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To build its “shale-related businesses,” Houston-based oilfield services operator FMC Technologies Inc., better known for its subsea business, is acquiring Calgary’s Pure Energy Services Ltd. for US$285 million.

EagleClaw Midstream Services LLC, which provides natural gas and crude oil producers in the Permian Basin with gathering, compression, treating, processing and transportation services, has secured a $100 million equity commitment from EnCap Flatrock Midstream of San Antonio (see Shale Daily, Aug. 2). The company, headquartered in Midland, TX, is pursuing greenfield and acquisition opportunities in the region. EagleClaw is led by President Robert Milam, COO Curtis Clark and Executive Vice President of Commercial Development Charles S. Kuss. “While it has been one of the most prolific basins in North America for a long time, there has been a dramatic resurgence over the past year or two, and it’s more active than ever before,” Milam said of the Permian. “There are more than 500 rigs at work in the area, and production is reaching new highs.”

Domestic proved oil and natural gas reserves achieved record annual volumetric increases in 2010, thanks in large part to advances in drilling technology, according to a report released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) Wednesday.

Al Armendariz, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Dallas office, resigned Monday following public outcry over his remarks supporting a “crucify them” approach to enforcement of the oil and natural gas industry.

As the clock was winding down for counties to sign on to the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale impact fee, also known as Act 13, a Commonwealth Court judge pushed back the start date for portions of the law to give local governments more time to adopt its standardized zoning measures.

Houston-based Contango Oil & Gas Co., better known as a Gulf Coast player, on Monday joined with some financially savvy partners to invest up to $380 million over the next five years in Encana Corp.’s holdings in the Jonah field, one of the largest natural gas fields in the United States and the third largest oilfield in Wyoming.

Brazil’s Petroleo Brasilerio SA, better known as Petrobras, has ramped up production from a well connected to the first floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel platform in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM).

PetroChina Co. is buying a 20% stake in one of Royal Dutch Shell plc’s unconventional natural gas prospects in northeastern British Columbia, known as Groundbirch, officials confirmed Thursday. The deal is estimated to be worth at least US$1 billion.

Enbridge Energy Partners LP (EEP) said Tuesday that for at least the next three years, it plans to rely on rail facilities to transport crude oil from the Bakken Shale and Three Forks formations while it launches long-term plans to expand pipelines in the region.