The shale industry is showing signs of maturity. Some acquisition trends appear to be burgeoning, such as acquisition premiums, more debt, and looser hedging requirements. These portend higher values and perhaps more of an emphasis on longer-term drilling inventory as opposed to nearer-term production metrics.
The economics of Oil & Gas production vary by region. Mercer Capital focuses on trends in the Permian, Eagle Ford, Haynesville, and Marcellus and Utica plays. The cost of producing oil and gas depends on the geological makeup of the reserve, the depth of the reserve, and the cost of transporting 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.
Transaction activity in the Permian Basin declined over the past 12 months, with the transaction count decreasing 53% to nine deals, a decline from the 19 deals that occurred over the prior 12-month period. This level is also well below the 21 deals that occurred in the 12-month period ended mid-June 2022 and the 27 transactions that closed during the same time period in 2021. While the pace of M&A activity in the Permian has waned relative to prior years, deal size is making up for lower deal volume. But despite fewer “big game” targets remaining, the Permian Basin still offers resources to companies seeking to maintain high-quality reserve inventory.
Mercer Capital has its finger on the pulse of the minerals market. The most recent Mineral Aggregator Valuation Multiples Study is now available.
In our prior earnings call post, Themes from Q4 2023 Earnings Calls, we touched on the global focus of both the Upstream and OFS segments and the persistent drive to optimize efficiency in well operations and services with technological advancements, durable inventory, and more. This week, we explore the Q1 2024 earnings calls of upstream and OFS companies, highlighting the appearance of this quarter’s themes across the entire sector: dividends and buybacks and a boost to the gas market.
The oilfield water industry (OFW, or midstream water) continues to grow in importance within the general upstream energy industry. So much so that while historically considered part of the Oilfield Services Industry (OFS), midstream water is now considered its own industry within the upstream space, separate from the more general OFS. In this week’s Energy Valuation Insights blog, we explore the current status, trends, and expectations for the future of midstream water.
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.
The SCOOP/STACK is a significant oil and gas play found in the Anadarko Basin of Oklahoma. Historically, the Anadarko Basin has been a prolific area for oil and gas extraction. It spans approximately 70,000 square miles across Western Oklahoma, the Texas Panhandle, and parts of Southwestern Kansas and Southeastern Colorado. The basin’s geology features some of the thickest and highest-quality shale reservoirs in the United States, making it an attractive site for drilling and production. Given that fact pattern, it might surprise some to learn that activity in the SCOOP/STACK has been sluggish, to say the least, in recent times.
In a significant development for the energy industry, on February 21, 2024, Chord Energy Corporation and Enerplus Corporation announced a definitive agreement to merge. This strategic combination aims to create a powerhouse in the Williston Basin, leveraging their complementary strengths and operational expertise. But acquisitions are not the only transactions happening in the Bakken. The University of North Dakota received substantial federal funding to investigate the potential of utilizing captured carbon dioxide to enhance oil recovery in the Bakken. As these narratives develop, only time will tell how both will shape the future of the area.
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.
There are always going to be barriers to success in an industry. Barriers to entry, barriers to growth, barriers to profitability, and barriers to progress can lurk to name a few. The upstream industry has its share. For gas, its own oversupply and low prices are an issue. For oil, capital constraints are reining in investment. Both commodities also thirst for quality labor to fuel growth and longer-term underlying optimism, but that workforce does not exist right now and may take a while to develop. What does this mean for the future of the industry?
M&A deal flow was sidelined for much of 2022 and 2023, but pent-up M&A demand is expected to compel buyers and sellers to renew their efforts in 2024 and beyond. As deal activity recovers, sellers need to be prepared to present their value proposition in a compelling manner. This is when having an independent Quality of Earnings Report tailored to the seller’s needs becomes crucial. In this post, we review five reasons sellers benefit from a QofE report when responding to an acquisition offer or preparing to take their business models or assets to market.
As we’ve often highlighted on this blog, transaction activity in the O&G sector has waned in recent years. Rather than utilizing free cash flows to support expansions via acquisitions, companies have emphasized capital discipline, favoring dividend payouts and buybacks. With this thinning of the buyer market, its more important than ever for a potential seller to be able to provide potential buyers with a clear picture of the company’s capacity for generating cash flows.
