The future once seemed optimistic for America’s climate ambitions, with rapid growth in renewable energy propelling the nation toward a cleaner, more sustainable future. However, a sobering reality has begun to sink in: despite some progress, the transition from fossil fuels is slowing down, and global emissions continue to rise.

The U.S. oil and natural gas rig count experienced a slight decline, falling by four to a total of 633 rigs for the week ending August 21. Despite this modest drop, industry analysts have noted a surprising resilience in both oil supply and natural gas prices as the year progresses, suggesting that the market may be more robust than previously anticipated.

Equinor and EQT Corporation have agreed that Equinor will exchange its operated assets in the Marcellus and Utica shale formations in Ohio for a stake in EQT’s non-operated interests in the Northern Marcellus formation.

Appalachian Basin (formerly Marcellus and Utica) covers most of New York, Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio, West Virginia, and Western Maryland in the north, reaching down to parts of Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama in the south. The basin is massive, covering about 185,000 square miles, roughly 1,000 miles long from northeast to southwest, and in some places, it's up to 300 miles wide. In this area, some major companies are making significant investments. EQT stands out as the largest producer in the Appalachian Basin, with other key players including Chesapeake, Range Resources, Antero, Repsol, and Gulfport also actively investing.

Northern Oil and Gas (NOG) has successfully completed two acquisitions, investing $162.6 million in properties within the Utica Shale and the northern Delaware Basin. In November 2023, NOG ventured into the Utica Shale by acquiring interests from a private seller, including less than one producing well and slightly over one well in development, spanning several counties in Ohio. These areas, primarily operated by Ascent Resources, focus on extracting oil and gas from the Point Pleasant Formation and the Utica Shale, with the Ohio assets being a significant part of this strategy.

Diamondback Energy is buying Autry Stephens's company, Endeavor Energy Resources, for $26 billion. This deal (learn more) will make Stephens the richest oil driller in the U.S., with a $25.9 billion fortune, jumping him up to 64th place on a list of the world's richest people. He'll be wealthier than other big names in oil, like Harold Hamm with $15.4 billion and Jeff Hildebrand with $17 billion. However, Charles and Julia Koch are still richer, but their money comes from different businesses, not just oil.

The $26 billion purchase of Endeavor Energy Resources by Diamondback Energy, with its stock up 2.6%, is the newest big deal combining oil and gas production in the Permian Basin under a few big companies

Diamondback's buyout of Endeavor happened about four months after ExxonMobil and Chevron made huge deals, with Exxon buying Pioneer Natural Resources for $59 billion and Chevron getting Hess for $53 billion. Even though 2023 was a slow year for company buyouts and mergers, with the total deals at $3.2 trillion (the lowest since 2013 and 47% less than the $6 trillion peak in 2021), the energy sector was still active. Experts think this buzz in energy deals is because these companies made a lot of money in 2022.

Select Water Solutions, a leader in water and chemical services for the energy industry has bought key water assets in the Haynesville Shale and Rockies for $90 million. This deal adds 450,000 barrels per day of capacity with disposal wells and treatment facilities, boosting Select's operations.

Hess Corp. is in the final stages of a major sale to Chevron, with increased drilling and production in the Bakken region noted in the last quarter. Hess announced its fourth-quarter net production in the Bakken reached 194,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d), a slight increase from the third quarter's 190,000 boe/d and a significant 23% rise from the 158,000 boe/d seen in the fourth quarter of the previous year. This growth is attributed to more drilling and the impact of the previous year's severe winter weather.

A state-owned petrochemical company from Iran was operating from an office located near Buckingham Palace. Reports suggest that Santander UK and Lloyds Banking Group, two big UK banks, are involved in managing accounts for companies that reportedly helped Iranian organizations avoid US sanctions. These banks are said to have supported companies linked to an Iranian petrochemical company, which has been facing sanctions from Western countries since 2018.

The Permian Basin, a big oil area, is not seeing as many deals as before because lots of companies have already joined together. Now, experts think these companies might start looking for new places to invest in the U.S. One area getting attention is the Bakken play. Chevron Corp. has just made a big step there by buying Hess Corp. for $60 billion. Another company, Grayson Mill Energy, which got some help from a Houston investment firm EnCap Investments LP, might also be up for sale soon, worth about $5 billion.

CrownRock's 94,000+ net acres acquisition complements Occidental's Midland Basin operations, valued at $12.0 billion. This expansion enhances Occidental's Midland Basin-scale and upgrades its Permian Basin portfolio with ready-to-develop, low-cost assets. The deal is set to add around 170 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2024, with high-margin, sustainable production.

Chevron is selling its Canadian shale production operations as part of a wider plan to concentrate its investments on more profitable projects in the United States.

