Giant

Thanks to its acquisition of Dominion’s natural gas exploration and production business, longtime coal giant Consol Energy is making its name in the natural gas sector as the Canonsburg, PA-based diversified energy producer continues to analyze its position in the Marcellus and Utica shales.

Renewed vigor to tap into North America’s shales helped Schlumberger Ltd. to more than double its quarterly earnings, the oilfield services giant said Friday.

Natural gas pipeline giant El Paso Corp. on Wednesday said quarterly net income rose 86% from a year ago to $147 million (21 cents/share), compared with $79 million (11 cents) in the year-ago period. Revenue rose to $1.4 billion from $1 billion.

Offshore drilling giant Noble Corp. last week agreed to buy privately held FDR Holdings Ltd., also known as Frontier, in a transaction worth an estimated $2.16 billion. In turn, Frontier customer Royal Dutch Shell plc signed new deepwater drilling contracts with Noble.

Offshore drilling giant Noble Corp. on Monday agreed to buy privately held FDR Holdings Ltd., also known as Frontier, in a transaction worth an estimated $2.16 billion. In turn, Frontier customer Royal Dutch Shell plc signed new deepwater drilling contracts with Noble.

Four major competitors of BP plc broke ranks with the embattled oil giant last Tuesday — telling a House subcommittee that they would have drilled differently the deepwater well that has been spewing oil in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) for nearly two months.

BP plc CEO Tony Hayward told employees Tuesday in an e-mail that the London energy giant has enough funds to cope with the costs related to the devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM).

Oilfield services giant Halliburton saw its international profits plunge in the first three months of the year, but North American activity sustained the company, led by strong growth in unconventional natural gas and oil basins.

Oilfield services giant Halliburton saw its international profits plunge in the first three months of the year, but North American activity sustained the company, led by strong growth in unconventional natural gas and oil basins.