Louisiana is attracting gas drillers looking to diversify their portfolios and access the export market
Deals booming in the Haynesville
Strong global gas prospects and high-quality inventory are driving a big swing in M&A activity in the basin
The Haynesville shale play, which straddles west Louisiana and east Texas, was largely left out of last year’s consolidation push, with companies instead focusing on operating synergies and cutting costs. But 2021 has been a different story. Four major acquisitions have been recorded in the basin so far this year—valued at more than $7bn—and consultancy Globaldata estimates 40 deals have included Louisiana assets. Independent Goodrich Petroleum was the latest to join the growing list in late November after it was snapped up by a subsidiary of private equity firm Encap Energy Capital Funds for $480mn, taking the company private. “This year has seen a massive run-up in gas prices, which has sp
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
