M&A

Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Pipelines | Regency Energy Partners

ETP Seals the Deal – Buyout of Regency Energy for $25B Complete
May 1, 2015May 1, 2015

MDN told you about the big money buyout midstream company Regency Energy by midstream company Energy Transfer Partners for $25 billion (see Energy Transfer Partners Buys Regency Energy for $25B). As we had also reported, the date for the buyout was April 28 (see ETP Buyout of Regency Energy Has a Date: April 28). The deed is now done and, at least on paper, Regency Energy is no more…
Read More “ETP Seals the Deal – Buyout of Regency Energy for $25B Complete”
Industrywide Issues | M&A

As Shale Drilling Slows, So Too Do Mergers & Acquisitions
April 16, 2015April 16, 2015

Research and consulting firm GlobalData says merger and acquisition (M&A) values in the upstream oil and gas sector (drilling) decreased significantly from $2.9 billion in February 2015 to $829.8 million in March 2015. GlobalData expects the number of deals to remain low in second quarter 2015. Here’s a high level overview of their latest report…
Read More “As Shale Drilling Slows, So Too Do Mergers & Acquisitions”
BG Group | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Shell

LNG Love Story: Shell Makes Play to Buy BG in $69.7B Megamerger
April 9, 2015April 9, 2015

It’s an LNG love story. Yesterday Shell announced they are buying BG Group, the former British Gas, for $69.7 billion dollars. To put it in perspective, in 1998 Exxon bought Mobil for $80 billion, forming what is now ExxonMobil. So this is that kind of scale–really really huge. The oil and gas industry is buzzing about the deal. Is this the first of many such consolidations, given the low price of oil? Will the Shell/BG deal impact shale drilling? What does it ultimately mean? We’ll leave it to others to discuss the broader implications. What we always wonder is, how will this affect the Marcellus/Utica? We have a few thoughts. Both Shell and BG have acreage in the Marcellus/Utica. But before we get to that, the first thing to understand about the Shell/BG deal is that it’s about LNG. This merger will make Shell the largest player in the global LNG market–easily twice the size of the nearest competitor…
Read More “LNG Love Story: Shell Makes Play to Buy BG in $69.7B Megamerger”
Chesapeake Utilities | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Ohio | Pipelines | Statewide OH

Chesapeake Utilities Completes $59M Purchase of OH Midstream Co.
April 9, 2015April 9, 2015

In February MDN told you about Chesapeake Utilities, a diversified energy company with businesses in natural gas distribution, transmission and marketing, electricity distribution, propane distribution and wholesale marketing (nothing to do with Chesapeake Energy) purchasing a small midstream company in Ohio–Gatherco, Inc (see Chesapeake Utilities Buys OH Midstream Co, Targets Shale Industry). Part of the motivation is to target the Utica Shale industry in Ohio by building gathering pipelines. Last week Chesapeake Utilities announced the deal is now done and Gatherco has been renamed and merged with Chesapeake subsidiary Aspire Energy of Ohio…
Read More “Chesapeake Utilities Completes $59M Purchase of OH Midstream Co.”
Baker Hughes | Energy Services | Halliburton | Industrywide Issues | M&A

Halliburton Shotgun Divorce – Forced to Sell Certain Divisions
April 8, 2015April 8, 2015

Some interesting news from Halliburton concerning their takeover of Baker Hughes (see Halliburton & Baker Hughes Vote to Approve Shotgun Wedding). It seems the table has been turned on Halliburton. In order to avoid anti-trust violations, Halliburton will, grudgingly, sell off several profitable divisions: Fixed Cutter and Roller Cone Drill Bits, Directional Drilling and Logging-While-Drilling (LWD)/Measurement-While-Drilling (MWD). Yesterday Halliburton said they will likely have the merger with Baker Hughes done before selling off those divisions. They stressed it will be business as usual for customers while the divorce, er, sale proceeds…
Read More “Halliburton Shotgun Divorce – Forced to Sell Certain Divisions”
Energy Companies | Energy Services | EV Energy Partners | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Ohio | Pipelines | Statewide OH | Williams