Houston-based Talos Energy Inc. has made a deal to buy QuarterNorth Energy Inc. for $1.29 billion. QuarterNorth is a company that explores and produces oil in the Gulf of Mexico and owns parts of several big offshore fields. This purchase will add more high-quality deepwater assets to Talos's business, which are expected to bring steady production and new opportunities for growth. The deal should immediately benefit Talos's shareholders and help the company reduce its debt faster.

Sunoco, a gas station company based in Dallas, will buy NuStar Energy, a major operator of liquid storage and pipelines, for $7.3 billion. The acquisition of NuStar Energy by Sunoco not only enlarges Sunoco's fuel distribution business but also moves it into the crude oil middle market, especially in the important Permian Basin area.

Quantum Capital Group sold Rockcliff Energy II LLC, a Quantum Energy Partners' company, to TG Natural Resources LLC for $2.7 billion on December 29. TG Natural Resources is a part of Tokyo Gas, a Japanese company aiming to triple its overseas profits in North America and other regions.

-Crescent Point Energy finalized its $1.9 billion purchase of Hammerhead Energy to expand operations in Alberta's Montney Shale -Two Canadian companies merged to increase their presence in Alberta's Kaybob Duvernay area -Ring Energy completed acquisition in the Permian Basin

Once upon a Christmas, Santa Claus, while checking his list, noticed something different. Far away in Texas, there was a place called the Permian Basin, not filled with snow, but with oil fields. These fields were letting out a gas called methane, which wasn't good for the air. Santa, always caring for our planet, decided this year he'd do something about it. So, he set off on a special journey, with his bag of toys and a plan to help the Earth. Let's join Santa on this unique adventure as he tries to make the Permian Basin a bit greener this Christmas.

Tenaris has successfully finalized the purchase of Mattr's Pipe Coating Division, previously known as Shawcor, for a total of $182.6 million. This figure includes working capital and $16.9 million in cash. Announced back on August 14, 2023, the acquisition has now received the green light from regulatory bodies in both Mexico and Norway.

WhiteHawk Energy has recently completed a significant acquisition in the Marcellus Shale, investing $54 million. This deal has effectively doubled their mineral and royalty ownership in the Marcellus Shale, particularly in Greene and Washington counties in Pennsylvania. This region is noted for its high-quality natural gas reserves. WhiteHawk’s Marcellus assets now encompass approximately 475,000 gross unit acres, featuring production from about 1,315 horizontal shale wells. In addition to this, they own interests in 72 wells-in-progress, 64 permitted wells, and nearly 900 undeveloped Marcellus locations. This acquisition is expected to double WhiteHawk's net revenue interest in each well within its Marcellus holdings​​.

Discover the Gulf of Mexico with our comprehensive data and pipeline map. Explore coastal and island information along with oil and gas data

Houston-based Murphy Oil Corp. has successfully concluded the divestiture of its non-core operated assets located across its Western Canadian terrain, including the assets in the Kaybob Duvernay region and the complete non-operated Placid Montney position through a subsidiary. The divestiture was initially made public in August and was concluded. The transaction yielded cash proceeds of around US$104 million (CA$141 million), slightly lower than the originally anticipated US$112 million.

Energy Transfer's unit prices have surged over 13% this year, bolstered by two significant acquisitions. The company spent nearly $1.5 billion on acquiring Lotus Midstream, a deal that will instantly boost its free and distributable cash flow. A recently inked $7.1 billion deal to acquire Crestwood Equity Partners is also set to immediately enhance the company's distributable cash flow per unit. Energy Transfer aims to unlock commercial opportunities and refinance Crestwood's debt, amplifying the deal's value proposition. These strategic acquisitions provide the company additional avenues for expanding its distribution, which already offers a strong yield of 9.2%. Energized by both organic growth and its midstream consolidation efforts, Energy Transfer aims to uplift its payout by 3% to 5% annually.

EQT disbursed roughly $2.4 billion in cash and issued 49.6 million shares of its common stock to acquire the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream assets. On August 22, EQT Corp. announced the completion of its long-delayed acquisition of XcL Midstream, following extensive Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reviews. The final purchase, post-price adjustments, consisted of about $2.4 billion in cash and 49.6 million EQT common shares. The cash component was financed through a $1.25 billion term loan, $1 billion from existing cash reserves, and a previously escrowed $150 million deposit.

Energy Transfer is taking on $3 billion of Crestwood's debt in a stock deal. This move expands their reach in the Williston and Delaware basins and gets them into the Powder River Basin for the first time.

