Boards

Denver-based explorer Voyager Oil & Gas Inc. on Tuesday agreed to buy a unit of Australia’s Emerald Oil & Gas NL in a deal that would create a U.S.-based Rocky Mountains operator focused on established and emerging unconventional oil and natural gas plays.

The governing boards of Mexico’s Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) and Spain’s Repsol YPF announced Tuesday that they have signed a 10-year strategic alliance and plan to cooperate in several areas, including exploration and production (E&P) and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Calgary’s Pembina Pipeline Corp. and Provident Energy Ltd. agreed Monday to merge in a C$3.2 billion ($3.1 billion) transaction that would create a Canadian giant with oil and natural gas pipelines to transport crude and natural gas liquids (NGL), midstream gas processing and an energy marketing arm.

Domestic shale gas will increasingly be developed by the majors, an energy industry financier told an audience in Pittsburgh on Monday.

Removing a moratorium on new drilling in Pennsylvania state forests is not a priority, the acting secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) told a state Senate committee during confirmation hearings earlier this month.

In a state with significant energy and environmental issues, Wyoming’s new Gov. Matt Mead announced his appointments to various boards and commissions, including a number that deal with the energy sector. In most cases Mead went with incumbents, such as his reappointment of Kathleen “Cindy” Lewis to the three-member Public Service Commission. Similarly, Thomas Doll was reappointed as director and Donald Basko as a member of the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. These appointments require confirmation by the state Senate by the end of this month. Other appointments were to the Energy Resources Council, Enhanced and Improved Oil Recovery Commission, Environmental Quality Council, Geological Survey Board, Infrastructure Authority, and Pipeline Authority. The oil recovery panel appointment was new — Tom Fitzsimmons, succeeding Gail Chenoweth; and the infrastructure and pipeline panel selections were reappointments — Kyle White and Duane Zavadil, respectively.

Cheniere Energy has received authorization for commissioning activities at its new Sabine Pass LNG terminal and to put its Sabine Pass pipeline segment into service in advance of the rest of the new Creole Trail line as part of the commissioning activities. Several LNG cargoes are expected to be delivered into the Sabine Pass terminal from Nigeria in late March or early April.

Following a review of financial forecasts, the boards of directors of Oklahoma City, OK-based Quest Resources Corp. and Pinnacle Gas Resources Inc. have unanimously approved an amendment to their previously announced stock-for-stock merger agreement.

Oklahoma City, OK-based Quest Resources Corp. and independent producer Pinnacle Gas Resources Inc. said Tuesday their boards of directors have unanimously approved a stock-for-stock merger and that the companies have signed a definitive merger agreement.