- The deal speeds up Pioneer's environmental targets, moving their net-zero carbon goal from 2050 to 2035.
- Exxon Mobil plans to increase its production to around 2 million barrels per day by 2027 in the Permian region.
- The company expects to produce oil at less than $35 per barrel in the Midland Basin, much lower than the regional average break-even cost of $62 per barrel.
- Exxon has been leading in drilling longer and more efficient wells, using advanced strategies like the "cube" development.
Exxon Mobil recently completed its acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources, a deal worth about $60 billion. This transaction, which is the biggest in shale oil history, significantly changes the competitive landscape in the Permian Basin, a major oil field.
This marks Exxon Mobil's largest deal since its $84.4 billion merger with Mobil Corp. in 1999. With this acquisition, Exxon Mobil's production in the Permian Basin will double to 1.3 million barrels of oil equivalent per day.
The deal enhances Exxon Mobil's position in the Midland Basin of the Permian, where Pioneer has significant holdings across more than 850,000 acres. Before acquiring Pioneer, Exxon Mobil had a stronger presence in the Delaware Basin of West Texas and New Mexico. This presence was bolstered by purchasing land from the Bass family for $6.6 billion in 2017.
Exxon also holds assets in the Central Basin Platform of the Permian, which includes both acreage and older vertical wells.
The merger between Exxon Mobil and Pioneer Natural Resources was allowed to proceed despite close examination by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The FTC had raised concerns that Sheffield tried to work with the oil group OPEC and its allies to cut oil and gas production to boost profits. According to the FTC, Sheffield had numerous communications, including hundreds of text messages with OPEC members, discussing oil market conditions, pricing, and production levels. He was quoted saying that he hoped actions in Texas might encourage OPEC and major producers like Saudi Arabia and Russia to also cut production.
Pioneer expressed disagreement and surprise over the FTC's allegations, stating that the complaint misunderstood the dynamics of both U.S. and global oil markets and Sheffield's intentions.
Despite the controversy, Pioneer emphasized that it would not hinder the merger process. The company stated that Sheffield would prioritize the interests of investors, employees, and the U.S. energy sector's competitive stance over his interests.