WhiteHawk Energy LLC completed its second Haynesville Shale mineral and royalty acquisition of the year, spanning northwestern Louisiana and eastern Texas. WhiteHawk also secured a $100 million acquisition finance facility from an undisclosed "top tier institution." The company will utilize $20 million from this facility to fund the Haynesville purchase from Mesa Minerals Partners II LLC

Calgary-based pipeline operator TC Energy is selling a 40% stake in its natural gas pipeline systems for $3.9 billion as part of its efforts to reduce debt. TC Energy Corporation (TRP) has agreed to sell a 40% stake in its Columbia Gas Transmission and Columbia Gulf Transmission systems to Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP). This move will help TC Energy reduce its debt and establish a valuable long-term partnership with GIP, a prominent infrastructure investor.

ExxonMobil's joined assets speed up their Low Carbon Solutions business, offering better decarbonization options for customers. ExxonMobil's top CCS network supports their commitment to low carbon value chains, like hydrogen and biofuels. The transaction synergies will cut over 100 MTA of emissions, leading to strong growth and returns. Exxon Mobil Corporation revealed that it will acquire Denbury Inc., a company specializing in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCS) solutions and enhanced oil recovery. $4.9 billion deal will be completed through an all-stock transaction. Darren Woods, Chairman and CEO said “Acquiring Denbury reflects our determination to profitably grow our Low Carbon Solutions business by serving a range of hard-to-decarbonize industries with a comprehensive carbon capture and sequestration offering”.

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.

Vital Energy’s deal adds 24,000 net acres and 100 gross drilling locations in Texas, growing its Permian Basin footprint to around 198,000 net acres. Vital Energy is revising its projections for oil and gas production and capital spending upward following the successful acquisition of a substantial area in the Permian Basin. The company has gained around 24,000 net acres and 100 gross drilling locations in Texas. As a result of this deal, Vital Energy is now increasing its full-year production and capital spending guidance.

Civitas Resources Expands into Denver-Julesburg Basin through $4.7B Cash and Stock Deals for NGP's Tap Rock and Hibernia. Civitas Resources has recently secured two definitive agreements to expand its presence in the Permian Basin's Midland and Delaware basins. The company will achieve this expansion through the acquisition of two private exploration and production companies, namely Hibernia Energy III LLC and Tap Rock Resources LLC. The total value of the deal, paid in both cash and stock, amounts to $4.7 billion. Both Hibernia Energy III LLC and Tap Rock Resources LLC are supported by NGP Energy Capital Management LLC. These acquisitions reflect the increasing demand for oil and gas reserves in the Permian Basin, with companies specializing in the region actively seeking new opportunities. Currently, Civitas Resources' primary production operations are focused in the Denver-Julesburg Basin (D-J Basin).

The midstream sector plays a vital role in the oil and gas supply chain, serving as a crucial link. As the energy transition continues, this industry, like the broader sector, encounters various risks. Yet, existing analyses have predominantly concentrated on the risks faced by the upstream and downstream sectors, leaving the fate of the midstream relatively unexplored. In a nutshell, midstream operators differentiate themselves by offering services instead of products, resulting in potentially distinct revenue models compared to extraction and refining businesses. However, they are not immune to the long-term risks associated with the energy transition away from oil and gas. Over time, companies involved in transporting and storing hydrocarbons face the possibility of encountering a combination of reduced volumes, heightened costs, and declining prices.

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.

Skye MS LLC purchased a package deal from Black Bear, which included over 120 miles of natural gas pipelines and eight active metered locations. Black Bear Transmission LLC, based in Houston, successfully finalized the sale of gas gathering assets owned by BBT Mississippi LLC (BBT MS) to Skye MS LLC of Columbia, Mississippi. The specific amount of the transaction remains undisclosed. BBT MS is the proud owner and operator of a fee-based, natural gas transmission system that efficiently supplies gas to utility, industrial, and power generation customers. It facilitates the connection of wellhead production in Mississippi to regional long-haul pipelines.

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.

Big announcement! Crescent Energy is set to bolster its inventory in the play by acquiring operated and working interests from Mesquite Energy. Crescent Energy Co. seals a $600 million cash deal to acquire assets in the Eagle Ford Shale from Mesquite Energy Inc. (formerly Sanchez Energy).

In May, ONEOK (OKE) made an announcement regarding its acquisition of Magellan Midstream Partners LP (MMP) for a total value of $18.8 billion, which includes cash and stocks. This move drew attention as it positions ONEOK, primarily known for its involvement in the provision, gathering, and processing of Natural Gas (NG), to become one of the largest pipeline companies in the United States. The acquisition also allows ONEOK to expand its services by including Oil (CL), another significant energy commodity.

Diamondback Energy is on a roll! In the first quarter, they made impressive strides towards their goal of divesting $1 billion in non-core assets by year-end. They successfully sold their upstream and midstream assets, marking a significant achievement.

