Consolidation boomed in the shale patch last year
Deals still to be done in US shale patch
Operators including majors have snapped up nearby acreage to leverage synergies at lower cost. But with oil prices higher and discounts potentially fading, will prolific spending slacken?
M&A opportunities in the US shale patch caught the attention of some of the largest players last year as consolidation boomed and large-scale takeovers gained traction. This year, boosted by low acreage prices, recovering WTI and a still financially strained sector, those with the most robust balance sheets may again be tempted to snap up complementary assets. Onshore acreage pricing took a beating in 2020 as WTI went into freefall. Consultancy Rystad Energy estimates that average prices declined by 70pc, dropping from $17,000/acre in 2018 to just $5,000/acre. Less financially strained operators were gifted with ample opportunities to purchase at a discount—as highlighted by acquisitions
Also in this section
18 February 2026
With Texas LNG approaching financial close, Alaska LNG advancing towards a phased buildout and Magnolia LNG positioned for future optionality, Glenfarne CEO Brendan Duval says the coming year will demonstrate how the company’s more focused, owner-operator approach is reshaping LNG infrastructure development in the North America
18 February 2026
The global gas industry is no longer on the backfoot, hesitantly justifying the value of its product, but has greater confidence in gas remaining a core part of the global energy mix for decades
18 February 2026
With marketable supply unlikely to grow significantly and limited scope for pipeline imports, Brazil is expected to continue relying on LNG to cover supply shortfalls, Ieda Gomes, senior adviser of Brazilian thinktank FGV Energia,
tells Petroleum Economist
17 February 2026
The 25th WPC Energy Congress, taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 26–30 April 2026, will bring together leaders from the political, industrial, financial and technology sectors under the unifying theme “Pathways to an Energy Future for All”
