M&A

Columbia Pipeline Group | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Pipelines | TC Energy/TransCanada

TransCanada Makes Play to Buy Columbia Pipeline for $10B
March 11, 2016March 11, 2016

It was only in mid-2015 that Columbia Pipeline Group broke away from parent NiSource to become it’s own company (see NiSource/Columbia Pipeline Divorce is Final). And lookie here… TransCanada, the company that Obama screwed out of building the Keystone XL Pipeline, is in serious talks to buy out/merge with Columbia. The deal being rumored is on the order of $10 billion. TransCanada confirms they’re talking with someone, but won’t specifically name Columbia. But everyone knows its Columbia. Such a combination would create a powerhouse midstream company in North America…
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Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Williams

ETE Wants Out of Williams Merger/Takeover, Offering $2B Breakup Fee
February 26, 2016February 26, 2016

It was a long courting period before Energy Transfer Equity finally cajoled, harangued, and eventually forced the board of Williams to agree to a merger/takeover. ETE’s billionaire CEO Kelsy Warren revealed he had been propositioning Williams for over six months–offering Williams $64 per share to buy the company, totaling $48 billion (see Energy Transfer Makes “Indecent Proposal” to Buy Williams for $48B). Williams resisted, but eventually they caved and agreed to the deal–although the deal price went down $10 billion by the time they accepted (see Williams Accepts ETE’s “Indecent Proposal” – Price Went Down $10B). Like a lover who finally had his way and then finds out it wasn’t “all that”, it seems Warren is having second thoughts. The New York Times is reporting that the deal “has become a nightmare” and Warren wants out and is offering to pay Williams a $2 billion break-up fee…
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BG Group | CNG/LNG | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Shell

Shell & BG One Company After Today, Shell Ponies Up $14.4B Cash
February 12, 2016February 12, 2016

The last major hurdle has been scaled in the Shell buyout of BG–the largest such oil and gas deal since Exxon bought Mobil in 1999. Yesterday the High Court of Justice in England and Wales approved the merger. Previously Shell stockholders approved the $69.7 billion deal (see Shell Shareholders Vote in Favor of BG Buyout/Merger). Not long after BG stockholders approved it too (see It’s a Deal – BG Shareholders Approve Shell Buyout). Shell canceled a loan it previously arranged, for $14.4 billion to help with the purchase. Instead, the company will use its own hefty piles of cash for the buyout. The unfortunate news is that Shell intends to layoff 10,000 people after the merger is complete–to save money…
Read More “Shell & BG One Company After Today, Shell Ponies Up $14.4B Cash”
CNG/LNG | Industrywide Issues | M&A

Love’s Travel Stops Buys Trillium CNG, Expands CNG Network
February 11, 2016February 11, 2016

Loves, the big truck stop chain, has just purchased Trillium CNG. The purchase will add 37 public-access CNG locations to the Love’s network, bringing the number of Love’s-operated public CNG facilities to 65. Why is that an MDN story? For a few reasons. It shows the growth and importance of CNG (compressed natural gas) as a use in passenger vehicles and long-haul trucking. As demand grows for CNG, prices paid for natural gas will grow too. It’s an important developing market for natural gas. Also, there’s a Love’s and a Trillium CNG about three miles from where MDN editor Jim Willis lives. So this is a “local” story of interest for him! Here’s the good news of Love’s being in love with Trillium (along with a cool map)…
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Industrywide Issues | M&A | Supply Chain

2 Pipe Companies with Offices in Marcellus/Utica Merging
February 4, 2016February 4, 2016

Two oil country tubular goods (OCTG) companies, both with operations in the Marcellus/Utica, have announced they will merge. Bourland and Leverich Supply and Pipeco Services will merge to become B&L Pipeco Services. Both companies are subsidiaries of the Japan-based Sumitomo Corporation–one of the world’s largest general trading companies, owning some 800 companies with 70,000 people working for them. What the heck are oil country tubular goods (OCTG)? Pipe and tube products used in drilling–including drill pipe, pipe casings and oil/gas pipes. It certainly makes sense for two different companies in the same business with the same parent to combine…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | M&A

Dominion Resources Makes Play for Western NatGas Company Questar
February 2, 2016February 2, 2016

In what is being called a “cheap” deal, midstream and local utility Dominion, with a major presence in the Marcellus/Utica region, has floated a takover offer to Questar Corporation, offering to buy the company for $4.4 billion. Questar is a Rockies-based integrated natural gas company operating through three principal subsidiaries: Questar Gas provides retail natural gas distribution in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho; Wexpro develops and produces natural gas on behalf of Questar Gas; and Questar Pipeline operates interstate natural gas pipelines and storage facilities in the Western U.S. The deal is an attempt by Dominion to diversify out of the northeast/Mid-Atlantic region. It’s also a deal to bump up Dominion’s natural gas footprint, lessening the company’s reliance on electric power generation which is not growing. The reason this is MDN news is because…
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CNG/LNG | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Shell

