U.S. energy E&P deals jump to $3.4 bln in Q1 as shale consolidates -Enervus

Enerplus

07/04/2021 20:21

By Liz Hampton
    April 7 (Reuters) - U.S. oil and gas exploration and
production deals rose fivefold in the first quarter over a
year-ago, according to consultancy Enverus, in a foreshadowing
of recent blockbuster shale mergers.  
    Some $3.4 billion in deals were struck in the first quarter,
compared with $600 million a year-ago, as the coronavirus
pandemic slammed the brakes on fuel demand and the oil market.
Deal-making has accelerated this quarter versus last year as oil
prices recovered, but is down from $27.8 billion in the fourth
quarter of 2020. 
    All top five first-quarter deals involved a private company,
according to Enverus, a trend it expects to continue this year,
including Pioneer Natural Resources Co's  PXD.N  purchase of
privately-held DoublePoint Energy LLC for $6.4 billion earlier
this month.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2LV025
    "We’re going to continue to see activity trend upwards,”
said Andrew Dittmar, a senior analyst with Enverus. 
    Private companies are more willing to make deals as public
companies divest non-core assets and stock prices rise, he said.
    Deal activity slowed sharply in the second quarter of last
year, with just $2.8 billion in asset sales and mergers, as
producers grappled with historically low oil prices, pulled back
on drilling and shut wells to avoid losses. 
    The deals last quarter include Equinor ASA  EQNR.OL 's $900
million sale of Bakken shale properties to private-equity backed
Grayson Mill Energy, and Ovintiv  OVV.N 's $880 million sale of
shale properties to Validus Energy.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2KG4W5 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2LM488
    Samson Resources also in March closed a sale of its Powder
River Basin assets to Continental Resources  CLR.N . That same
month Enerplus  ERF.TO  completed its $465 million cash
acquisition of Bakken shale operator Bruin E&P. 

 (Reporting by Liz Hampton
Editing by Marguerita Choy)
 ((Liz.Hampton@thomsonreuters.com; +1 713 210 8522; Reuters
Messaging: Reuters Messaging: liz.hampton.reuters@reuters.net))