Ithaca Energy joins Eni's North Sea Business
Ithaca Energy announced on Thursday that it had completed a deal worth 754 million pounds ($993 millions) to purchase nearly all the UK oil and natural gas assets of Eni. This was a 100% share transaction, which created one of the largest independent energy companies operating in the North Sea. Luciano Vasques was the former Eni UK Managing Director and CEO of the combined company. This move is part Eni's'satellite strategy', through which the company has spun off businesses that are focused on certain geographical areas to attract investors.
TotalEnergies purchases more gas assets in Texas for value chain boost
TotalEnergies, a French company, has expanded its natural gas footprint into the United States by announcing a deal with Lewis Energy Group. The two companies have agreed to buy a 45% share in certain dry gas producing assets located in the Eagle Ford Basin in Texas. TotalEnergies is one of the largest exporters of U.S. made Liquified Natural Gas. This gas is in high demand, as countries such as Europe and other parts of the world are moving away from cheap Russian gas and coal. KEY QUOTE (S) "This acquisition…
APPEC-India ONGC Videsh focuses on stakes in oil and gas assets amid energy transformation
The head of finance at ONGC Videsh said that the company is focusing on acquiring stakes overseas in oil and gas producing companies, as the shift to renewable energy will likely reduce the demand for conventional fuels. We are not interested in long-term projects, due to the energy transition. Anupam Agarwal, at the APPEC Conference, said that exploration was not a top priority for the moment. ONGC Videsh is the overseas investment arm for the top oil and natural gas exploration company in the country, Oil and Natural Gas Corp. It has stakes in 32 oil and gasoline projects in 15 different countries.
Harbour Energy, UK to complete Wintershall Dea Asset Deal in September
Harbour Energy, of Britain, said Tuesday that it expected to complete the purchase of Wintershall Dea assets by early September. This is a change from its previous estimate of early in the 4th quarter. Harbour's shares rose 7.2% to 301.10p at the opening of morning trading. The biggest British North Sea oil-and-gas producer has said that it has made significant progress in satisfying the completion conditions, including regulatory approvals from Mexico. Harbour produces and develops oil and gas on the continental shelfs of the United Kingdom, Norway, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Mexico.
Sources say that the owner of energy producer Maverick is interested in selling it for $3 billion.
According to sources familiar with the situation, the private equity owner of Maverick Natural Resources has been exploring the possibility of selling the U.S. oil-and-gas producer for a price that would be around $3 billion including debt. Sources said that the Houston-based exploration company, owned by the energy-focused investment group EIG, was working with Jefferies investment bankers on the sale process. They requested anonymity because the discussions were confidential. Sources said that potential buyers such as oil and gas producers…
Shell Exits Permian with $9.5B Sale to ConocoPhillips. Its U.S. Output Now Mostly Offshore
Royal Dutch Shell said on Monday it would sell its Permian Basin assets to ConocoPhillips for $9.5 billion in cash, an exit from the largest U.S. oilfield for the energy major shifting its focus to the clean energy transition.For ConocoPhillips, it is the second sizable acquisition in a year in the heart of the U.S. shale industry, as American and European producers diverge in whether to focus on hydrocarbons going forward.Like all of the world's largest oil companies, Shell is under pressure from investors…
Offshore Oil Firm Eco Atlantic Launches Renewables Division
Eco Atlantic, an oil company with offshore oil and gas acreage in Guyana and Namibia, said Tuesday it had formed a new solar energy-focused company Eco Atlantic Renewables, citing, in part, a lack of oil and gas acquisition opportunities.Formed with Nepcoe Capital Partners Ltd. ("Nepcoe"), a renewable energy developer and investment company, the aim of Eco Atlantic Renewables is to source, acquire and develop an exclusive pipeline of potential high yield solar projects. Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas Ltd. ("Eco Atlantic") owns 70% of Eco Atlantic Renewables and the remaining 30% is owned by Nepcoe."Investment into renewables…
Rolling the Dice in Chaos: The Prospects of Investment in the Gas Industry
As stated in the Declaration of Malabo at the 5th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the GECF Member Countries, in order to sustain the security of demand and supply of natural gas, it is necessary to ensure sufficient investments through the entire gas value chain among all gas market stakeholders [1].Since the start of 2020, every aspect of the global economy, including investment projects in natural gas industry, have been strongly hit by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, it is always a challenge to develop an accurate short-term forecast for tactical decisions…
Woodside's Revenue Slumps More than Expected
Australia's Woodside Petroleum Ltd reported a worse-than-feared 29% drop in quarterly revenue, hit by weak spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices, but said it still expected to book a net profit in the first half.The hit came due to the double whammy of a global gas glut and a slump in demand with the coronavirus pandemic, and sent the company's shares down more than 2% while its peers were all trading higher."It's been a very difficult time for our industry and some external challenges are just simply beyond our control…
Occidental Posts $2.2B Loss, Deepens Spending Cuts
Occidental Petroleum Corp on Tuesday swung to a first-quarter loss on writedowns and charges, and the troubled U.S. oil producer cut its budget for the third time since March in response to a historic oil-price crash.The company has been struggling with debt taken on in last year's $38 billion acquisition of Anadarko Petroleum, an ill-timed bet on rising shale oil prices ahead of a market dive.Global energy demand has tumbled amid coronavirus-related travel and business restrictions and a glut of oil from a price war. U.S.