In that light, we thought our readers would appreciate a recent Mercer Capital slide deck on quality of earnings (QofE) analysis. The purpose of a QofE analysis is to translate historical reported (GAAP) earnings into a relevant picture of earnings and cash flow that is useful in developing credible forward-looking estimates. The stakes are high in the transaction arena. Whether embarking on a sale process or responding to an unsolicited inquiry, sellers have precious few opportunities to set the tone. A QofE process equips sellers with the confidence of understanding their own position while engaging the buy-side with awareness and transparency that promotes a more efficient negotiating process and the best opportunity for a favorable outcome. Read more in this week’s post.
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.
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.
Mercer Capital has its finger on the pulse of the minerals market. An important trend has been the rise of mineral aggregators, which have largely supplanted the trusts as the primary method of publicly traded minerals ownership.
Our latest analysis of Q4 2023 earnings calls in the energy sector reveals a consistent focus on efficiency and the impact of global demand. Upstream companies are capitalizing on international demand for LNG and LPG, while oilfield service firms are benefiting from efforts to enhance energy security worldwide. The industry’s commitment to operational effectiveness is evident in investments in durable inventory, conversion efficiency, and the integration of advanced technologies, positioning companies for future success in a market increasingly driven by sustainable energy solutions.
The Railroad Commission of Texas is overhauling its primary rule for water protection, Statewide Rule 8, to address environmental standards and oil and gas industry practices that have evolved significantly since the rule’s last major revision in 1984. The proposed changes aim to streamline regulations, update requirements for waste management, and enhance the Commission’s ability to track and collect data on oilfield waste transport. These modifications are expected to impact the economics of oil and gas drilling projects, particularly for smaller operators, and could lead to increased demand for oilfield waste disposal services. to understand more, read this week’s post.
In the evolving landscape of the oil and gas industry, non-operating working interests are gaining attention for their unique role in upstream capital markets. These interests, characterized by smaller ownership and higher risks, offer a niche opportunity for investors looking for alternative avenues in the energy sector. With a focus on profit margins and cash flow returns, non-op companies like Northern Oil and Gas, Evolution Petroleum Corporation, and others are demonstrating varying degrees of success, presenting both challenges and opportunities for discerning investors.
The 4Q23 issue of Mercer Capital’s Exploration & Production newsletter focuses on the Haynesville Shale. Haynesville production held up reasonably well during the 2023 review period, particularly considering the sharp fall-off in the basin’s rig count. Despite the Henry Hub natural gas front month futures prices ending the year well below their starting point, the outlook for the Haynesville basin is favorable and anticipated to continue growing due to rising demand from LNG facilities and petrochemical plant development along the U.S. Gulf Coast.
In addition to our overview of the Haynesville, this newsletter also contains:
– Oil and Gas Commodity Price Update
– 2024 Outlook for the Industry
– Industry M&A Activity
– Public Company Performance
– Production Update
– Rig Counts
Download the newsletter to stay up to date on the industry.
In the intricate world of oil and gas investments there are many ways that ownership from hydrocarbon production can be divided. One way is through non-operating working interests which is, to many, a less familiar ownership position. This post explores the nuanced distinctions between traditional operating working interests and non-operating (non-op) interests, highlighting how the latter, despite sharing cost burdens, lack decision-making power in operational matters.
With a focus on the economic implications, risks, and benefits for investors, particularly through the lens of companies like Northern Oil and Gas, we discuss the complex dynamics and strategic financial maneuvers within the industry, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of valuation and economics in next week’s post.
U.S. oil seems to be headed toward a period of upward price pressure. U.S. natural gas on the other hand, appears to be back in a somewhat oversupplied position.
Chesapeake Energy Corporation and Southwestern Energy Company announced a merger to create the largest natural gas producer in the United States, with an expected output of 7.9 billion cubic feet per day. This $7.4 billion all-stock deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2024, will see Southwestern investors receiving 0.0867 shares of Chesapeake for each of their shares. The combined company, with an estimated enterprise value of $23 billion, hopes to gain easier access to capital, achieve investment-grade status, and possibly join the S&P 500 while navigating potential antitrust concerns and a potential decrease in NGL prices.
The economics of oil & gas production vary by region. Mercer Capital focuses on trends in the Eagle Ford, Permian, Haynesville, 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 Haynesville shale.
