Cordell

Steve, I thought you had stopped drinking!!! Or did some hacker add that last paragraph?

Steve Keene

David,

I just put that last sentence is as a humorous exclamation point to my question to Bob D.  It is  similar refrain I recall from My Cousin Vinnie, I remember when the Prosecutor told Joe Pesci's character to come on back, we'll get a deer next time.  I have to tell you, it has been my experience that liberal girls are some of the nicest, prettiest, and caring individuals that I have ever met, but sometimes they get carried away and do not see the long term effects that their proposed policies would eventually produce.  There are a lot of wrongs that the cure for is worse than the initial transgression.

Steve Keene

Wayne,

Nevada and most of Arizona has a water problem except in the high dollar areas of the Sierras.  I like to sit on sandy beaches, fish on streams and lakes, and not bake at 110 degrees in the summer.  The wind in the pines soothes me more than the mirages dancing above the cactus thorns.  I do like the area around Flagstaff and Sedona, if you like red roofs and Pinon pesto.  I also do not relish the idea of looking over my shoulder for Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, or Apache tribal members with agendas to get even with the White Man for 150 years of mistreatment. In Idaho the U.S. Cavalry removed all of the Nez Perce tribe in Chief Joseph's time and relocated them to Eastern and Central Montana and North Dakota.

Jim Bedwell

David Cordell

Watched Hamilton (again) on Disney + last night. (Doubtless, will watch it again.) Decided to read Washington's farewell address -- when he declined to run for the presidency for a third term. Apparently Washington provided the concepts, but Hamilton wrote it. 

It's a little difficult to get through the flowery language -- multiple clauses in long sentences with unfamiliar usages. But the Wikipedia description is an easier read and provides context.

It is interesting to see how relevant a 225 year old document is.

(Note: I bent to Sandra's pressure to make less lengthy and more descriptive links.)

Washington's Farewell Address 

Wikipedia description of Washington's Farewell Address

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Late on Saturday evening, astonishing news 'hit the wires' about how Hillary's re-election team had hired more people in the Perkins-Coie Law firm, to do some additional shenanigans for them/her.   They wanted help from some reasonable(?) server hackers, to do their biding, related to a Russian Bank known as Delta Bank.  Hillary wanted info 'planted' into the servers nefariously, but in a calculated method of appearing to be legitimate business dealings between Trump's computers at Trump Tower in NYC and the Delta computers, in Ukraine.  They wished to make it seem like Trump was doing business with the Russians, as was stated earlier in the Steele Dossier (which was determined to be a totally false dossier, by the commission run by Mueller; a completely debunked dossier in 2019.)

And then, to make the Saturday news even jucier, it was stated that The White House servers were ALSO hacked by these same folks related to the Perkins-Coie Law firm.  This firm has done many, many deeds for both Hillary, and the DNC for quite a few years, we have learned.(See Atty. Elias.)  So, even after the election was over, Hillary and the DNC were able to further try to associate Trump with a Russian Bank, Delta Bank, and further leak news to the mainstream press that Trump was doing nefarious business with the Russians!

Sunday morning, on the conservative TV channels and radio stations, this news was at the top of everyone's discussion list, yet on all of the MSM channels and radio stations, there was nary a word mentioned.  The story was, evidently, not newsworthy to them, even though Jake Sullivan, a Yale graduate said to be tied to the Clinton re-election team's dealings with these 'mysterious hackers,' was rumored to be now in a position of possibly being asked to resign from Biden's White House top advisory associates.  Conservative channels are now speculating that Judge Durham will be indicting him soon, along with Attorney Sussman, and with Igor Danchenko, the guy charged with providing false info used in the Steele Dossier.  Danchenko says that the "facts" given to Mr. Steele years ago, were just invented nonsense that he and his drinking buddies made-up.

I find it odd so often, when I hear others say, "Why in the world do you feel that Hillary Clinton would not be a good candidate for president?  She is SO experienced and intelligent, and she is very pleasant for Heads-of-State to talk with concerning all matters of our State dealings!"