Global oil supply and demand saw notable changes in April 2023. Liquids demand declined by 0.7 MMb/d to 99.9 MMb/d, with gains in China and Europe offset by reduced demand in Japan and the Middle East. OPEC 10 production remained stable at 29.5 MMb/d, while Saudi Arabia increased output by 0.3 MMb/d. Non-OPEC production declined slightly, Russian production dropped further, and US shale production remained steady. Combined production in Iran, Venezuela, and Libya remained unchanged. Commercial inventories increased, and OPEC+ implemented production cuts. Economic sentiment remains uncertain amid rising global inflation.

Callon is set to purchase Percussion Petroleum's Delaware assets for $475 million while selling its Eagle Ford assets to Ridgemar for $655 million. In a strategic step to optimize its operations, Callon Petroleum recently made headlines by sealing two deals on May 3, totaling a staggering $1.13 billion. The company is taking confident steps to bolster its presence in the Delaware Basin while bidding farewell to its stake in the Eagle Ford Shale.

Permian Resources bolsters dominance in the Delaware Basin with strategic land acquisitions, expanding its portfolio by over 5,000 net leasehold acres and 3,000 royalty acres. In a stunning display of growth and strategic maneuvering, Permian Resources Corp., based in Midland, Texas, has made waves in the first quarter by securing a series of deals worth over $200 million in the highly sought-after Delaware Basin. This move solidifies their position as a player in the region.

The Williston Basin, which spans parts of North Dakota, Montana, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, is a major oil-producing region in North America. In order to transport crude oil and natural gas from the wells to refineries and other destinations, a vast pipeline infrastructure has been built in the area. The pipeline infrastructure in the Williston Basin consists of a network of pipelines that connect production sites to processing facilities, storage tanks, and major pipeline hubs

Matador Resources Co. is making a big move in the oil and gas industry by acquiring Advance Energy Partners Holdings LLC, a major player in the northern Delaware Basin. The acquisition, which comes with a hefty price tag of at least $1.6 billion in cash, includes valuable assets in Lea County, N.M., and Ward County, Texas, as well as key midstream infrastructure.

Following the success of FireBird Energy's $1.75 billion sale to Diamondback last year, the emergence of FireBird II signals a new chapter in the Permian Basin. Get ready for some exciting news from the energy industry. FireBird Energy II, the new player in the Permian Basin, has just secured $500 million in equity funding to fuel their acquisitions. With backing from the esteemed private equity firm Quantum Energy Partners, FireBird Energy II is poised to make waves in the industry.

Ovintiv Strikes Billion-Dollar Oil Deal, Doubling Production in Permian Basin with EnCap's Black Swan, PetroLegacy, and Piedra Resources. The deal, which was approved unanimously by Ovintiv's board, is slated to close on June 30. With over $5 billion in transactions announced on April 3, Ovintiv is set to expand its oil production by snatching up 65,000 net acres in the core of the Midland Basin. The deal with EnCap will give them a strategic edge in Martin and Andrews counties, Texas, with approximately 1,050 net, 10,000-ft well locations added to their inventory.

In a big move for Riley Permian, the company has just closed a deal to acquire top-of-the-line oil and gas assets in the heart of New Mexico. The acquisition, which was made in February, saw Riley Permian snapping up these highly sought-after resources from none other than Pecos Oil & Gas LLC for $330 million.

Energy Transfer's recent acquisition of Lotus Midstream's infrastructure for $1.45 billion is a remarkable feat that is bound to shake up the energy industry. This strategic move grants Energy Transfer access to the highly prized Centurion Pipeline, as well as an additional 3,000 miles of crude gathering and transportation pipelines. These pipelines span across the vast Permian Basin of West Texas, stretching all the way from New Mexico and culminating at the bustling energy hub of Cushing, Oklahoma.

Baytex Energy Group has announced that it will acquire Eagle Ford exploration and production company, Ranger Oil, for approximately $2.5 billion in cash and stock, which includes taking over the company's existing debt. Upon the successful closure of the acquisition, Baytex will have a controlling stake of approximately 63% in the newly merged company, leaving Ranger shareholders with around 37%. This significant move is in line with a trend of substantial mergers and acquisitions in the Eagle Ford area, with Marathon Oil, Devon Energy, and Chesapeake Energy among the companies involved in recent transactions.

Harvest Midstream, a Hilcorp affiliate, is set to acquire three midstream gathering systems that serve the Bakken, as well as system located in the Eagle Ford. Harvest, an affiliate of Hilcorp Energy Corp, has entered into an agreement to purchase three Bakken midstream gathering systems and one in the Eagle Ford from Paradigm. Paradigm is set to sell these midstream assets to Harvest in the near future.

Baytex Energy, a Canadian oil and gas company, has announced its acquisition of Ranger Oil, an Eagle Ford operator based in Texas, in a deal worth $150 million. The acquisition will accelerate Baytex's shareholder returns and introduce a dividend with enhanced free cash flow.

