Privately held exploration and production (E&P) firms in the Eagle Ford Shale and Midcontinent regions could prove attractive targets for public producers seeking exposure to future strengthening of natural gas prices, according to Enverus Intelligence Research (EIR).

EIR’s Andrew Dittmar, principal analyst, highlighted the Eagle Ford, the South Central Oklahoma Oil Province (SCOOP) and the Sooner Trend of the Anadarko Basin, mostly in Canadian and Kingfisher counties (STACK) regions as plays “with proportionally higher ownership by private equity-backed E&Ps likely to welcome an offer to be acquired by a public company. 

“Both plays are also interesting from a commodity diversification perspective, with a mix of oil and gas production and an opportunity to capitalize on...