Steve Keene

Janalu and Kurt,

The more I try to make things happen on a business basis, I am constantly opposed by government taxing me and overregulating my effort to maximize fossil fuel production.  I have spent a tremendous amount of capital to bring abandoned wells into compliance that minimize current environmental problems and mitigate evironmental problem shortfalls caused by previous operators some of which were ongoing and getting worse.  I am seriously ready to throw in the towel because the government's regulatory agencies have thrown up road blocks for me to even get expensive bonds to insure that I do things correctly in the future.  I did not cause the problems and am simply trying to fix them so that I might make a profit down the road.  Now the regulatory agencies want me to put up cash bonds in the amount of the money required to plug the wells down the road after I quit producing them.  This removes almost all my expected profit and leaves no latitude if the wells do not perform at their maximum expectation.  On top of that I am faced with broke suppliers of used equipment that are so desperate that they lie and misrepresent their capabilties and the condition of the equipment I offer to purchase.  I am an optimist, but the whole world is full of desperate crooks that cannot make it under the current conditions without lying or stealing.   Every single deal winds up in some sort of lawsuit because no one deals in good faith anymore. 

What is a good person to do?  I think I might just bask in my eudaemonia and retreat to the mountains to live that unfettered life in the midst of God's beauty somewhere in the Rocky Mountains where the scenery is unmatched and the land is still within reason.  In the midst of deep winter, I might travel to the Pacific islands for a break in the scenery.  I would like a female companion for company and to share the wonder, but those without baggage are few and far between.  

Do I ask too much after 50+ years of my nose to the grindstone, even though I have enjoyed every moment of the journey and have raised great kids that make me very proud,?  The grandkids are now coming in batches and an occasional trip to visit them will be included in my plans.  I do not expect to have to depend on anyone but Lord Jesus till I am finally called home.  Life is way too short to deal with non-believers and transgressors of God's commandments.

David Cordell

Steve, 

Lacking any expertise, I offer no input on the professional issue of the energy industry and the small-minded minions who regulate it. However, I think you are working at cross-purposes with yourself in your personal life.

Buying some land and living in the Rockies sounds interesting. So does finding appropriate female companionship. I suggest that the latter should precede the former. If you take them in the wrong order, it is unlikely that you can accomplish both.

You might want to consider an investment in a few months at an upscale or semi-upscale independent living facility. I suspect that you will find out that you are more popular than you think. Then, maybe you will find a suitable companion to join you in the Rockies. Maybe you can share an apartment in the nice independent living facility and make frequent and/or long trips to your nice getaway in the Rockies. You may even hook up with someone who already has a place in the Rockies, and you can be her boy-toy.

Just make sure there's a guest room for (ahem) your visiting friends.

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Steve,

Those suggestions from David are very good.  I think you could find a honey bunny in a few days, owing to your fantastic "darlin' and super sweet" appeal factor.  Then to purchase a lovely place in the Rockies sounds heavenly to most any lady love I am familiar with.   Best Wishes!  

And the imminent attack from Putin's forces on Ukraine will definitely boost your earning power instantly, so get ready for a pretty penny to come your way.  Buying land at this precarious time is a good idea, I hear, as well as buying quality paintings, antique cars in great condition, plus moving your money out of "the big banks" into local banks or credit unions that have been insured***insured in the legal way that small banks gain their assurance guarantee--I can't remember what their insurance program is called, but it is like the FDIC insurance program.  You finance guys know what I'm talking about, I'm convinced.  i also hear that having gold stored in your own personal safe is a good idea now, but bitcoin is soon to be regulated by our government.  Wouldn't you just know it!  They can't stand for us to have anything away from their sticky fingers!   Aarrgh!

By the way, where is all of that surveillance equipment that the Dems insisted would be installed on our southern border to secure the damn thing?  They told us "We don't need no stinkin' wall!  All we need is surveillance mechanisms installed to do the trick!"

Yeah, sure!  We knew you were lying.... as usual!   Secure borders are nonexistent in Democrat/Progessive minds!  Controlling power is their number one effort and desire!  Screw the "White Supremacist" idiots clinging to their religion and their guns!  Eliminate the 2nd Amendment that our Founders KNEW was ALL IMPORTANT to freedom and liberty!

David Cordell

Steve -

Wish you were still tied in with the Campisis. We're going to rack up a pretty good sized catering bill with them!

Steve Keene

Point to Ponder:

The World is in the midst of a drought that has not been seen for 1200 years.  Glacial melt in the Northern Hemisphere is greater than it has been for thousands of years.  Wiildfires due to low humidity and dry conditions have run rampant across the mountains and plains threatening the Seqouias, Rocky Mountain National Park, Boulder Colorado's Suburbs and just yesterday two wildfires in Wise County.  Numerous apartment fires are being fought weekly from Amarillo to Dallas.

