• Denver-based MarkWest Hydrocarbon Inc. has agreed to sell to XTO Energy Inc. its San Juan Basin properties for about $60.5 million. The properties include approximately 47 billion cu. ft. of proved gas reserves. Proceeds will be used to expand MarkWest's Canadian drilling program, to pay debt and for general corporate purposes. • The Williams Cos. plans to sell gas properties in the Denver-Julesburg Basin in northeastern Colorado for $28 million to Petroleum Development Corp., Bridgeport, W.Va. The properties include approximately 6 million cu. ft. per day of net production, and 22.6 billion cu. ft. of proved developed producing and 3.4 Bcf of proved developed nonproducing reserves from 166 wells. The deal will boost Petroleum Development's PDP reserves 27% and its PDNP reserves 15%, and its production approximately 27%. Separately, Berry Petroleum Co., Bakersfield, Calif., plans to buy properties in Brundage Canyon, Utah, from Williams for $49 million. The assets consist of about 43,500 net acres and produce 2,200 BOE per day. Reserves are 8.6 million bbl. of oil. • Peoples Energy, Chicago, subsidiary Peoples Energy Production has acquired additional interests in the Corpus Christi West Field, Texas, from Royal Production Co. and affiliated entities for $9 million. The assets add more than 2 million cu. ft. equivalent per day of net production, 83% gas. Peoples Energy Production will become operator of the field. • Rockford Energy Partners LLC, Tulsa, Okla., has acquired ECC Energy Corp. The assets, primarily in the Cherokee Basin of northeast Oklahoma, include 200 ECC-operated coalbed-methane gas wells, approximately 100,000 acres of leases, heavy equipment including two drilling rigs and a completion rig, along with more than 180 miles of pipeline and compressor stations. There are more than 200 proven undeveloped coalbed-methane locations identified. Operated production is around 10 million cu. ft. of gas per day, gross, with net production of 7 million cu. ft. of gas per day. Newly formed Rockford CBM LLC and Rockford Service Co. LLC will own and operate the properties. • Axio Natural Resources Inc., Tulsa, Okla., has acquired South Texas reserves from Freedom Energy Ltd., Marble Falls, Texas, for an undisclosed price. Total proved reserves exceed 32 billion cu. ft. of gas. Production is approximately 1.5 million cu. ft. of gas equivalent per day. • Output Exploration LLC, Stafford, Texas, has acquired interests in 32 producing properties on the Vinton Salt Dome in Calcasieu Parish, La.; Custer County, Okla.; and Solano County, Calif.; from Saga Petroleum Corp. for $1.75 million. • Olympic Resources Ltd., Vancouver, plans to acquire Whittier Energy Co., Houston. Whittier operates three fields in Texas and Louisiana, which produce more than 500 bbl. of oil and 1 million cu. ft. of gas per day. It also has nonoperated interests in approximately 10 fields on the Gulf Coast, and in Wyoming and California. Proved reserves are estimated at 1.8 million BOE. • Gastar Exploration Ltd., Mount Pleasant, Mich., has sold its interest in the Culp Draw and Table Mountain areas of the Powder River Basin, Wyo., to an undisclosed company for $2.4 million in cash. The assets include approximately 3,033 net acres of federal leases. • Imperial Petroleum Inc., Evansville, Ind., acquired 63.3% of stock of Powder River Basin Gas Corp. from the former chairman and chief executive officer, Greg Smith, and entities controlled by him in exchange for 2.65 million shares of Imperial common stock and a note payable for $200,000. Powder River is now a subsidiary of Imperial. • Superior Energy Services has established SPN Resources LLC to acquire, manage, plug and abandon mature properties deemed uneconomic. The properties are in water up to 170 feet deep with existing wells and at least five years of reserves life.