Williams Buys Out EVEP Interest in Utica East Ohio Midstream for $575M
April 7, 2015April 7, 2015

In early February, MDN told you that EV Energy Partners, a company with a huge amount of leased acreage in the Ohio Utica Shale region, was looking to sell its 21% interest in Utica East Ohio (UEO)–a midstream/pipeline company operating in Ohio (see EVEP Wants to Sell Interest in Utica East Ohio/More Utica Acreage). Yesterday EV announced they found a buyer–none other than Williams, EV’s partner in UEO. Williams currently owns 49% of UEO and is paying EV $575 million in cash to relieve them of their 21%, for a grand total operating interest of 70% ownership…
Read More “Williams Buys Out EVEP Interest in Utica East Ohio Midstream for $575M”
Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Regency Energy Partners

ETP Buyout of Regency Energy Has a Date: April 28
March 11, 2015March 11, 2015

In January MDN brought you the big news that Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) is buying/merging with Regency Energy Partners (see Energy Transfer Partners Buys Regency Energy for $25B). Both companies have meaningful operations in the Marcellus/Utica region. These mergers & acquisitions, as you know, take time. Both companies have been busy and Regency reported earlier this week they have a date to make it all final: April 28. On that date, Regency will hold a special meeting at their company headquarters in Dallas, TX to vote on the deal…
Read More “ETP Buyout of Regency Energy Has a Date: April 28”
Economic Impact | Industrywide Issues | M&A

World’s Best Investment Bank in the Oil & Gas Sector for 2015
March 10, 2015March 10, 2015

It takes a lot of money to fund an oil & gas company–whether they are drillers, pipeline companies or the myriad of associated supply chain companies. It takes millions–billions! Who has that kind of money? Investors, typically investment banks. And who is the best investment bank in the whole wide world? Obviously it’s the one that will give you money! However, Global Finance magazine conducts an annual survey and based on various criteria, they have just awarded CIBC (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce), Canada’s fifth largest bank, with the honor of World’s Best Investment Bank in the Oil & Gas Sector for 2015…
Read More “World’s Best Investment Bank in the Oil & Gas Sector for 2015”
Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Talisman Energy

Talisman Energy Sale to Repsol Takes 2 Giant Steps Closer
February 23, 2015February 23, 2015

Not that there was really any doubt, but last week the deal for Spanish oil giant Repsol to buy out Canadian shale driller Talisman Energy took a couple of big leaps forward (see Spanish Respol Buys Marcellus E&P Talisman Energy for $8/Share). Talisman has major drilling operations in the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale. The company was having problems for some time and that invited the vultures, er, corporate raiders to show up (see Carl Icahn’s Claws Go Deeper into Talisman – 2 New Board Members). No doubt under pressure by Ichan’s lieutenants, Talisman had to either sell off key assets, or sell the whole company. They opted to do the later last December. Last week both the shareholders and the Canadian government gave it’s blessing to the sale. Now all that’s left is for the proverbial fat lady to sing…
Read More “Talisman Energy Sale to Repsol Takes 2 Giant Steps Closer”
Industrywide Issues | M&A | Research | Supply Chain

New Report on Shale Energy Deals from Top Energy Law Firm
February 17, 2015February 17, 2015

In July 2013 one of the country’s top energy law firms, Steptoe & Johnson, published a report detailing the biggest legal challenges faced by drillers that operate in shale plays (see New Report Details Top Legal Issues for Shale Drillers). Steptoe & Johnson have just published a follow-up report. Titled “Below the Surface 2: Digging Deep on Deals” (full copy embedded below), this new report takes a look at energy transactions and deals to find where natural gas producers are exploring for energy, their level of involvement, lessons they’ve learned, and what roadblocks they must overcome to succeed…
Read More “New Report on Shale Energy Deals from Top Energy Law Firm”
Access Midstream Partners | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Williams

It’s Official: Williams and Access Midstream Tie the Knot
February 3, 2015February 3, 2015

