The oil and gas industry is undergoing its biggest-ever consolidation, according to Enverus.
Upstream merger and acquisition activity hit $144 billion in the fourth quarter alone and $190 billion for 2023, both setting records.
Bids from Exxon Mobil, Chevron, and Occidental Petroleum were among the key deals fueling the record.
Equinor, Exxon Mobil, Shell, and other oil majors have sold or are planning to sell their Nigerian assets to local companies.
The divestment trend, which has accelerated in recent years, is attributed to concerns over security in the Niger Delta and a global push towards cleaner energy.
Critics argue that these divestments may not lead to better environmental practices, as local companies taking over might have less stringent emissions controls.
(MENAFN) A noteworthy transformation has quietly unfolded in Nigeria’s oil industry over the past year, marked by the exodus of international oil companies from various parts of their operations within the country. The latest development came at the end of last month when Norwegian oil company Equinor finalized the sale of its Nigerian entity to the relatively unknown local firm, Chabal Energy. This move signified the conclusion of Equinor’s three-decade-long association with Africa’s largest oil producer.
Acquisitions have essentially become the only option for producers that want to grow in the hydrocarbon-rich Permian basin.
Oxy’s acquisition of CrownRock cements an absolute banner year in Permian acquisitions and divestments spending.
Many analysts seem to expect that the consolidation drive will continue next year as well, suggesting that even the end of 2024 could see a lot fewer operators in the star play of the U.S. shale patch.
The federal government has met with a team from Seplat Energy, to resolve the stalemate arising from the proposed $1.3 billion ExxonMobil’s oil asset sale which has now been held up for close to two years.
It wasn’t clear what the details of the meeting which took place in Abuja were, but the Minister of State, Petroleum (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, hinted that it bordered on ways to resolve the prolonged altercation.
American oil and gas giant Exxon Mobil is planning to invest up to $15 billion in Indonesia for a green petrochemical refinery and carbon capture storage (CCS) facility, according to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.