The Permian’s Tier 1 acreage opportunities for startup E&Ps are dwindling. Investors are beginning to look elsewhere.
Houston-based Prairie Operating Co. is scaling its D-J Basin footprint with a $94.5 million acquisition of Nickel Road Operating LLC.
Ellipsis U.S. Onshore, backed by private equity firm Westlawn Group, bolted on more assets in the Permian Basin and expanded its reach into Colorado and Louisiana.
Permian Basin well productivity has trended down. Top-tier drilling locations are scarce. Capital is at a premium. E&Ps need low-cost inventory and scale, and they’re willing to pay big bucks to get them.
Following M&A in 2023, four companies are now positioned to control about 58% of future production in the Permian Basin.
As Occidental spends $12 billion to add scale in the Midland Basin, analysts wonder if the E&P will divest assets in the Gulf of Mexico, the Rockies or other parts of its portfolio.
California major Chevron Corp. is setting aside $6.5 billion to develop its U.S. shale portfolio next year, with the bulk of the spend allocated in the Permian Basin.
Chevron’s $53 billion acquisition of Hess Corp. will concentrate the California major even further in upstream oil and gas production—the part of its portfolio where Chevron sees the most future upside.
Energy Transfer’s merger-acquisition of Crestwood will strengthen the company’s position in Williston, Delaware and Powder River basins.
Chevron is entering the Bakken Shale play in a big way through its $53 billion acquisition of Hess Corp. After closing, will the supermajor be in North Dakota to stay?