Premier

Carrizo Oil & Gas Inc. has agreed to purchase more than 13,000 net acres in the Eagle Ford Shale in a deal valued at about $71.5 million, and it has temporarily moved one of its rigs from the Barnett Shale to the Eagle Ford in order to speed up production.

Carrizo Oil & Gas Inc. agreed to sell substantially all of its Barnett Shale Tier 1 properties to KKR Natural Resources (KNR), a partnership of an affiliate of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. LP (KKR) and Premier Natural Resources, for $104 million, the companies said Wednesday.

El Paso Corp.’s two-year corporate turnaround is now complete, and 2006 “will cap our return as one of North America’s premier natural gas companies,” CEO Doug Foshee said Wednesday. The company, whose Gulf of Mexico pipelines and platforms were hard hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, also expects to have nearly all of its operated production restored in the second quarter.

Ontario Premier Ernie Eves’ controversial plan to cap electricity prices paid by residential and small business consumers at C4.3 cents through 2006 moved one step closer to becoming a reality last week after the province’s energy minister introduced a bill implementing the proposal.

NS Premier John Hamm said the bids show again the depth of industry’s interest in Nova Scotia. “Two bids broke all previous records and, in total, the nine bids represent a 50% increase in interest in just one round,” he said. “It represents a strong vote of confidence in Nova Scotia and our decision to focus on getting more exploration under way to determine our potential.”

CEO Peter Dea’s vision for Barrett Resources Inc. in the mid-1990s was to build the premier exploration and production company in the Rocky Mountains and to double its reserve base in three to five years. Through a solid execution plan that was only temporarily distracted with E&P in the Gulf of Mexico, Barrett has had 13% annual growth in the past six years with production standing at 350 MMcf/d — effectively doubling its reserve base in less than three years.

CEO Peter Dea’s vision for Barrett Resources Inc. in the mid-1990s was to build the premier exploration and production company in the Rocky Mountains and to double its reserve base in three to five years. Through a solid execution plan that was only temporarily distracted with E&P in the Gulf of Mexico, Barrett has had 13% annual growth in the past six years with production standing at 350 MMcf/d — effectively doubling its reserve base in less than three years.