Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Proppant consists of sand-sized particles injected with frac fluid during a fracking operation. In shale oil and gas wells, the frac fluid is usually water with some friction reducer (like soap) added to lower the frac pumping pressure. The purpose of proppant is to stop the induced fractures in the reservoir from closing after fracking stops and the elevated pressure fades away. In shale oil and shale gas wells, the proppant used is a mix of 100-mesh sand and 40-70 mesh sand, and these grains are both smaller than a millimeter across. Such small sand particle sizes are necessary for sand to be carried through narrow fractures in a fracture network created by the fracking operation. Larger sand would plug the network and not be injectable – that was found out in the early days of the shale revolution. Typically, horizontal wells in shale are two miles long and are pumped with 40 separate fracking operations or … [Read more...] about Proppant Movement In Frac Casing Has Been Nailed Down, But How Important Is It Really For Shale Wells?
Import bill
Biden Administration Importing 23 Million Bottles Of Baby Formula Into U.S. in Biggest Step Yet To Combat Nationwide Shortage
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline The White House announced the largest shipments of baby formula to the U.S. to date Wednesday as part of its campaign to combat a nationwide shortage of baby formula, sourcing a total of 23 million eight-ounce bottles worth of formula from Mexico, Germany and Australia. Key Facts The formula will be transported to Fort Worth , Texas, Los Angeles and Philadelphia in four separate shipments between June 24 and July 5, the White House announced Wednesday. The Biden administration’s Fly Formula operation has so far expedited imports of the equivalent of 15.15 million eight-ounce bottles. The formula – from companies Nestlé, Gerber and Bubs Australia – will be available at Target, Albertsons, Kroger, Walmart, online through Gerber.com and from other retailers, the White House announced in a statement. Key Background Biden launched the Fly Formula missions last month, in response to … [Read more...] about Biden Administration Importing 23 Million Bottles Of Baby Formula Into U.S. in Biggest Step Yet To Combat Nationwide Shortage
The Most Important Thing You Can Do To Keep Your Talent
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Inflation and supply chain uncertainties notwithstanding, few issues pose a greater challenge to leaders today than staffing: attracting and holding on to talent. With the number of U.S. job vacancies nearly double the number of job seekers , virtually every organization faces the same challenge. That’s why it’s important not to overthink things. When leaders do, they often end up ignoring the obvious: in this case, that the solution to people issues may be as simple as how you treat people. I’ll explain. During a series of international flights recently, I had time to do a lot of reading, including a number of business and journal articles on employee retention. I was struck by how similar most of them were. A very thoughtful article published by CIO.com, for example, typical of the genre, offered 10 strategies for retaining top talent . Among the suggestions: start with the recruitment process and “identify … [Read more...] about The Most Important Thing You Can Do To Keep Your Talent
Do You Know Which Are The ‘Most American’ Cars For 2022?
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin At one time it easy to determine which new vehicles were made in America. That would have been any models built and sold by the domestic-brand players, including General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, and certainly American Motors. Then things began to blur in the second half of the 20 th Century as U.S. automakers rebranded and cars built elsewhere in the world to help compete with the flood of fuel-efficient small European and Asian imports reaching our shores. Buick would come to sell cars built by Germany’s Opel, while Chrysler offered renamed Mitsubishis from Japan; Ford’s Capri came from Ford of Europe, and General Motors imported models from both Japan’s Suzuki and South Korea’s Daewoo. The waters would muddy even further as Asian and European automakers built assembly plants of their own in the U.S., the domestic brands moved some production to Mexico and Canada, and parts would be sourced from just about everywhere in … [Read more...] about Do You Know Which Are The ‘Most American’ Cars For 2022?
Should I Put My IRAs Into My Company’s 401(K)?
If you have investments in one or more IRAs, and you are starting a new job with an employer that offers a 401(k) plan, an important question may well arise – should you move your assets from your IRA into your new 401(k)? While the question is a logical one, it rarely arises because IRA “roll overs” generally happen in the opposite direction, with investors moving 401(k) assets into an IRA when they leave a job, or simply to take advantage of the investment freedom that an IRA offers. Nevertheless, there can be some good reasons to move your IRAs into your company’s 401(k). In this article, we’ll look at the pros and cons of this maneuver. Key Takeaways If you are starting a new job with an employer that offers a 401(k) plan, you might be wondering if you can move investments from your IRAs into your new plan. While unusual, this can have some advantages if you want to access your retirement funds early, or defer distributions until you retire. The disadvantage of doing … [Read more...] about Should I Put My IRAs Into My Company’s 401(K)?