It’s a Deal – BG Shareholders Approve Shell Buyout
January 29, 2016January 29, 2016

In the end, it wasn’t even close. Some 99.5% of BG Group’s shareholders voted to approve the sale/merger of the company with Shell at a meeting yesterday. Earlier this week 83% of Shell’s shareholders voted to approve the merger (see Shell Shareholders Vote in Favor of BG Buyout/Merger). As we’ve said from the beginning, this is an LNG love story–Shell wanted BG for its natural gas market share. The Shell/BG merger will create the world’s dominant LNG company, by far. The buyout/merger is, for Shell, it’s largest-ever acquisition. Just how big is this deal? The Shell/BG merger is the largest oil and gas deal since Exxon bought Mobil in 1999. The merger will be consummated on February 15. As we’ve previously noted, Shell plans to lay off 10,000 people across both companies once the merger is complete. Happy Valentine’s Day…
Read More “It’s a Deal – BG Shareholders Approve Shell Buyout”
Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | M&A | Shell

Shell Shareholders Vote in Favor of BG Buyout/Merger
January 28, 2016January 28, 2016

Shareholders in Shell just voted to cut 10,000 jobs. Well, not exactly. Shell’s shareholders voted yesterday to approve Shell’s plan to buy BG Group in a $69.7 billion megamerger. As we explained in April 2015 when the deal was first announced, this is a deal about LNG (see LNG Love Story: Shell Makes Play to Buy BG in $69.7B Megamerger). Why the snarky remark about voting to cut 10,000 jobs? Because last week that’s what Shell said they would do once the merger is approved. They plan to ax 10,000 jobs in Shell and at BG (see Shell to Cut 10,000 Jobs After Buying BG; Exiting Shale Drilling). One down, one to go. BG shareholders vote on the merger today. If they vote “yes” as is expected, the merger will be complete on Feb. 15. Expect the pink slips to appear in the mailbox starting Feb. 16. Happy Valentine’s Day…
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Industrywide Issues | M&A

Oilfield Serv. Co. Keane Group Buys Trican Well Service for $247M
January 27, 2016January 26, 2016

Keane Group is a Texas-based oilfield services company that provides fracking, wireline and top-hole air drilling services to oil and gas companies in the Marcellus/Utica as well as several other major basins. Keane announced yesterday they are buying out Canadian-based Trican Well Service for $247 million. The expansion will, according to Keane, triple its fracking capacity and give it access to proprietary technology. Cool, we love shiny new objects! Here’s the Keane announcement they are buying Trican…
Read More “Oilfield Serv. Co. Keane Group Buys Trican Well Service for $247M”
Industrywide Issues | M&A

Who Else is Waiting in the Wings to Buy Failing Shale Cos?
January 26, 2016January 26, 2016

Just last week MDN told you about Chief Oil & Gas’ billionaire founder Trevor Rees-Jones who is ready, willing and able to buy distressed assets from shale companies in trouble (see Chief O&G Founder “Licking His Chops” to Buy Distressed Assets). However, Rees-Jones isn’t the only interested party sitting on the sidelines eager to start buying shale companies. Investment firms including KKR, Warburg Pincus, and Apollo (among others) with an estimated $60 billion of cash are also in the hunt…
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Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | M&A | Shell

Shell to Cut 10,000 Jobs After Buying BG; Exiting Shale Drilling
January 20, 2016January 20, 2016

In April 2015 MDN brought you the announcement that Shell was buying BG Group (the former British Gas) in a megamerger worth $69.7 billion (see LNG Love Story: Shell Makes Play to Buy BG in $69.7B Megamerger). As we alluded in the title of that post, the deal is all about LNG–liquefied natural gas. The merger will make Shell THE dominant player in LNG worldwide. The process to obtain regulatory approval in multiple countries has been long and arduous. Later this month, on Jan. 28, BG shareholders will cast a final vote on the plan. In an update issued this morning by Shell, the company says they expect to complete the BG transaction in the next few weeks, and after they do, there will be a total of 10,000 layoffs between the two companies. Don’t you just love mergers? Ax and hack away. Toss a few thousand jobs here and a few thousand jobs there. We know, times a tough. Companies must cut in order to stay in business. We just want to remind you that behind these abstract numbers are 10,000 real people with real families that depend on them. Shell also said they’re hightailing it out of shale…
Read More “Shell to Cut 10,000 Jobs After Buying BG; Exiting Shale Drilling”
Industrywide Issues | M&A | Research

Energy M&A Deals Hardest Hit in 2015, 6.8% Fewer Deals than 2014
January 20, 2016January 20, 2016

Mergermarket, a company that provides intelligence and news to people involved in big mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals recently released its Energy, Mining & Utilities (EMU) Trend Report for 2015. It is a recap of M&A deals in the energy sector for last year. Among the findings: the energy sector was the hardest hit sector for M&A deals. There were 957 deals worth $547.7 billion last year, a 6.8% decrease from 2014. The report (full copy below) contains a lot of interesting information about the biggest M&A deals from last year, along with identifying the companies that worked on putting those deals together…
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Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Williams

