US Upstream week in brief: 10 August 2016

Report summary

SM Energy and Chesapeake kick off another week of M&A headlines as they take action to rebalance their portfolios. Midstream companies follow suit behind operators and look to expand infrastructure in areas with increasing drilling activity. And while proposed pipelines are slated to provide more takeaway capacity from the Bakken, could a recent transaction indicate risks to other proposed projects? How might pipeline obstacles affect alternate modes of crude transportation in the region? Stories this week include: SM Energy acquires Midland Basin assets from Rock Oil Chesapeake increases target for asset sales and discloses a partial Haynesville divestment Energy Transfer and Sunoco Logistics sell minority stake in Bakken Pipeline project Plains All American and Phillips 66 partner for STACK midstream expansion Eagleclaw to grow midstream assets in Delaware Basin