Deals booming in the Haynesville

Strong global gas prospects and high-quality inventory are driving a big swing in M&A activity in the basin

The Haynesville shale play, which straddles west Louisiana and east Texas, was largely left out of last year’s consolidation push, with companies instead focusing on operating synergies and cutting costs. But 2021 has been a different story. Four major acquisitions have been recorded in the basin so far this year—valued at more than $7bn—and consultancy Globaldata estimates 40 deals have included Louisiana assets. Independent Goodrich Petroleum was the latest to join the growing list in late November after it was snapped up by a subsidiary of private equity firm Encap Energy Capital Funds for $480mn, taking the company private. “This year has seen a massive run-up in gas prices, which has sp