Williams Board “Unanimously” Committed to Selling to ETE
January 19, 2016January 19, 2016

Apparently somebody has been whispering nasty rumors that Williams isn’t really all that committed to completing a sale of themselves to Energy Transfer Equity (ETE). After six months of wooing Williams, ETE got tired of being rebuffed and went public with their bid to buy out Williams, one of the northeast’s biggest midstream companies (see Energy Transfer Makes “Indecent Proposal” to Buy Williams for $48B). In the end Williams caved and decided to sell, but they did it too late. By the time they accepted ETE’s offer in September, the market (and stock prices) in the oil/gas sector had already started a downward spiral, and Williams ended up getting $10 billion less than originally proposed (see Williams Accepts ETE’s “Indecent Proposal” – Price Went Down $10B). It’s now January and the deal is still not closed. And apparently somebody has either been telling tales out of school, or simply spreading nasty rumors, because the entire board of Williams voted, unanimously, to tell the world they really do want to sell. Really. Williams felt compelled to issue a press release stating as much…
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Baker Hughes | Energy Services | Halliburton | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Regulation

Europe Puts Halliburton/BH Merger Under a Microscope
January 14, 2016January 14, 2016

The Halliburton buyout/merger with Baker Hughes continues to be in trouble. In November 2014 MDN first reported on the deal, really Halliburton forcing Baker Hughes, to merge, with Haliburton paying an expected $34.6 billion (see Shotgun Wedding: Halliburton Forces Baker Hughes to Sell). Both companies have major operations in the Marcellus/Utica, so this merger is of keen interest for those of us in the northeast. Along the way both companies have had to sell off certain assets to please government regulators (see Halliburton/Baker Hughes Hold a Pre-Merger Garage Sale). The “marriage” was supposed to happen by the end of last year, but the U.S. Dept. of Justice isn’t satisfied. They have anti-trust concerns that, so far, Halliburton has not been able to address to DOJ’s satisfaction (see DOJ Tells Halliburton/Baker Hughes “No Deal Yet” – What’s Next?). What was a few whispers has become a chorus that the deal may be in trouble (see Whispers Turning in Chorus, Halliburton/BH Deal in Trouble). Add one more worry to the list: The European Commission has launched a “second phase” of their investigation into the deal, which is problematic for Halliburton. The European Commission says they see “serious potential competition concerns” with the deal. Halliburton/BH says, no big deal…
Read More “Europe Puts Halliburton/BH Merger Under a Microscope”
Industrywide Issues | M&A | Research

IHS Study: M&A Deals Plunged in 2015, So Did Shale Investment
January 6, 2016January 6, 2016

No doubt about it, 2015 was a tough year in the shale energy industry. With shale energy, investment happens when drillers decide to drill holes in the ground. Without a hole, money doesn’t get spent. And when money isn’t being spent on drilling, other businesses along the supply chain begin to see their revenue dry up. Global consulting and research firm IHS, or Information Handling Service, has just published the “IHS Energy Global Upstream M & A Review.” As part of their promotion of the new study (must be a customer to score a copy), IHS released a detailed summary of their findings. One finding in particular stood out to MDN: In 2014 unconventional/shale drillers spent $75 billion on upstream (exploration & production) activities. In 2015 that number plunged to less than $30 billion–a 60% drop. That statistic more than any illustrates what happened to the oil and gas industry in 2015. Here’s more great insights from IHS on what happened in 2015…
Read More “IHS Study: M&A Deals Plunged in 2015, So Did Shale Investment”
Energy Companies | EnerVest | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | M&A | Range Resources Corp | Statewide VA | Virginia

Range Res. Completes Sale of VA Assets to EnerVest, 55 Lose Jobs
January 4, 2016January 4, 2016

In November MDN reported that Range Resources would sell 3,500 operated wells and approximately 460,000 net acres in the Nora/Haysi combined fields located in southwestern Virginia for $876 million to an unnamed buyer (see Range Sells Coal Bed Methane Wells in VA, Focusing on Marcellus). The stated reason for the sale is to pay down debt and use the money for more Marcellus drilling. The deal is done and dusted. The final price turned out to be $865 million, $11 million less than announced. Although Range has remained tight-lipped about who the buyer was, EnerVest admitted they are the buyer. At the time Range first announced the impending sale, they issued a WARN notice that up to 158 people would lose their jobs when the sale was completed (see 158 Range Resources Employees in SW VA May Lose Jobs by Dec 30). The sale was completed on Dec. 30, but fortunately not all 158 jobs were axed. “Only” 55 jobs were axed while 103 people were extended offers to work for EnerVest. Of course the 55 people who lost their jobs had a sucky Christmas…
Read More “Range Res. Completes Sale of VA Assets to EnerVest, 55 Lose Jobs”