Enbridge acquired Tres Palacios natural gas storage facility in Texas for $335 million, adding approximately 35 Bcf of natural gas storage to their portfolio. The facility uses salt caverns for storage and has a gas header pipeline system that spans 62 miles and links to 11 major gas pipelines. Crestwood Equity Partners LP intends to divest its interests in Tres Palacios by the second quarter.

The U.S. natural gas pipeline network is a complex system of pipelines that transport natural gas from production areas to consumers across the country. The pipeline network consists of three main types of pipelines: gathering pipelines, transmission pipelines, and distribution pipelines. Gathering pipelines are small-diameter pipelines that transport natural gas from production wells to processing facilities or larger transmission pipelines. Transmission pipelines are large-diameter pipelines that transport natural gas over long distances, sometimes across multiple states. Distribution pipelines operate at low pressure and are located in or near urban areas. They are often referred to as "utility pipelines" because they are typically owned and operated by local gas utility companies.

Diamondback Energy, an independent oil and gas company, has successfully completed the acquisition of Lario Permian, marking the closure of two major deals in the fourth quarter of 2022. The company purchased two private operators in the Midland Basin for approximately $3.3 billion.

To effectively manage ESG issues in O&G companies, a comprehensive approach is required, addressing multiple managerial issues. First, ESG considerations must be integrated into the corporate strategy, setting goals that align with business objectives, reflected in budgeting, capital allocation, and risk management. Accurate and efficient collection, management, and reporting of ESG data is necessary for identifying relevant metrics and indicators, such as greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and social impact indicators.

ESG considerations are becoming increasingly essential for companies operating in the upstream sector. Failure to address ESG concerns may result in financial and reputational risks, given the growing focus from investors, regulators, and other stakeholders. Companies must prioritize ESG performance and engage with stakeholders to address concerns and mitigate risks. By doing so, they can improve their reputation, attract investment, and contribute to a more sustainable future

More than 60% of all A&D deals by value are in US oil and gas companies. Despite their leading market position, U.S. fields are developing unevenly, and investors are quite cautious about investing in them at this stage. The top 5 oil & gas industry A&D deals in 2022 were concluded by Omega Acquisition, Tokyo Gas, Diamondback Energy, Suncor Energy, and IMM Private Equity. The main motives of oil and gas companies to carry out A&D transactions can be considered the achievement of the synergy effect, and the presence of fundamental shocks in the market.

Most companies have plans in place to identify and manage the normal operational risks of enterprise asset management (EAM). But, it is equally important to consider the potential emergence of ESG risks that a company may face. While predicting events such as hurricanes, pandemics, and regulatory violations is difficult, preparing for or mitigating the impact can avoid potentially devastating effects on an asset-rich organization, as well as its employees and shareholders. As a reminder, ESG investing looks at three elements: environmental (E), social (S), and governance (G) issues, with stakeholders looking not only at the financial parameters of a transaction but also the non-financial parameters. For example, oil and gas companies should develop plans to restore power lines or pipelines after an earthquake or other natural disaster. These plans should describe procedures for how employees will access remote sites, which assets will be prioritized, what additional equipment will be needed, and how it will be obtained.

The oil and gas industry has long relied on the recommendations of trusted experts to make key supply chain decisions. The growing popularity of Blockchain technology could significantly disrupt these relationships by providing an unbiased methodology for sourcing, tracking, and executing transactions on behalf of customers with transparent data sets across supply chain endpoints. Blockchain technology has already been used by many global companies in the last two years in various areas such as IoT (Internet of Things), smart contracts, and cryptocurrencies. It has enabled businesses to benefit from the inherent trust and transparency of the technology.

3D Modeling helps to optimize oil and gas exploration and production, and evaluate the potential of energy sources. Companies CGG, ESA, Schneider Digital, and Continental Resources have been pioneering in 3D visualization for the O&G industry in 2022.

On January 5 Northern Oil & Gas (NOG) concluded a deal to acquire working interests in Midland-Petro D.C. Partners LLC (MPDC)'s Mascot Project in the Midland Basin, according to a January 9 press release. Firstly estimated at $330 million in cash, the deal was signed with an additional 3.25% working interest added to the 36.7% agreed upon when the transaction was announced on October 19. NOG paid $29 million more for the additional interests, which now totalled 39.958%. Finally, the deal closed for $320 million in cash and $43 million in debt at signing in October with the finance of Minnetonka, Minn.-based NOG with cash on hand, operating free cash flow, and assistance from its revolving credit facility.

