Pioneer

Enterprise Products Partners LP has inked a $2.15 billion deal to acquire EFS Midstream LLC, which has 460 miles of natural gas gathering pipelines and other assets in the Eagle Ford Shale, from Pioneer Natural Resources Co. and Reliance Industries Ltd. Pioneer plans to use sale proceeds to fund its Permian Basin program.

Although it will be another three weeks before Pioneer Natural Resources Co. holds its fourth quarter earnings conference call and announces a capital budget for 2015, analysts are already reading the tea leaves from a company executive and its joint venture (JV) partner in the Eagle Ford Shale over how both 4Q2014 and 2015 will shake out.

Challenge the workforce to come up with better ways to develop oil and natural gas fields and it will deliver, the head honchos of Southwestern Energy Co. and Pioneer Natural Resources Co. said Wednesday.

Linn Energy LLC on Monday added 235,000 net acres to its industry-leading position in the gassy Hugoton Basin in a $340 million transaction with Pioneer Natural Resources Co. Pioneer also said it would sell Barnett Shale properties to an undisclosed buyer for $155 million.

Pioneer Natural Resources Co.’s fourth quarter production was dinged by about 6,000 boe/d due to severe winter weather in Texas that affected mainly the Permian Basin region. Operations are now back to normal, the company said Tuesday in a production update.

Dallas independent Pioneer Natural Resources Co. said its fourth well in the Permian Basin formation has tested at a 24-hour initial production (IP) rate of 3,605 boe/d, the highest for any interval in the Spraberry/Wolfcamp to date.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and unconventional drilling pioneer George Mitchell have offered their unqualified support and a big financial boost for “common sense” hydraulic fracturing (fracking) regulations, just days ahead of expected new guidelines for New York state operators.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and unconventional drilling pioneer George Mitchell last week offered their unqualified support and a big financial boost for “common sense” hydraulic fracturing (fracking) regulations, just days ahead of expected new guidelines for New York state drillers.

The senior executives of Halcon Resources Corp. have a fatter checkbook than when they started Eagle Ford Shale pioneer Petrohawk Energy Corp. not so very long ago. Having sold that successful natural gas-focused venture, with Halcon they are targeting unconventional oil plays with a similar strategy and expecting similar success.