據(jù)世界石油網(wǎng)站3月21日報道：知情人士表示，私募股權支持的天然氣勘探公司Rockcliff能源正在與顧問評估來自競爭對手美國頁巖鉆探公司的收購意向。

知情人士稱，這家總部位于休斯敦的公司可能會尋求40億美元或更高的收購價格。據(jù)要求匿名的該消息人士稱，商議仍處于早期階段，Rockcliff不確定是否會達成任何交易，因為信息不公開。

Rockcliff及其休斯敦支持者Quantum能源合作伙伴公司的代表沒有立即回復置評請求。

該公司成立于2015年，每日從得克薩斯州東部的海恩斯維爾頁巖中開采超過10億立方英尺的天然氣。上周，Quantum子公司Trace Midstream同意將天然氣收集和處理資產(chǎn)以9.5億美元的價格出售給威廉姆斯公司。

雖然公開交易的頁巖鉆探公司遵守財政紀律，但在過去一年中，勘探公司一直在提高美國頁巖油田的產(chǎn)量，以期吸引收購興趣。

根據(jù)11月的一場投資者見面會上的信息，Rockcliff自成立以來已將產(chǎn)量提高了15倍，其投資組合中有1000多個尚未鉆探的目標。

王磊 摘譯自 世界石油

原文如下：

Shale driller Rockcliff Energy weighs $4 billion sale

Rockcliff Energy LLC, a private equity-backed natural gas explorer, has been speaking with advisers as it evaluates takeover interest from rival U.S. shale drillers, people with knowledge of the matter said.

The Houston-based company could seek $4 billion or more in a sale, the people said. Deliberations are at an early stage, and there’s no certainty Rockcliff will conclude any transaction, according to the people who requested anonymity because the information isn’t public.

Representatives for Rockcliff and its Houston-based backer Quantum Energy Partners didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. 

Founded in 2015, the company pumps the daily equivalent of more than 1 billion cubic feet of gas from the Haynesville Shale in East Texas. Last week, its Quantum affiliate Trace Midstream agreed to sell gas gathering and processing assets to Williams Cos. for $950 million.

While publicly traded shale drillers are adhering to fiscal discipline, closely held explorers have been ramping up output in U.S. shale fields over the past year in hopes of attracting takeover interest.

Rockcliff has boosted output 15-fold since its inception and has a portfolio of more than 1,000 yet-to-be-drilled targets, according to a November investor presentation.