Deal-making is picking up pace
Offloading assets drives US deal-making
An accelerating vaccine rollout and robust oil prices encourage consolidation across marginal plays
Deal-making in the US shale patch recorded a sluggish Q1 for the third year in a row but appears to be picking up pace, as highlighted by the recent $6.2bn takeover of West Texas producer DoublePoint Energy. Big-name shale producers were snapped up in the latter half of last year as consolidation took hold. By contrast, transfers of asset ownership, rather than corporate M&A, have been the preferred choice of operators so far in 2021, potentially due to oil prices rising above $60/bl and a strengthening US economy buoying the price expectations of would-be prey. “Management teams know they need a stellar case to justify deals to investors” Meats, Morningstar “Asset-focused deals
Also in this section
29 April 2026
The UAE’s exit from the alliance marks a decisive step towards a world in which oil markets are shaped less by collective management and more by national strategy
29 April 2026
Trafigura’s $1b prepayment agreement confirms African resource holders’ renewed interest in oil-backed financing deals as they look to capitalise on high oil prices
29 April 2026
The UAE’s departure from the oil producers’ group was a surprise to many, but the move can be traced back to a single point five years ago
28 April 2026
Oil traders warning of $200/bl oil are wrong, and the market should be wary of proclamations that the impact of the oil shortage has only begun to be felt and a that a ‘harsh adjustment’ is coming—even for industrialised nations
