Acquired

Gateway Energy Corp. has acquired the Hickory Creek Gathering System from Hickory Creek Gathering LP and Range Texas Production LLC for $3.9 million in cash, adjusted to reflect a transaction effective date of Nov. 1, 2009. The system is in Denton County, TX, in the core of the Barnett Shale and currently services two significant producers, Gateway said. There are 15 producing wells connected to the system with throughput of approximately 11,000 MMBtu/d at a fixed gathering fee. The producers have also identified up to 18 additional drilling locations within dedicated leases for future development. Based on projected 2010 production, Gateway expects the system to increase its revenue in 2010 by approximately $772,000, assuming no additional wells are placed on the system during 2010. “We plan to use the Hickory Creek Gathering System as the base from which we can pursue organic growth opportunities with our current and neighboring producers, as well as to pursue additional acquisition opportunities in the Barnett Shale,” said Gateway CEO Robert Panico. Gateway owns and operates natural gas gathering, transportation and distribution systems in Texas, Texas state waters and in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico off the Texas and Louisiana coasts.

An affiliate of Hess LNG recently acquired BP’s 100% ownership interest in Crown Landing LLC, which was developing the Crown Landing LNG terminal on the Delaware River in Gloucester County, NJ. Hess LNG sees the site as a strategic location for an LNG facility, which could be completed about seven years from now, the company said last week.

An affiliate of Hess LNG late last week acquired BP’s 100% ownership interest in Crown Landing LLC, which was developing the Crown Landing LNG terminal on the Delaware River in Gloucester County, NJ. Hess LNG sees the site as a strategic location for an LNG facility, which could be completed about seven years from now, the company said Tuesday.

Minneapolis-based U.S. Energy Services has acquired the energy management business of Integrys Energy Services Inc., a subsidiary of Chicago-based Integrys Energy Group Inc., the companies said last Monday.

Minneapolis-based U.S. Energy Services has acquired the energy management business of Integrys Energy Services Inc., a subsidiary of Chicago-based Integrys Energy Group Inc., the companies said Monday.

Seattle-based R.W. Beck Group Inc. is to be acquired by McLean, VA-based Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), a $10.1 billion, 45,000-employee organization with ties to the U.S. departments of Defense, Homeland Security and intelligence agencies. R.W. Beck has clients in the public and private sectors, covering energy, water, wastewater and solid waste industries. SAIC said the deal includes acquiring Beck Disaster Recovery (BDR), an emergency management consulting businesses. R.W. Beck is the majority owner of BDR. R.W. Beck will join SAIC’s infrastructure, logistics and product solutions group led by Group President Joe Craver. It is one of four main segments of SAIC. The acquisition is expected to close at the beginning of August, subject to R.W. Beck shareholder approval and customary conditions.

To help fund the corporation’s planned growth, TransCanada Corp. is selling its North Baja Pipeline LLC to affiliate partnership TC PipeLines LP for US$395 million.

StatoilHydro has added to its sizable stake in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) by acquiring a 40% interest from BHP Billiton Ltd. in 50 offshore blocks. The offshore acreage acquired by the Norwegian-based producer is located in the northeastern corner of the deepwater GOM in the under-explored DeSoto Canyon. DeSoto Canyon is located east of the Independence Hub, which serves several natural gas producers in the region, including Statoil (see NGI, Dec. 25, 2006). Statoil, among other things, owns a quarter stake in Walker Ridge Block 758, located in the promising Lower Tertiary of the deepwater GOM. In 2006 Statoil, Chevron Corp. and Devon Energy Corp. completed the deepest extended drill stem test in history at the prospect on Jack No. 2 well (see NGI, Sept. 11, 2006). In the March Central GOM Lease Sale 208, U.S.-based subsidiary Statoil Gulf of Mexico LLC was high bidder at $14.29 million for Keathley Canyon Block 698, which is located in water depths more than 2,000 feet (see NGI, March 23).

Devon Energy Corp. has acquired a 44% stake in Chevron Corp.’s leasehold in the Drunkard’s Wash coalbed methane natural gas field in east-central Utah. The field, which has about 51,000 net acres, is being developed jointly by Chevron, ConocoPhillips and XTO Energy Corp.; current net output is 40 MMcfe/d. For the stake, Devon transferred back to Chevron around 14.2 million shares of Chevron common stock, which it has held since acquiring PennzEnergy in 1999 (see Daily GPI, Aug. 19, 1999). In exchange, Devon received a stake in the field and $280 million in cash from Chevron. In August Devon retired exchangeable debentures issued by PennzEnergy that were associated with the Chevron shares, which enabled Devon to make the exchange transaction.