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Natural gas only has to make a small dent in the energy market shares of coal and oil to score major gains, say Canadian boosters of the cleanest fossil fuel — and they are picking up hammers with apparent government support at least in Ontario, where plans to phase out coal-fired power are speeding up.

Fort Worth, TX-based XTO Energy Inc. has completed its acquisition of producing properties from Headington Oil Co. for $1.05 billion in cash and 11.7 million shares of XTO common stock for total consideration of $1.8 billion. The purchase includes 352,000 net acres of Bakken Shale leasehold in Montana and North Dakota. In addition, XTO agreed in separate transactions with undisclosed parties to acquire another 100,000 net undeveloped acres in the play and 400 boe/d of production for $115 million. “With these deals XTO now becomes a leading operator in perhaps the largest oil resource play in the nation, with more than 450,000 net acres,” said President Keith A. Hutton. “Given the opportunities in the Bakken through horizontal drilling, multiple stimulations and enhanced recovery, we anticipate the potential for even more.”

Amaranth LLC, also known as “the Fund,” Monday asked FERC to dismiss charges that it shares the responsibility for Amaranth Advisors’ alleged manipulation of the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) natural gas futures contract, which subsequently influenced the price of jurisdictional physical gas transactions in 2006.

Online energy exchange World Energy Solutions Inc. made a deal last week to pay $5 million in cash and offer 5.375 million of its shares to buy privately held EnergyGateway LLC, which brokers natural gas and electricity online for commercial and industrial (C&I) consumers in the United States.

Online energy exchange World Energy Solutions Inc. said Thursday it will pay $5 million in cash and 5.375 million of its shares to buy privately held EnergyGateway LLC, which brokers natural gas and electricity online for commercial and industrial (C&I) consumers in the United States.

Investor Carl Icahn, a well-known “shareholder activist,” has purchased about 3.1 million shares in Anadarko Petroleum Corp., a stake worth an estimated $133.4 million on March 31, according to a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Denver-based Gasco Energy Inc. on Wednesday agreed to purchase Brek Energy Corp. for equity consideration of approximately 11 million shares of Gasco common stock, which were estimated to be worth $30 million based on the closing price on Sept. 20. The acquisition is expected to simplify Gasco’s acreage portfolio by absorbing a working interest partner that previously owned 14% of its working interest in undeveloped acreage in both Utah and Wyoming.

Fort Worth-based XTO Energy Inc. agreed to buy privately held Peak Energy Resources Inc., a Barnett Shale producer, for equity consideration of 2.555 million shares of XTO common stock, valued at $105 million.

Oneok shares rose 13% Wednesday to more than $30/share and Northern Border Partners units jumped 12% to $49.20 after the companies along with TransCanada Corp. announced a complex series of transactions that will include the sale of Oneok’s gas pipelines, gathering, processing, storage and gas liquids assets to Northern Border Partners for $3 billion, including a greater stake in the partnership. The deals also include the purchase by TransCanada of a larger stake in Northern Border Pipeline Co.