2022 is almost over. Full of global uncertainty, it brought a lot of disturbance to the energy markets. It is a good opportunity to say that again and again we are proud of the U.S. energy industry. Despite all odds, this sector has shown remarkable growth in the past years. In the past decade, the industry twice faced dramatic price collapses and successfully navigated between global oversupply and insufficient demand situations. Even the unprecedented pandemic market disruption did not undermine the strengths and perspectives of the U.S. industry players. As of today, we enjoy historical production at its highest. More than 850 thousand wells are delivering steady production to domestic and foreign customers. More than 14,600 approved permits are soon to start producing. At Rextag, we track and analyze petroleum production data. If you want to explore production trends by basin, formation, operator, etc., learn more about our services here

Northern Oil and Gas Inc. (NOG) made a $330 million purchase in the Permian Basin, according to the release on October 19. NOG revealed an agreement to purchase a 36.7% working interest in the Mascot Project from Midland-Petro D.C. Partners LLC (MDPC). The acquisition will be funded with cash on hand, operating free cash flow, and borrowings. The Mascot Project is operated by Permian Deep Rock Oil Co., an affiliate of MPDC, which is a David H. Arrington-owned business based in Midland, Texas. NOG anticipates that the production from the acquired properties to average almost 4,400 boe/d in the first quarter of 2023 and 6,450 boe/d for the full-year 2023 (2-stream, about 80% oil).

Vermont Business Magazine HQI US Holding LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hydro-Québec, concluded the agreement to purchase Great River Hydro, LLC, which possesses 13 hydropower generating stations with a total capacity of 589 megawatts along New England's Connecticut and Deerfield rivers in Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The affiliates of Arc Light Capital Partners, LLC is selling Great River Hydro for a price of roughly US $2 billion. The facilities are situated along the Connecticut and Deerfield rivers. Hydro-Québec is the largest single supplier of electricity to Vermont, comparing to the closed Vermont Yankee nuclear power station in Vernon which produces 620 megawatts. Great River Hydro has A 589-MW hydropower fleet, 13 cascading generating stations and 3 storage-only reservoirs along some 310 miles (500 km) of the Connecticut and Deerfield rivers. Moreover, its annually supply has enough energy to power over 213,000 homes in New England. One fifth of the energy generated is subject to long-term supply contracts, guaranteeing revenue stability. Land holdings of almost 30,000 acres (12,140 hectares), allowing for the possibility of various renewable energy projects.

On 3 August the pipeline operator Plains All American LP raised its 2022 profit forecast for the second time this year, as it expects a huge demand on its pipelines transporting U.S. shale oil to the Gulf Coast. The company increased full-year adjusted earnings guidance by $100 million to approximately $2.38 billion, since it anticipates higher crude and natural gas liquids volumes. European buyers have snapped up the U.S. light sweet crude, the largest part of which is delivered in the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico, as they depend on replacing Russian barrels. Average daily crude oil volumes in the second quarter grew 30% on its Permian Basin pipelines with oilfield activity trending about 10% exceeding its initial expectations. Its shares increased 3.6% in after-hours trading on August 3 to $11.19.

According to a midstream oil and natural gas company release on August 2, MPLXLP has increased total pipeline throughputs by 6% in the second quarter of 2022 and terminal throughput by 4%, versus year-ago levels. In an earnings statement of MPLX, the total pipeline throughputs were 5.9 million bbl/d, with terminal throughput of 3.1 million bbl/d for the second quarter. The company reported a net income of $875 million and adjusted earnings of $1.457 million in the second quarter, both higher than in the same period of 2021. Gathered volumes grew up by 11% from year-ago levels to an average of 5.6 Bcf/d. In the Marcellusregion, gathered volumes fell 1% compared to year-ago levels to an average of 1.3 Bcf/d. MPLX is expanding several projects, including in the Permian Basin where the Whistler pipeline is increasing from 2 Bcf/d to 2.5 Bcf/d, in addition to lateral pipelines into the Midland Basin and Corpus Christi domestic and export markets. Moreover, the construction is also maintained on the 200 MMcf/d Tornado ll processing plant, which MPLX anticipates coming online in the second half of 2022. Additionally, 68,000 bbl/d Smithburg de-ethanizer project in the Marcellus is expected to come online in the third quarter.

Earthstone Energy Inc., based in Texas, announced the transaction on June 28: the acquisition of Titus Oil&Gas which will raise production in the Delaware Basin by 26%. The $627 million acquisition fills the Permian Basin in Eddy and Lea counties, N.M. with 86 net locations on 7,900 net acres of leasehold, while it is not clear how much of the leasehold might be on federal acreage It is Earthstone’s seventh acquisition since 2021, a span that includes the closing of approximately $1.89 billion in acquisitions in the Permian Basin. The purchase of Titus Oil & Gas Production LLC and Titus Oil & Gas Production II LLC, privately held companies backed by NGP Energy Capital Management LLC, is estimated at $575 million in cash and it is the equivalent of $52 million in stock (3.9 million shares of its Class A common stock based on the June 24 closing price). Titus shared that its net production in June was 31,800 boe/d. The company had reserves of approximately 28.9 MMboe. Earthstone is sure its net production will increase, at the midpoint, by 20,500 boe/d (65% oil) in the fourth quarter.

