North Sea M&A quick off the blocks
DNO’s swoop for Faroe could mark the start of another busy year for changes in asset ownership
In January, Norwegian independent DNO had an improved 160p/share offer for Aberdeen-headquartered North Sea E&P firm Faroe Petroleum accepted, following a previous 152p/share bid late last year. Just as that union was consummated, press reports emerged spotlighting UK independent Premier Oil as a prime candidate to buy North Sea assets on the block, following US major Chevron's decision to sell off its portfolio in the Central North Sea and potentially its stake in Clair in the West of Shetland (WoS). In December, private equity-backed Chrysaor was also linked with a move for Chevron's assets. The three-month exclusivity deal into which UK petrochemicals heavyweight Ineos entered to nego
Also in this section
10 March 2026
By shutting the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has cut exports of distillate-rich Middle Eastern crude, jet fuel and diesel, and is holding the energy market hostage
10 March 2026
Eni’s director for global gas and LNG portfolio, Cristian Signoretto, discusses how demand will respond to rising LNG supply, and how the company is expanding its own gas and LNG operations through disciplined, capital-efficient investments
9 March 2026
Petroleum Economist analysis sees increases in output from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Kazakhstan among others before region’s murky descent
9 March 2026
Energy sanctions are becoming an increasingly prominent tool of US foreign policy, with the country’s growth in oil and gas production allowing it to impose pressure on rivals without jeopardising its own energy security or that of its allies, argues Matthew McManus, a visiting fellow at the National Center for Energy Analytics






