“Top 5” Shareholder in Devon Energy Pushes Company to Sell Itself
Devon Energy completed its merger with Coterra Energy just over one month ago, on May 7, paying Coterra $21.4 billion in Devon stock (see Devon and Coterra Complete Merger, Launches $8B Buyback Program). It’s been no secret that one of the larger investors in Coterra and Devon (owning about 1.4% of Devon’s stock), so-called activist investor Kimmeridge, lobbied Coterra prior to the merger to sell off its Marcellus assets (see Activist Investor Declares Coterra Merger Failed – Sell Marcellus). Kimmeridge has some new company. Another so-called activist investor, TOMS Capital Investment Management, recently invested big money in the combined Devon (now a “top 5” investor in Devon) and is pressuring the recently merged company to sell assets and (in a complete surprise), consider selling itself! Just a month after merging! Read More ““Top 5” Shareholder in Devon Energy Pushes Company to Sell Itself”
Norway’s Equinor (formerly Statoil) held its Capital Markets Day 2026 on Tuesday, offering investors and analysts a chance to hear directly from the company’s top management and ask questions. The event made clear that, while the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) remains the company’s center of gravity, its Appalachian (Marcellus) gas position is being repositioned from a quiet, low-cost cash-flow engine into a strategic linchpin connecting upstream gas to the fast-growing U.S. power and data-center economy. Equinor is in love with the Marcellus. 
EQT Corp’s mixed-index natural gas product blends NYMEX Henry Hub futures with one or more physical basin indices (such as Dominion South) into a single sales contract, often weighted toward Henry Hub for hedging liquidity. Splitting exposure between national futures and local spot dynamics dilutes price swings, helping power generators, LNG exporters, and large industrials reduce earnings volatility while retaining some upside from favorable regional spreads. 
In February, MDN told you about the Kriley v. XTO Energy lawsuit (see 
Greylock Energy hosted an open house on June 3 at its new Potter County field office in Ulysses, Pennsylvania, giving residents a chance to tour the facility, meet employees, and learn about local operations. President and CEO Kyle Mork said the office signals Greylock’s long-term commitment to Potter County and responsible community partnership. The company highlighted local support efforts, including educational partnerships, scholarships, charitable giving, sponsorships, flood recovery assistance, equipment replacement for Galeton’s water system, and sponsorships of Independence Day events. Greylock also invested nearly $1.5 million with PennDOT to repave and upgrade 3.5 miles of Loucks Mills Road. 
Last week was a disappointing week for new permits issued to drill shale wells in the Marcellus/Utica. The M-U region received just 8 new drilling permits from June 1 – 7, down from 30 permits issued two weeks ago. The main reason for the disappointing low number is that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) reported no new permits issued, which it sometimes does (and then “catches up” in the following week). Last week, Pennsylvania issued 7 permits, and West Virginia issued just 1 new permit. The drillers who received new permits included EQT, Expand Energy, and Vickery Energy. 
Yesterday, Devon Energy issued its first updated outlook for 2026 after completing its Coterra Energy merger. Devon forecasts 2026 production of about 1.38 million boe/d, including roughly 500,000 bpd of oil, on $4.9 billion in capital spending. Over 60% of the money Devon will spend this year will go to the Permian Basin, where Devon is concentrating growth. The company plans to operate 31 rigs and 10 completion crews and to drill 460–480 net wells across all shale plays in which it operates. What stood out to us in reviewing planned expenditures is that Devon plans to spend the least amount of capital on drilling in the Marcellus. 
On April 29, 2026, Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued six violations to CNX Resources for causing water supply problems affecting two Bell Township residences in Westmoreland County. The violations targeted three CNX facilities with 19 shale gas wells drilled between 2022 and 2026. DEP determined that CNX operations diminished water supplies after two homeowners filed complaints in December 2025 about loss of well water. CNX was ordered to provide temporary water within 24 hours and submit restoration plans within 15-45 days. CNX, which *did* offer temporary water back in December, is disputing the DEP’s findings, denying responsibility and claiming insufficient evidence of hydrogeologic pathways linking their operations to water impacts. 
On June 8, 2026, a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) inspector visited Frontier Natural Resources’ Winner 1, Winner 2, Winner 4H and Winner 6 shale gas well pads, along with four multimillion-gallon water impoundments in East and West Keating Townships, Clinton County. The inspector found that Frontier had not restored the pads and impoundments within 9 months of drilling ending. But here’s the thing: the original violations were lodged by the DEP on July 14, 2017. That’s almost nine years ago! In other words, the DEP didn’t bother to re-inspect the pads/sites for nine years. 
In February, MDN brought you the big news that Devon Energy is buying out and merging with Coterra Energy, paying $21.4 billion in Devon stock (see 
Back in March, MDN alerted you to a potential new water pipeline coming in Lycoming County, PA, for EQT shale drilling (see 
In a significant ruling for Utica and Marcellus shale landowners, the Ohio Seventh District Court of Appeals affirmed a trial court’s decision denying a motion by Ascent Resources to compel arbitration in a lease-expiration dispute. The court ruled that when an oil and gas lease expires by its own terms without active production or drilling operations, the lease’s arbitration clause does not survive the lease’s expiration to govern subsequent disputes—such as claims of trespass and unauthorized drilling. To force arbitration on post-expiration events, a lease must contain explicit “survival” language or involve rights that accrued/vested while the lease was still active.