Chesapeake Energy agreed to buy MC Panhandle Corp., a whollyowned subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum for $105 million cash forestimated proved reserves of about 100 Bcf in the West PanhandleField in Carson, Gray, Hutchinson and Moore counties of the TexasPanhandle. The reserves are 100% gas, have an estimatedreserve-to-production index of eight years, and are 85% proveddeveloped producing. During 1997, the wells produced about 13 Bcf(36 MMcf/d) net to Occidental’s interest from 256 wells, of whichall but two were Oxy operated wells. Chesapeake will assumeoperations of the acquired wells and will own an average workinginterest and net revenue interest of 99.5% and 85.2%, respectively.The transaction is effective Jan. 1, with closing scheduled May 29.With this purchase and pro forma for Chesapeake’s pending Hugotonand DLB transactions, Chesapeake’s estimated proved reserves willincrease to about 1,050 Bcfe. The Hugoton Energy Panhandleproperties to be acquired by Chesapeake were originally acquiredfrom Oxy in 1992. Chesapeake CEO Aubrey K. McClendon, said, “asresult, we expect to be able to operate these reunited propertiesvery efficiently out of Hugoton’s existing Pampa, TX, field office.For example, pro forma for these acquisitions, we expect our directproduction costs in the Texas Panhandle, excluding productiontaxes, to average approximately $0.30 per Mcf. These arehigh-margin, low-maintenance wells that we believe will provideaccretive results to our cash flow in 1998 and beyond.”
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Articles from Corp
Total Energy Puts Brand Name up for Sale
“Total Energy” may be an “unforgettable” brand name in this ageof energy convergence, as the small New York energy services firmTotal Energy Corp. claims, but would someone actually buy the nameand make it their own? Total Energy’s consultant R.J. RuddenAssociates thinks so, though Richard J. Rudden, president of thefirm, admits he’s never heard of a company buying another’s brandname. “I can’t say I’ve heard of that. But I know it’s nothing fora large national energy company to spend tens of millions ofdollars on brand imaging.”
EEX Sells Texas, N. Louisiana Properties
EEX Corp. agreed to sell nearly all of its properties in EastTexas and North Louisiana, containing 250 Bcfe of proved naturalgas reserves, to Cross Timbers Oil Co. for $265 million. Theeffective date of the sale is Jan. 1, 1998 with closing expected inthe second quarter.
CPUC Judge Recommends Approval of PE-Enova Merger
A California Public Utility Commission administrative law judgehas recommended approval of the proposed Pacific Enterprises-EnovaCorp. merger, citing potential savings of $288 million spread overfive years and divided equally between ratepayers and shareholders.
Enova-PE Merger Set to Cross Critical Junctur
An important juncture in the proposed $5 billion merger ofPacific Enterprises and Enova Corp. is expected this week when anadministrative law judge with the California Public UtilitiesCommission recommends a proposed decision to the five-memberregulatory body. The CPUC is then expected to act by the end ofMarch. No one is expecting the proposed decision or the ultimatefinal one by the state to turn down the marriage of the holdingcompanies for Southern California Gas Co. and San Diego Gas andElectric Co., but it is unclear whether the conditions placed onthe deal will make it financially unattractive for one or both ofthe companies
CNG Wins Gas Management Dea
CNG Energy Services of Pittsburgh signed a three-year contractwith Ormet Corp., one the nation’s largest aluminum producers andsuppliers of aluminum products, to provide gas management servicefor eight Ormet facilities in the United States. The facilitiesconsume about 12 Bcf/year
New England Market Seen Ripe for LNG
Gordon Shearer, president of Cabot LNG Corp., said he knew if hewaited long enough, liquefied natural gas would have its day in themarketplace. That appears about to happen, at least in New England,where Cabot finds itself positioned to meet growing market demandwith LNG imported from thousands of miles away. At the CambridgeEnergy Research Associates 17th annual executive conference inHouston this week, Shearer enumerated factors growing New Englandgas demand and explained how LNG can economically meet some of thatdemand.