According to CheniereEnergy’s board of directors announcement on June 22, the company declared the further expansion of its CorpusChristi, Texas. Moreover, the LNG plant could come sooner than expected due to the announcement of a final investments decision (FID) related to Stage 3 Liquefaction Project work at the export facility. It will ensure the capacity to ship 10-plus million tonnes per annum (mtpa) from 7 midscale trains. Furthermore, TudorPickering, Holt & Co. (#TPH) declared on June 23, that the possible ultimate capacity of the facility could be in the 11-12 mtpa range given 10.7 mtpa of long-term contracts have been signed with companies such as CPC, PGNiG, Sinochem, Foran, ENGIE, Apache, EOG and ARX CN. Additionally, Cheniere announced two sale and purchase agreements (SPAs) with #ChevronCorp.: Firstly, Chevron will obtain 1 mtpa of LNG from Sabine Pass Liquefaction LLC with deliveries considered to start in 2026. Deliveries will reach full capacity in 2027 and expire in mid-2042. Secondly, Chevron will obtain 1 mtpa of LNG from Cheniere Marketing LLC with deliveries considered to start in 2027 and continue for about 15 years. The purchase price for the LNG under both SPAs will be indexed to the Henry Hub price, plus a fixed liquefaction fee as Cheniere claimed. Since the expansion will have been completed, Cheniere’s aggregate nominal production capacity will be increased to more than 55 mtpa by the end of 2025 compared to 45 mtpa now. It will become a part of the industry-wide decarbonization movement away from coal and oil as this allows Cheniere to provide the global market with additional low-carbon fuels. First exports from the facility are anticipated in 2025.

Around 25,000 net acres in the Permian are being sold by Percussion Petroleum II, looking to fetch up to $1.5 billion, as some sources bet on rising oil prices to pocket more than double what it paid in 2021. The company spent $375 million plus contingent payments a year ago to buy the bulk of its assets in one of the most prolific crude-producing areas in the U.S. from Oasis PetroleumInc. The oil prices increased to triple digits and buyers wanted to gain a toehold in the basin, whereas backers of private shale companies such as Percussion use it as a chance to exit their investments with big profits. Remarkably, U.S. crude oil futures have grown about 50% to approximately $109/bbl since June 29, 2021, when Percussion closed its deal with Oasis.

Being the main means of transferring crude oil around the world, pipelines rapidly route oil and its derivative products (gasoline, jet fuel, diesel fuel, heating oil, and heavier fuel oils) to refineries and empower other businesses. The U.S. and Canada solely make North America a major oil hub for more than 90,000 miles of crude oil and petroleum product pipelines, which are connected to more than 140 refineries daily processing about 20 million barrels of oil. Compared to 2010, U.S. crude oil production has increased more than twice: from 5.4 to 11.5 million barrels a day. Therefore, newly produced oil obliged energy companies to expand their pipeline networks, but it has only increased by 56%. According to the latest data, Plains manages the largest pipeline network across the U.S. and Canada (its diameter is at least 10 inches) which is the 14,919-mile network that spans from the northwestern tip of Alberta down to the southern coasts of Texas and Louisiana. The place where all these various spreading pipeline networks carry crude oil is refineries, where it is transformed into different petroleum products. Gulf Coast (PADD 3) possesses several refineries with the largest throughput in North America that process more than 500,000 barrels per day. Not only does the development of new pipelines give a plethora of opportunities for economic growth but also it remains a contentious issue in Canada and the U.S., with the cancellation of the KeystoneXL pipeline emblematic of growing anti-pipeline sentiment. In 2021, only 14 petroleum liquids pipeline construction plans were completed in the U.S., which is considered the lowest amount of new pipelines and expansions ever since 2013. Anti-pipeline sentiment did not come out unexpectedly as leaks and spills in just the last decade have resulted in billions of dollars of damages. From 2010 to 2020, the Pipelineand Hazardous Materials Safety Administration reported 983 incidents that resulted in 149,000 spilled and unrecovered barrels of oil, even five fatalities, 27 injuries, and more than $2.5B in damages.