The Democrats claim it is manmade and a result of fossil fuel production, which is down this year.  They want to tax you to fix the problem which will cause unprecedented debt, massive inflation, bankrupt our grandchildren, and still not solve the problem.  They are using this excuse to take our freedoms for the good of the World in the face of these challenges.  They have gone so far has to threaten to jail or not employ people who do not believe that man is the cause of this climate change.  They have needed money to fix problems since the end of the Civil War, but no matter how much you give them, the problems still exist.

I will not rely on man to fix the World's problems.  The Word of God is absolutely true in a literal sense and can be counted upon as it has always been proved true in the past, the present and will be true in the future.

Revelation 16:8 says "And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given to him to scorch men with fire."  Sounds like what's going on to me.

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Lance,

Your recall of Biblical scripture is wonderful to hear.  Do you teach classes at your church to the youth?

If you don't, you should.  You're a natural, and you are blessed with a calling, I think.

I suppose possibly you are called to help old geezers like us, huh?

Kurt Fischer

Steve:

I've pondered your message from yesterday and don't seem to have any solutions for your battles with the government and regulations nor for your missing female companionship.  

Oil and gas seems to go in cycles, but I'm afraid this cycle of "regulate it until we choke it" is the probable future course.  The big guys will probably be able to continue, both because they have legions of lawyers in the US and can diversify overseas.  But this has to be pretty discouraging for the independent operator.  I've mentioned my daughter-in-law working for Chevron overseas in Kazakhstan on a large project.  I believe it is an expansion of the existing field in Tengiz and the project's budget is $40 billion.  Overseas and plenty of money.  Only downside is the risk of change in government.  

Regarding female companionship, there are legions of casserole ladies out there in the churches.  Their husbands have died and they are looking for new partners.  It turns out if you show up at the local Baptist or Methodist church and indicate availability, they would love to talk with you.

Steve Keene

Lance,

The interpretation problem comes about because I believe that I will be here to witness it.  You believe that you will be raptured away and miss the trubulations.  I am having lunch in Fort Worth with Hull tomorrow at his invitation.

Kurt and Janalu,

Lance teaches the rapture which none of the apostles including John who wrote Revelations believed  The apostles all went through tribulations being burned at the stake, beheaded and imprisoned on islands for life.  We will also face those things but must endure until the end. 
 

On the other subject, another Valentine's Day goes by without a single billets doux.

Kurt Fischer

Steve and Lance:

There are some Christian doctrines which we can be dogmatic about.  There are others for which multiple explanations exist.  The Rapture of the Church is one of these.  There are very faithful Christians who hold different positions here - Pre-Tribulation, Mid-Tribulation, Post-Tribulation and Pre-Wrath.  Frankly, I would very careful about categorically condemning someone for holding one set of beliefs on the subject which did not align with my own.  (By the way, I am a Pre-Trib, Pre-Millenial advocate, but I know enough to not malign others for holding other positions).

Steve:

I'm not sure whether you are pushing back against a Pre-Trib position or you don't believe that the rapture of the church will occur.  If the later, how do you account for I Thes 4: 13-18?  In particular, in :17 the term "caught up in the clouds" is used, with the greek word "harpazo", which means snatched up or seized with force.  In Latin the translators used the word "rapare" which is the root of the word rapture.  This is one of the bases for both the idea of the church being raptured as well as the word choice.

Lance:

I'm never really sure whether you and your old friends are pulling each others' legs or you are serious.  When you said to Steve: "Your Biblical illiteracy is an embarrassment to anyone here that practices Christian apologetics,"  was this for real?  And you said this right after you pointed out that you regularly taught the Men's class at Watermark?  If this wasn't a joke (and it didn't sound like one), shame on you.  If you'd like to follow-up on this in the User Forum in the Religion section, I'd be happy to continue to discuss.  But I don't particularly want to hang out the wash for everyone to see on this forum.

Steve Keene

Kurt,

When you get over there to the Religion forum you will see that Lance is lying,  That is breaking a commandment if you did not realize it.  You will notice that there are several lengthy explanations by me on the subject of the rapture including those backed by scripture that is quoted to answer Lance.  Lance has been given strong delusion by the Lord so that he would continue to be ignorant of the facts, because he loved not the truth of the Word.  He still thinks the Sabbath is on Sunday for example.  Lance uses translations of the Bible that are known to have more errors according to scholars.  I use the King James Version despite the fact that it contains 300 documented mistranslations, but that is much less than the others.

Lance 's problem is that he does not quote scripture in context to the subject being discussed and does not take into account the beginning of the Chapters when God tells us who is speaking and to whom the Chapter is addressed.