Crude oil buckles as recession angst rattles commodity investors
- A + A (June 22): Oil plunged for the second time in a few days on concerns that a global economic slowdown will ultimately hobble demand. West Texas Intermediate tumbled toward US$103 a barrel, before paring some losses. Investors are concerned about the impact of sharply higher US interest rates, with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell due to testify before Congress Wednesday on his bid to curb inflation raging at the fastest pace in decades. Prices are also surging outside the US, with UK inflation at a fresh 40-year high. Since a spike in prices after Russia invaded Ukraine, oil markets have been grappling with a liquidity crisis. Futures holdings are at the lowest since 2016, leaving headline prices prone to outsized swings. The US crude benchmark also fell below its 100-day moving average early on Wednesday for the first time since January, adding technical pressure to an already fragile market. While crude has been shaky over the past week, plunging 6.8% … [Read more...] about Crude oil buckles as recession angst rattles commodity investors
World’s bubbliest housing markets are flashing warning signs
- A + A HONG KONG (June 22): A world economy already contending with raging inflation, stock-market turmoil and a grueling war is facing yet another threat: the unraveling of a massive housing boom. As central banks around the globe rapidly increase interest rates, soaring borrowing costs mean people who were already stretching to buy property are finally reaching their limits. The effects are being seen in countries such as Canada, the US and New Zealand, where once-hot residential real estate markets have suddenly turned cold. It’s a sharp reversal from years of surging prices fueled by rock-bottom mortgage rates and government stimulus, along with a pandemic that popularized remote work and sent homebuyers on the hunt for bigger spaces. An analysis by Bloomberg Economics shows that 19 OECD countries have combined price-to-rent and home price-to-income ratios that are higher today than they were ahead of the 2008 financial crisis — an indication that prices have … [Read more...] about World’s bubbliest housing markets are flashing warning signs
US must find new tools to defend against China, trade chief says
Katherine Tai, US trade representative, speaks to members of the media on the sidelines of the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group in Washington, DC, US on Thursday, April 21, 2022. (Bloomberg filepix) - A + A (June 22): The US must use all available tools and develop new ones to defend its economic interests and values against China’s unfair practices after talks showed clear limits to the nation’s willingness to live up to past commitments, President Joe Biden’s trade chief said. The US, through direct discussions with China’s leaders starting in October 2021, pressed Beijing to live up to the so-called phase one trade agreement reached with the Trump administration, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in prepared testimony for a Senate panel hearing on Wednesday. But several rounds of “difficult discussions” made clear that the nation isn’t interested in fully following through, Tai said. “This has become part … [Read more...] about US must find new tools to defend against China, trade chief says
VNL: Italy thumps Germany for strong start in Quezon City leg
Italy during the VNL Week 2 in Manila. –VOLLEYBALL WORLD MANILA, Philippines — Italy made a rousing Quezon City leg debut by sweeping Germany, 25-16, 25-21, 25-22, in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) on Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Italians hosted a block party, nailing 12 blocks — four rejections each from middle blockers Gianluca Galassi and Simone Anzani — to earn their fourth win in five matches. Besides their tremendous net defense, Yuri Romano provided the offensive fire power with 13 points built on 10 attacks, two service aces, and a block “We blocked pretty well. That was important today because Germany spike hard,” said Romano. Galassi had 11 points, while Anzani and Daniele Lavia added nine markers each. Although they stood tall in blocking, Romano is putting premium on improving their attacks with three more games left in Week 2. “Today we do well in all things but we can improve in other things,” he said as Italy barely edged Germany in … [Read more...] about VNL: Italy thumps Germany for strong start in Quezon City leg
PH peso at its weakest since 2005 at 54.47:$1
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine peso has continued its slide against the dollar, closing at 54.47:$1 on Wednesday, according to the Bank Association of the Philippines’ ( BAP) foreign exchange summary. The local currency is at its lowest level in over 16 years or since Nov. 23, 2005, when the Philippine peso closed at 54.56. June 10 marked the day when the Philippine peso crossed the 53:$1 mark. A further weakness of the peso could make imports more expensive for the country amid a COVID-19 pandemic and as it grapples with the rising price of oil caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, making it harder for the Philippines to recover. London-based think tank Capital Economics earlier predicted in an April 28 report that the Philippine peso will become one of the worst-performing Asian currencies from 2022 to 2024, depreciating to 54:$1 in 2022 and further to 55 against the American dollar by 2023 and 2024. READ: UK think tank: Peso to fall to 54 per dollar this … [Read more...] about PH peso at its weakest since 2005 at 54.47:$1