Chevron: GoM Anchor Project Needs $5.7 bln
Chevron Corp said on Thursday its Anchor project in the Gulf of Mexico would need an investment of about $5.7 billion.Announcing its final investment decision on the planned facility, the oil major said first oil from the field is expected in 2024.The Anchor field is located about 140 miles off the coast of Louisiana and is in water depths of 5,000 feet.The planned facility has a design capacity of 75,000 barrels of crude oil and 28 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. The total potentially recoverable oil-equivalent resources for Anchor are estimated to exceed 440 million barrels.Chevron…
Equinor Sticks to 2019 Output Forecast
Equinor's third-quarter profit fell by more than expected on Thursday after a significant decline in the volume and price of natural gas sold to Europe, although the Norwegian firm reiterated its forecast for flat 2019 production.Shares in Oslo-listed Equinor were up 2.2% by 0730 GMT after it also confirmed plans to reach Phase 1 plateau output of 440,000 barrels at its giant Johan Sverdrup oil field by summer 2020 after new wells are drilled.Equinor's Sverdrup oil field, which only started in early October…
Canadian E.Coast LNG Export Plans Progress Shell Deal
Pieridae Energy moved closer to building a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal on Canada's East Coast after taking ownership of fields from Royal Dutch Shell which will feed gas into the plant, the company said.The Goldboro LNG terminal would be the first on Canada's East Coast and compete with the growing number of plants on the U.S. Gulf Coast, hoping its shorter distance to Europe and further west will help sell its LNG by cutting shipping costs.Pieridae said in a statement late on Thursday it had closed a C$190 million ($145 million) acquisition of Shell's gas assets in Alberta's Foothills region…
Santos Acquires ConocoPhillips’ Northern Australia Interests
Santos announced it has acquired ConocoPhillips’ northern Australia business with operating interests in Darwin LNG, Bayu-Undan, Barossa and Poseidon for US$1.39 billion plus a $75 million contingent payment subject to FID on Barossa.Matt Fox, ConocoPhillips executive vice president and chief operating officer, said, “While we believe the Darwin LNG backfill project remains among the lower cost of supply options for new global LNG supply, this transaction allows us to allocate capital to other projects that…
Var Energi Buys Exxon's Norway Assets for $4.5 Bln
ExxonMobil said on Thursday it will sell its Norwegian upstream oil and gas assets to independent exploration and production company Vår Energi for $4.5 billion as part of an ongoing large-scale global divestment plan.The deal, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter, includes ownership interests in more than 20 producing fields in the North Sea and Norwegian Sea with a combined production of approximately 150,000 barrels of oil equivalents per day (boepd) in 2019. Most are operated by local energy company Equinor…
Mitsui Looks to Sell BassGas Stake
Japan's Mitsui & Co has put its 40% stake in the BassGas project off southeastern Australia up for sale, the company said on Thursday.Mitsui's stake in the BassGas project, which includes the undeveloped Trefoil gas project, could be worth about A$360 million ($244 million), according to Credit Suisse. However, a person with knowledge of the asset estimated it at about A$140 million.Mitsui Australia's spokesman said Rothschild has been engaged to advise on the sale of the stake, which Mitsui acquired with its takeover of oil and gas producer AWE last year.
Woodside Looks to Sell Gas Assets
Australian oil and gas producer Woodside is seeking to reduce its stakes in the Scarborough gas field at home and in Canada's Kitimat liquefied natural gas (LNG) project to cut its capital exposure, its chief executive told Reuters on Tuesday.The comments by CEO Peter Coleman came after speculation Saudi Aramco could be interested in Scarborough, a gas resource that, once developed, would feed into and expand Woodside's Pluto LNG production and export facility.Woodside holds a 75% stake in the Scarborough gas field and 50% of the Kitimat project in Canada…
Schlumberger CEO Outlines Digital Strategy
Schlumberger NV's newly-appointed Chief Executive Officer Olivier Le Peuch on Wednesday outlined his vision for the world's largest oilfield services company, vowing to exit unprofitable businesses, restructure some units and focus on returns.In his first public remarks since taking office in July, the 32-year company veteran also warned the company would record a sizeable, non-cash charge to write down assets in the current quarter. He did not specify the size of the writedown.Le Peuch, who replaced former CEO Paal Kibsgaard nearly two months ago…
Centrica Extends Stork Contract
Fluor Corporation announced that Stork, part of Fluor’s Diversified Services segment, was awarded a contract extension by Centrica Storage Limited to continue providing fabric maintenance and associated services for the company’s UK onshore and offshore oil and gas assets. Fluor said it booked the undisclosed contract value in the second quarter of 2019.“Stork is extremely pleased to deepen our long-term relationship with Centrica in the UK by providing services to extend the life and efficiency of its assets in the northeast of England,” said Taco de Haan, Stork’s president.
Stork Awarded Evergreen Gig for UK Assets
Fluor Corporation announced that Stork, part of Fluor’s Diversified Services segment, was awarded a contract extension by Centrica Storage Limited to continue providing fabric maintenance and associated services for the company’s UK onshore and offshore oil and gas assets.Fluor booked the undisclosed contract value in the second quarter of 2019, said a release.“Stork is extremely pleased to deepen our long-term relationship with Centrica in the UK by providing services to extend the life and efficiency of its assets in the northeast of England…