BPPlc agreed on June 13 to exit the Canadian oil sands in an asset swap with Cenovus Energy Inc. potentially worth up to CA$1.2 billion. 50% non-operated interest in the #SunriseOilSands project will be sold by BP in an agreement reached with Cenovus Energy, a company based in Alberta. Two companies agreed on the following conditions: total consideration for the transaction includes CA$600 million in cash, additionally, a contingent payment with a maximum aggregate value of CA$600 million expiring after two years, and concerning Cenovus, it will have a 35% position in the undeveloped Bay du Nord project offshore Newfoundland and Labrador. Current production from the Sunrise Oil Sands asset is about 50,000 bbl/d and the company anticipates achieving a nameplate capacity of 60,000 bbls/d through a multi-year development program.

The joint project to improve and market a low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia production and export facility was presented on May, 6 by Enbridge Inc. and Humble Midstream LLC. Deployment of the facility is taken under the Enbridge Ingleside Energy Center (EIEC) basis close by Corpus Christi. Being the premier export facility on the U.S. Gulf Coast, the EIEC plays a vital role in world energy security and sustainability. Companies plan to develop a utility-scale efficiently low carbon production facility, able to combine both low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia to meet the growing global and domestic demand. It is expected to sequester up to 95% of CO2 generated in the production process in carbon capture facilities, especially ones owned and operated by Enbridge which makes this process a fully integrated low-carbon solution.

Crescent Energy closed the acquisition of Uinta Basin assets in Utah that were previously owned by EP Energy for $690 million, a few hundred million dollars below the original price. The accretive deal increases Crescent's Rockies position and adds significant cash flow and a portfolio of high-quality oil-weighted undeveloped sites. In addition to its acquired Uinta assets, Crescent's pro forma year-end 2021 provided reserves totaled 598 million boe, of which 83% was developed, 55% was liquid, and its provided PV-10 was $6.2 billion.

In light of the conflict in Ukraine, buyout firms are currently scurrying to make cash from the U.S. crudeprices reaching their highest level since 2008. And one of the largest privately-owned US-based oilproducers may be up for sale. EnCap Investments looks to sell its portfolio company Ameredev II for over $4 billion including debt. It’s important to note, however, that both EnCap and Ameredev II alike are staying tight-lipped on the matter.

The investment will happen in the next 2 years. The project intends to capture CO2 from ethanol plants and other sources in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Upon aggregation, CO2 will be transported via pipeline to North Dakota, where it will be stored in subsurface geologic formations. The formations will be in the Williston Basin, where Continental Resources has been a dominant producer for more than half a century. At the moment it’s the world's most ambitious carboncapture venture of its kind. The sequestration itself should be underway by spring 2024.

Enterprise decided to go in on the Permian Basin. With the surprise purchase of Navitas Midstream for $3.25 billion in cash, the company gained a foothold in the Midland Basin, as it previously lacked #naturalgas or NGL infrastructure apart from downstream pipelines in the region. Enterprise estimates that distributable cash flow accretion will be in the range of $0.18 to $0.22 per unit in 2023, while simultaneously supporting additional capital returns to their limited partners through distribution growth and buybacks of common units.

BPX Energy achieved an admirably low level of methane emissions, ranking among the best performing players in Haynesville Shale, around 0.05%! And MiQ awarded the company with an A grade certification. BPX very well may be one of the cleanest natural gas producers in all of Texas.

Uncertainty grows: as New Fortresses permit to ship LNG by rail expires, PHSMA explores temporal pausing of the method to provide more time to study safety-related issues. The news prompts one to wonder whether Fortress will proceed with its Pennsylvanian LNG project, in which it has already sunk about $159 million in development.

Energy Transfer's lead in the world's NGL exports booked the company another successive quarter. With a global market share of almost 20%, the company is nigh unstoppable. But will it be enough to, finally, push the Mariner East project over the edge? If everything goes as planned, Mariner East's last segment could be operational by the end of the first half of 2022.

TC Energy splurged $0.8 billion on the project that targets emissions. Well, sorta. According to the idea, existing lines of the ANR Pipeline Company will be expanded to serve markets in the #Midwestern US and simultaneously updated to reduce discharge by 30,000 metric tons CO2e per year - equivalent to removing almost 7000 cars from the road annually. Remarkable goals. With the current timeline, the project will be fully operational by the end of 2025, thanks to long-term transportation agreements secured by ANR.

TC Energy, the Canadian gas giant, recently announced its environmental, social, and governance goals, as well as emission reduction strategies. The company aims to become 100% emission-free by 2050 while promising to cut greenhouse gas emissions intensity from its operations by 30% by 2030 as an interim measure.

White House guns for sustainability, bringing new standards in fuel production to the table. With President Biden’s bid to reduce aviation emissions by 20% by 2030, sustainable aviation fuel #SAF became one of the primary focuses. Aviation is set to change toward a zero-carbon sector. However, to make this transformation aircraft manufacturers, airlines, fuel producers, airports, and the Federal government will have to work together. Therefore we decided to see for ourselves what this new course has in store.

Export Opportunities For Permian’s and Takeaway Problem