Deal-making is picking up pace
Offloading assets drives US deal-making
An accelerating vaccine rollout and robust oil prices encourage consolidation across marginal plays
Deal-making in the US shale patch recorded a sluggish Q1 for the third year in a row but appears to be picking up pace, as highlighted by the recent $6.2bn takeover of West Texas producer DoublePoint Energy. Big-name shale producers were snapped up in the latter half of last year as consolidation took hold. By contrast, transfers of asset ownership, rather than corporate M&A, have been the preferred choice of operators so far in 2021, potentially due to oil prices rising above $60/bl and a strengthening US economy buoying the price expectations of would-be prey. “Management teams know they need a stellar case to justify deals to investors” Meats, Morningstar “Asset-focused deals
Also in this section
1 April 2026
Golden Pass’s startup offers QatarEnergy a timely boost but may also force a difficult choice between honouring disrupted contracts and capitalising on soaring spot LNG prices
1 April 2026
It is not a case of if or when, but the length and magnitude of economic damage from elevated oil prices
1 April 2026
The US-Iran conflict demonstrates the need for diversification in several senses of the word. It also exposes the limits of Washington applying pressure on major oil and gas producers it considers geopolitical adversaries
31 March 2026
Disappointing results in its bidding round are a reality check for Libya, and global exploration generally
