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Based on the state’s latest statistics as of the end of February, North Dakota’s oil production has doubled in the past two years, and with the help of increased rail transportation it is being marketed nationwide.

Oneok Partners LP said Wednesday it plans to invest $140-160 million to build a 270-mile natural gas gathering system and related infrastructure in Divide County, ND, in the heart of the Bakken Shale.

Preliminary data released indicates that North Dakota oil and gas production continued to soar in January and the state now ranks third nationally in average daily oil production, surpassing California and following only Texas and Alaska. With the Bakken formation, North Dakota continues to ride the shale boom.

Based on a preliminary count of votes, El Paso Corp. shareholders have overwhelmingly voted in favor of a merger with Kinder Morgan Inc. About 70% of outstanding El Paso common shares were voted, and of these more than 95% were in favor of the merger. El Paso CEO Doug Foshee said closing is anticipated in the second quarter. The company plans to file a Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission with the final voting results as soon as they are available. The deal is moving forward with the reluctant blessing of a Delaware business court judge who recently admonished Foshee and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. for “disturbing” behavior that led to the transaction (see NGI, March 5; Oct. 24, 2011).

Shareholders of El Paso Corp. Friday approved the company’s merger with Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) during a special meeting.

Energy Transfer Partners LP said Thursday that new long-term fee based gathering, processing and liquids services agreements with Eagle Ford Shale producers support plans for it to further expand its previously announced Rich Eagle Ford Mainline (REM) pipeline and construct another cryogenic processing facility.

The Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Friday issued a draft proposal, cutting in half the public lands that could be made available in three western states, and limiting activities to early research and development projects for oil shale and tar sands resources.

U.S. merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the upstream oil and gas industry set records last year, both from a deal value and a deal count perspective, and there are no signs that it will slow anytime soon, according to Houston’s PLS Inc.

Domestic merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the upstream oil and gas industry set records last year, both from a deal value and a deal count perspective, and there are no signs that it will slow anytime soon, according to Houston’s PLS Inc.