Bring on the deals
Conditions are right for a surge in M&A activity in 2017, despite lingering uncertainty over valuations
Mergers and acquisitions activity is primed to take off in 2017. As 2016 came towards a close, initiated deals were at record levels, with majors setting ambitious divestment targets, operators streamlining their businesses, services firms restructuring and some national oil companies in the Middle East and Africa taking steps towards privatisation. The mood as 2016 came to a close marked a radical shift from the first half of the year, when the M&A market remained volatile and cautious, at one point setting a new record for inactivity. That partly occurred as companies adapted to the structural change taking place in oil and gas markets - the shift from an era in which notions of resour
Also in this section
20 February 2026
The country is pushing to increase production and expand key projects despite challenges including OPEC+ discipline and the limitations of its export infrastructure
20 February 2026
Europe has transformed into a global LNG demand powerhouse over the last few years, with the fuel continuing to play a key role in safeguarding the continent’s energy security, Carsten Poppinga, chief commercial officer at Uniper, tells Petroleum Economist
20 February 2026
Sempra Infrastructure’s vice president for marketing and commercial development, Carlos de la Vega, outlines progress across the company’s US Gulf Coast and Mexico Pacific Coast LNG portfolio, including construction at Port Arthur LNG, continued strong performance at Cameron LNG and development of ECA LNG
19 February 2026
US LNG exporter Cheniere Energy has grown its business rapidly since exporting its first cargo a decade ago. But Chief Commercial Officer Anatol Feygin tells Petroleum Economist that, as in the past, the company’s future expansion plans are anchored by high levels of contracted offtake, supporting predictable returns on investment
