A bit of A and not much M

摘要

A sluggish oil and gas mergers and acquisitions market may splutter into life this year, but buyers will try to pick off individual assets rather than entire companies. Last year, you might have expected distressed oil and gas firms to increase divestments to boost cash flow, but M&A activity was modest. Total transaction value for global upstream oil and gas M&A deals fell by 22% to $ 143bn from $ 184bn in 2014, says IHS Energy, a consultancy. Worldwide deal count - including asset and corporate deals - almost halved in 2015, to its lowest level since 2001.