Comprehensive Energy Data Intelligence
Information About Energy Companies, Their Assets, Market Deals, Industry Documents and More...
Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy Acquires $3.3 Billion Stake in LNG Terminal
08/02/2023
One of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries is set to raise its ownership in the Cove Point liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal located in Maryland. This comes after the company signed a substantial $3.3 billion agreement with Dominion Energy.
Under the agreement, Dominion Energy has agreed to sell its 50 percent noncontrolling limited partner interest in Cove Point LNG to Berkshire Hathaway Energy. Berkshire Hathaway Energy is the current operator of the facility and already holds a 100 percent general partner interest and a 25 percent limited partner interest.
Upon the completion of the deal, Berkshire Hathaway Energy will have a 75 percent limited partnership stake in Cove Point LNG, while a subsidiary of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners will retain the remaining 25 percent limited partnership interest in the terminal.
The newly acquired interest in Cove Point LNG will be held within BHE GT&S, which is a business unit of Berkshire Hathaway Energy.
Berkshire Hathaway Increases Cove Point LNG
- The $3.3 billion transaction will be funded through cash on hand, including proceeds from the liquidation of certain investments, according to Berkshire Hathaway.
- Dominion expects to receive approximately $200 million from the termination of interest-rate derivatives, as stated in a separate statement.
- In the previous year, the Cove Point LNG plant achieved a significant milestone by shipping its 300th cargo since commencing commercial liquefaction operations in April 2018.
- The facility comprises an LNG import and export terminal situated in Calvert County, Maryland, along with associated pipeline facilities.
- With a storage capacity of 14.6 billion cubic feet, the plant has a daily send out capacity of 1.8 bcf (billion cubic feet) or approximately 5.25 million tons of LNG per year from a single liquefaction unit.
Located in Lusby, Maryland, approximately 60 miles southeast of Washington DC, Cove Point LNG has secured long-term contracts with notable companies such as Tokyo Gas Co. and Sumitomo Corp.
In a separate statement, Dominion revealed its intention to utilize the proceeds from the transaction to repay debt. As part of its ongoing business review, Dominion has announced plans to hold an investor day in the third quarter to provide an updated strategic and financial outlook.
If you are looking for more information about energy companies, their assets, and energy deals, please, contact our sales office mapping@hartenergy.com, Tel. 619-349-4970 or SCHEDULE A DEMO to learn how Rextag can help you leverage energy data for your business.
Chord Energy Corp. Expands Williston Basin Footprint with $375 Million Acquisition from Exxon Mobil
Chord Energy Corp.'s subsidiary has entered into an agreement to purchase assets in the Williston Basin from Exxon Mobil, and its affiliates for $375 million. Chord Energy, a US independent company, is strategically expanding its presence in the Williston Basin of Montana and the Dakotas. While industry attention remains fixated on the Permian Basin, Chord Energy recognizes the potential of the Williston Basin and is capitalizing on the opportunity to enhance its reserve portfolio. Chord Energy successfully completed the acquisition of 62,000 acres in the Williston Basin from XTO Energy for a substantial cash consideration of $375 million.
Chevron Announces Intent to Divest Oil and Gas Properties in New Mexico and Texas
According to Reuters, Chevron has recently made additional assets available for acquisition in both New Mexico and Texas. As part of its strategy to streamline operations following significant shale acquisitions, Chevron is reportedly offering multiple oil and gas properties for sale in New Mexico and Texas. Marketing documents reviewed by Reuters reveal the company's intention to divest these assets. Despite its prominent position as the largest publicly-traded oil and gas producer and property owner with 2.2 million acres in the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico, Chevron has been actively divesting properties in the region. This divestment aligns with Chevron's efforts to optimize its portfolio and focus on its core operations.
OXY has been the leader in Permian Basin production for the past five years. Currently, the Houston-based oil and gas company is deepening its presence in the basin with a $12 billion acquisition of CrownRock, adding over 94,000 acres in the Midland Basin and increasing its oil output by about 170,000 barrels per day. Occidental announced an increase in its proved reserves to 4.0 billion barrels of oil equivalent by the end of December 2023, up from 3.8 billion the previous year. Activities in the Permian largely fueled this rise. Occidental added approximately 303 million barrels through infill development projects as well as new discoveries and the further development of existing fields brought in another 153 million barrels.
TotalEnergies kicked off 2024 with a net income of $5.7 billion in the first quarter, marking a modest 3% increase from the same period last year and a 13% rise from the previous quarter. This growth occurred despite experiencing drops in both the volume and price of gas sales over the year and the quarter. Their adjusted net earnings, which exclude one-time or unusual items, were $5.1 billion. This represents a significant 22% decline compared to last year and a slight 2% drop from the last quarter. The company's earnings before tax, depreciation, and amortization reached $11.5 billion, while their cash flow from operations significantly decreased to $2.2 billion, falling by 58% from last year and a steep 87% from the previous quarter. TotalEnergies also recorded $644 million in impairments.
New Mexico leads the Rockies region in gas production and ranks as the sixth-largest in terms of active gas wells in the U.S. Last year, the state's gas well count slightly increased by 0.2% to 30,699, with new additions in both the northwestern San Juan Basin and the southeastern Permian Basin. Meanwhile, just to the north in Colorado, gas producers grew by a modest 0.1% to 30,322, primarily due to increased drilling activity in the DJ and Piceance basins. Wyoming saw a decline in its active gas wells by 3.7%, down to 17,006, with production mainly in Sublette, Sweetwater, and Converse counties reflecting stable or slightly reduced drilling activity. Utah also experienced a slight decrease of 0.2% in its number of gas wells, totaling 6,463. In Q1 2024, oil and gas industry activity in Oklahoma, Colorado, and northern New Mexico experienced a decline. This marks the fifth consecutive quarter of contraction in drilling and business activities within these regions. According to a survey that included responses from 33 firms operating in the Rockies, this downtrend is expected to continue over the next six months.