Securities

The backer of an initiative to raise the severance tax Arkansas charges natural gas producers has appealed to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to scrutinize two energy producers for their indirect funding of anti-tax hike groups and what those groups are telling voters.

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (S&P) has revised its natural gas liquids (NGL) pricing assumptions for 2012, 2013 and 2014. And analysts at Wells Fargo Securities last week warned that some might be caught off guard by continuing weakness in the sector.

A Senate appropriations subcommittee Tuesday voted out a spending bill that would significantly raise spending for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to oversee the multi-trillion-dollar derivatives market. The full Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to vote on the measure later this week.

With the clock running out on an A45 cents/share takeover offer from Aurora Oil & Gas Ltd., directors of Eureka Energy, are being coy, advising investors to sit tight until its June 15 expiration “as there is the potential for important developments.” Indeed, it was reported that privately held Lonestar Resources Inc. had made a competing offer that would be considered over the weekend.

A group of five senators last Tuesday called on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to define swaps, security-based swaps and other key terms so that limits on market speculation can be put into effect.

A group of five senators has called on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to define swaps, security-based swaps and other key terms so that limits on market speculation can be put into effect.

Chesapeake Energy Corp., which is facing scrutiny from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), on Tuesday stripped company co-founder Aubrey K. McClendon of his role as chairman of the board of directors and terminated the Founder Well Participation Program (FWPP).

Magnum Hunter Resources Corp. unit Bakken Hunter LLC has agreed to acquire Williston Basin properties from an affiliate of Baytex Energy Corp. for $311 million in cash. The company also said Wednesday it is trimming spending in Appalachia because of low natural gas prices.

Boosted by unconventional natural gas and oil, particularly from North America, ExxonMobil Corp. added 1.8 billion boe to its proved reserves base in 2011, replacing 107% of natural gas and production, the company said Thursday.