Energy Valuation Insights

A weekly update on issues important to the oil and gas industry

Category

Eagle Ford Shale


Current Events Mergers, Acquisitions, & Divestitures

SilverBow’s Shareholder Brawl

It’s an election year, and the battle is on. SilverBow Resources, a publicly traded oil and gas company operating in South Texas’ Eagle Ford shale, is wrapped up in a big conflict with some of its own shareholders. Kimmeridge Energy Management, both a large shareholder and a rival operator in the Eagle Ford, has proposed a merger (which it, at least temporarily, withdrew last month), and now is proposing several new board members in a proxy battle. The primary question centers on the direction of SilverBow’s value enhancement strategy. However, it appears this strategy hinges, in part, on its debt position, and dividend policy. Management has one idea on how this should go; Kimmeridge clearly has another.

Mergers, Acquisitions, & Divestitures

Just Released | 1Q24 Exploration & Production Newsletter

REGION FOCUS: EAGLE FORD

The 1Q24 issue of Mercer Capital’s Exploration & Production newsletter focuses on the Eagle Ford. Despite significant rig-count declines, Eagle Ford production declined only modestly over the twelve months ended March 2024, aided by a significant number of DUCs going into production. Reasonably steady commodity prices helped offset the basin’s production decline, allowing the region’s comp group to post favorable price increases over the review period.

In addition to our overview of the Eagle Ford, this newsletter also contains:

– Oil and Gas Commodity Price Update
– Macro Update
– Industry M&A Activity
– Public Company Performance
– Production Update
– Rig Counts

Download the newsletter to stay up to date on the industry.

Eagle Ford Production Edges Down on Sharply Reduced Drilling

In the twelve months ending March 2024, the Eagle Ford basin experienced a modest decline in oil production counterbalanced between significant drops in rig counts and the entrance of drilled but uncompleted wells (DUCs) alongside technological advancements. While commodity prices fluctuated, overall stability was seen coupled with favorable stock price increases for companies in the Eagle Ford comp group. Despite a downturn in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the region, experts anticipate a resurgence in 2024, highlighting the enduring value of the Eagle Ford shale’s core areas for operators with prime acreage.

Mergers, Acquisitions, & Divestitures

Eagle Ford M&A

Transaction Activity Plummets Over the Past 4 Quarters

The Eagle Ford shale has seen a significant decline in M&A activity over the past year, with only two deals closing compared to 13 in the prior year. However, recent purchases by Silverbow Resources and Crescent Energy signal a potential uptick in activity in the area. Meanwhile, Chesapeake Energy has fully divested from the Eagle Ford, focusing on natural gas-rich formations in the Marcellus and Haynesville shales. Despite the slowdown, Enverus Intelligence Research predicts an increase in M&A activity in the Eagle Ford in 2024.

Permian Basin Special Topics

Themes from Q1 2023 Earnings Calls

Part 1: Upstream

The Q1 2023 earnings calls from the upstream segment of the oil and gas industry have brought to light various viewpoints on shareholder returns, presenting a dichotomy between stock buybacks and dividends. Although the Eagle Ford region stands out with its high return rate and generous drilling inventory, the spotlight is gradually shifting towards the Permian Basin, where operators aspire to leverage better well economics, project scheduling flexibility, and cost savings for improved free cash flow.

Value Focus | Exploration & Production

First Quarter 2023 | Region Focus: Eagle Ford

In this quarter’s newsletter, we focus on the Eagle Ford. Strong rig-count growth spurred an Eagle Ford production increase that was second only to the Permian. However, production improvement was offset by commodity price easing in the latter half of 2022 and early 2023, resulting in Eagle Ford comp group stock price declines over the last year. Despite those dynamics, interest in the Eagle Ford remains high.

Eagle Ford M&A

Transaction Activity Picks Over the Past 4 Quarters

Deal activity in the Eagle Ford has increased over the past 12 months, with 13 deals closed compared to 10 that closed in the prior year. What is fueling Eagle Ford’s M&A momentum? We discuss these factors in this week’s post.

Bakken Shale Marcellus and Utica Shale Permian Basin Special Topics Valuation Issues

E&P Capital Expenditures Set to Rise, but Remain Below Pre-Pandemic Levels

The upstream oil and gas sector is highly capital intensive; production requires expensive equipment and constant maintenance. Despite higher oil and gas prices, E&P operators have refrained from increasing capital investment, and instead, are delivering cash to shareholders. In this post, we explore recent capex trends in the oil & gas industry and the outlook for 2022 through 28 selected public companies.

Special Topics

Modest Production Growth for Eagle Ford

With More on the Way

The economics of Oil & Gas production vary by region. Mercer Capital focuses on trends in the Eagle Ford, Permian, Bakken, and Marcellus and Utica plays. In this post, we take a closer look at the Eagle Ford. Specifically, we take a look at production and activity levels, the rise of commodity prices amid geopolitical tension, the financial performance of our Eagle Ford public comp group, and the economic advantage of wells in the Eagle Ford.