Several weeks ago MDN told you that yesterday, Feb. 2, would be the big wedding day for the merger (actually takeover) of Access Midstream by Williams (see Wedding Day: Williams & Access Midstream Get Hitched on Feb 2). The wedding took place as planned and the marriage is now happily consummated. The groom was Williams (grooms are always men…pushy and domineering ya know). The bride was sweet Access Midstream, previously known as Chesapeake Midstream. Bride Access took the Williams name as of yesterday, creating a midstream behemoth whose market capitalization will come close to rivaling the country’s largest midstream company, Kinder Morgan…
Read More “It’s Official: Williams and Access Midstream Tie the Knot”
Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Regency Energy Partners

Energy Transfer Partners Buys Regency Energy for $25B
January 26, 2015January 26, 2015

Big news in the midstream (pipelines and processing plants) world. Today, Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) announced they are merging with and buying Regency Energy Partners in a deal with a total value of $24.8 billion–$18 billion in stock and cash, and $6.8 billion in assumed Regency debts. You may recognize both names, as both companies are active in the Marcellus and Utica Shale…
Read More “Energy Transfer Partners Buys Regency Energy for $25B”
Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | M&A

Rumor Mill: Indian Oil Co Wants to Buy Chesapeake Energy
January 21, 2015January 21, 2015

Carl Ichan, corporate raider and puppet master at Chesapeake Energy, must be rubbing his hands together in glee. The rumor mill is buzzing that Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), the state-run national oil company of India, is “aggressively” pursuing Chesapeake–to buy it. It appears ONGC wants to buy the whole company, although we don’t know that for sure. The ONGC/Chessy buzz has Chessy’s stock trading higher, which delights Mr. Ichan. Here’s what we’re able to find about this latest rumor…
Read More “Rumor Mill: Indian Oil Co Wants to Buy Chesapeake Energy”
Access Midstream Partners | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Williams

Wedding Day: Williams & Access Midstream Get Hitched on Feb 2
January 13, 2015January 13, 2015

It looks like February 2, 2015 will be the day of the wedding for Williams and Access Midstream. In June 2014, Williams announced a friendly takeover/merger with Access Midstream (see Big News: Williams Partners Buying Access Midstream for $6B). Access was once Chesapeake Midstream, spun off into its own company. Both Williams and Access have major operations in the Marcellus/Utica region. The takeover is going just fine and Access stocks will be distributed/swapped/split/converted/traded/whatever (makes our eyes glaze over just to read it) on Friday, January 30. By the time it’s all hashed out over the weekend, when trading begins on Monday, February 2, Access will be part of Williams…
Read More “Wedding Day: Williams & Access Midstream Get Hitched on Feb 2”
Industrywide Issues | M&A

Will Some Marcellus/Utica Drillers be Takover Targets in 2015?
January 6, 2015January 6, 2015

Even though oil prices set one foot over the price cliff starting last year (both feet are now over the cliff), top flight research firm IHS reports that mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the energy sector, particularly in the “upstream” (drilling) area, were brisk in 2014. Upstream M&A rose 23%, to $173 billion, according to IHS. Year over year, M&A activity in the Marcellus/Utica region doubled, going up by 16%. Not surprisingly if you’re an oil & gas company with debt up to the neck and low or no hedging on the prices you receive for your oil & gas, you’ll be in the cross-hairs for a takeover in 2015, according to IHS…
Read More “Will Some Marcellus/Utica Drillers be Takover Targets in 2015?”
Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Talisman Energy

Spanish Respol Buys Marcellus E&P Talisman Energy for $8/Share
December 16, 2014December 16, 2014

It’s no longer rumor and innuendo. Looks like corporate raider Carl Icahn has chased Talisman Energy into the arms of Spanish oil giant Repsol. Talisman released a statement this morning to say Repsol is buying the company lock, stock and barrel for $8 per share (U.S., $9.33 per share Canadian). The board of directors for both companies have unanimously approved the deal. Now the PR campaign begins to convince regulators in Canada (and Spain) that it’s a good deal and should be approved. Here’s the official announcement from Talisman…
Read More “Spanish Respol Buys Marcellus E&P Talisman Energy for $8/Share”