Opportunity knocks for Canadian consolidation
Recent M&A deals and recovering oil prices showcase the potential for further activity in 2021
Intermediate Canadian oil and gas producers ARC Resources and Seven Generations Energy agreed in mid-February to a merger of equals, continuing the wave of consolidation that has swept the North American oil patch over the past year. The pro forma company, to operate under the ARC banner, aims to become a powerhouse producer in the Montney shale gas formation. Most of the acreage held by Seven Generations is on the Alberta side of the basin, while ARC’s assets are predominantly in northeastern British Columbia. The key drivers motivating M&A are WTI rebounding above $50/bl since the autumn, and the need for producers to gain size and scale, while slashing costs and improving access to c
Also in this section
5 March 2026
Gas is a central pillar of Colombia’s energy system, but declining production poses a significant challenge, and LNG will be increasingly needed as a stopgap. A recent major offshore gas discovery offers hope, but policy improvements are also required, Camilo Morales, secretary general of Naturgas, the Colombian gas association, tells Petroleum Economist
4 March 2026
The continent’s inventories were already depleted before conflict erupted in the Middle East, causing prices to spike ahead of the crucial summer refilling season
4 March 2026
The US president has repeatedly promised to lower gasoline prices, but this ambition conflicts with his parallel aim to increase drilling and could be upended by his war against Iran
4 March 2026
With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed following US-Israel strikes and Iran’s retaliatory escalation, Fujairah has become the region’s critical pressure release valve—and is now under serious threat