Mergers, Acquisitions, & Divestitures

Eagle Ford M&A

Transaction Activity Over the Past 4 Quarters

M&A activity in the Eagle Ford has picked up over the past year in terms of both deal count and the amount of acreage involved. The 10 deals noted over the past year were split evenly between property/asset acquisitions and corporate transactions, such as the Desert Peak Minerals-Falcon Minerals Corporation merger announced in mid-January of this year. This signals a notable increase in corporate-level activity as only one of the eight transactions in the prior year involved a corporate transaction, possibly foreshadowing greater industry consolidation in the Eagle Ford moving forward. Read more in this week’s post.

Permian Basin Special Topics

Oilfield Water Management

Clean Future Act Regulatory Concerns

In the midst of the COVID pandemic, the rise of the Delta-variant, and general summer distractions, not a lot of attention has been given to the 117th Congress’ H.R. 1512 – aka the “Climate Leadership and Environmental Action for our Nation’s Future Act” or the “CLEAN Future Act.”  The Act was first presented as a draft for discussion purposes in January 2020. After more than a year of hearings and stakeholder input, it was introduced as H.R. 1512 in March 2021. Of particular interest to the Oilfield Water Management sector, is Section 625 of the Act.  In that section, the Environmental Protection Agency would be ordered to determine whether certain oil and gas production byproducts, including produced water, meet the criteria to be identified as hazardous waste. The legislation in fact, mandates that the EPA must make its determination within a year after the Act becomes law. Read what Section 625 might mean for Oilfield Water Management industry participants.

Bakken Shale Permian Basin Special Topics

Permian Production Pushes Higher

The economics of Oil & Gas production vary by region. The cost of producing oil and gas depends on the geological makeup of the reserve, depth of reserve, and cost to transport the raw crude to market. We can observe different costs in different regions depending on these factors. In this post, we take a closer look at the Permian.

Mergers, Acquisitions, & Divestitures Special Topics

Recent SPAC Boom Largely Leaves Out Oil & Gas Companies

The rise of SPACs, or special purpose acquisition companies, has been the hottest trend in capital markets during the past year.

In this blog, we take a look at a few oil & gas companies that were early adopters of the SPAC structure, review the recent pivot of SPACs towards energy transition companies, and see what the future might hold for the few remaining oil & gas-focused SPACs.

Mergers, Acquisitions, & Divestitures

Eagle Ford Benefits From Commodity Price Increases Despite Challenges

The economics of oil and gas production vary by region. Mercer Capital focuses on trends in the Eagle Ford, Permian, Bakken, and Marcellus and Utica plays. The cost of producing oil and gas depends on the geological makeup of the reserve, depth of reserve, and cost to transport the raw crude to market. We can observe different costs in different regions depending on these factors. This quarter we take a closer look at the Eagle Ford.

Mergers, Acquisitions, & Divestitures Special Topics

Eagle Ford M&A

Transaction Activity Slows Amid Challenges of 2020

M&A transaction activity in the Eagle Ford was fairly quiet throughout 2020 before Chevron’s $13 billion deal with Noble Energy.  The Chevron-Noble Energy transaction and the Ovintiv-Validus deal could be foreshadowing a busier M&A market in 2021.

Mineral and Royalty Rights Special Topics

Held by Production

Oftentimes differences are a matter of perspective. Put another way – one person’s loss can be another person’s gain.  One of the thematic differences between producers and mineral owners is their perspective on “Held By Production.”  It elicits very different reactions depending on what side of the term one is on, and has a leverageable impact on value.   With rig counts dropping to around half of last year’s count, how much acreage will be available for re-leasing this year?  In this post, we decided to spend some time exploring this concept and its impact on the energy industry.

Eagle Ford Update

The economics of oil and gas production vary by region. Mercer Capital focuses on trends in the Eagle Ford, Permian, Bakken, and Marcellus and Utica plays. The cost of producing oil and gas depends on the geological makeup of the reserve, depth of reserve, and cost to transport the raw crude to market. We can observe different costs in different regions depending on these factors. This quarter we take a closer look at the Eagle Ford.

Mergers, Acquisitions, & Divestitures

Eagle Ford M&A

Steady Transaction Activity Restrained by Unforeseeable Circumstances

Over the last year, deal activity in the Eagle Ford Shale was relatively steady, picking up towards the end of 2019 and carrying into early 2020. This week we discuss recent transactions in the Eagle Ford.

2019 Eagle Ford Shale Economics

Challenging For Valuation Title Belt

Will the Eagle Ford win the profitability fight with other basins? It may not have the scale or heft of the Permian, but its profitability punches are as strong as anyone’s.

O(i)l Faithful

Eagle Ford Region Overview

Nearly a quarter of the way through 2019, prices have rebounded somewhat after a tumultuous end to 2018.  First quarter energy prices again moved in opposite directions, with crude prices increasing steadily over the period while natural gas prices decreased from $2.94 to $2.80 per Mcf by mid-March despite peaking at over $3.50 in mid-January.

Mergers, Acquisitions, & Divestitures

M&A in the Eagle Ford Shale

Over the last twelve months, the Eagle Ford Shale region has experienced steady growth and healthy transaction activity. The region’s strengths, such as its low cycle times, high oil cuts and Louisiana Light Sweet crude and Brent oil pricing, has facilitated free cash flow and made the area attractive to both investors and operators.

Oil & Gas

Mercer Capital provides oil and gas companies, oil and gas servicers, and mineral & royalty owners with corporate valuation, asset valuation, litigation support, transaction advisory, and related services