Largely because of geopolitical unrest that has curtailed production from Libya, Iraq, and Iran, commodity prices have remained relatively high for the first half of the year in the Middle East, said an industry expert.

“Expectations for continued upward pressure on prices for the remainder of the year may make producers less likely to part with assets,” explained Kenneth McKellar, partner in charge of the energy and resources industry at Deloitte Middle East, a major provider of audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services.

“Meanwhile, natural gas prices have remained stable, and the potential for increased demand from US exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) may draw some new buyers to the market as they look to increase their exposure to gas,” he added, commenting on latest report entitled "Mergers and Acquisitions Report – Midyear 2014: The deal market may be poised for a rebound” from Deloitte.

The report delivers the insights of Deloitte mergers and acquisitions specialists on what is driving activity in the oil and gas industry.

A total of 299 merger and acquisition transactions were completed in the first six months of 2014 in the oil and gas industry globally, with value of $141 billion, up 38 per cent from $102 billion recorded in the first half of 2013, the report said.

The first half of 2014 saw a continuation of many of the oil and gas industry trends present in 2013, it added.

Companies continue to be focused on cost containment and organic growth, particularly in the upstream sector, where producers are looking to ensure they have the right mix of properties in their portfolio, according to the Deloitte report.

The US and Canada accounted for 61 per cent of all deal activity, though this percentage slipped slightly from the first half of 2013. In the first half of the year, both Asia and South America saw increases in their share of the deal count rising nearly 20 per cent and 50 per cent, respectively.

“The uptick in deal activity in June of this year could signify a stronger deal market in the second half of the year. Upward pressure on commodity prices is likely to drive more transactions, and private equity investors, in particular, are likely to continue to show interest and be a source of capital,” said Humphry Hatton, CEO of Deloitte Corporate Finance Limited, regulated by the Dubai International Financial Center.

Deloitte’s new report covers deals from the past six months by industry sector. Highlights include:

•    North American shale plays continue to dominate the deal market in the exploration and production (E&P) sector.
•    The oilfield services sector saw an increase in deal value, thanks in part to three large deals, and margin pressure from the E&P sector may drive additional consolidation among middle market players.

•    There has been a dramatic slowdown in deal activity in the midstream sector during 2014 after a flurry of transactions in 2012 and 2013. – TradeArabia News Service