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The Texas Lawbook

Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury

  • Appellate
  • Bankruptcy
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Corp. Deal Tracker/M&A
  • GCs/Corp. Legal Depts.
  • Firm Management
  • White-Collar/Regulatory
  • Pro Bono/Public Service/D&I

CDT Roundup: 13 Deals, 11 Firms, 102 Lawyers, $8.3B

January 11, 2022 Claire Poole & Allen Pusey

Forgive our Texas obsession with energy M&A. Yes, its influence is waning in the face of lower demand for oil and gas and an increased demand for a transition to cleaner uses. But the oil & gas sector is still close to the heart and history of the Texas economy, and certainly close to its wallet and soul.

That relationship still bears an arc of optimism, even allowing for change.

Analysts at Rystad Energy are projecting global oil and gas investments of $628 billion in 2022, a $26 billion expansion over 2021. That’s nowhere near the pre-pandemic level of 2019 when global O&G, LNG and midstream investments reached nearly $800 billion. And although those investments are expected to increase through 2024, the trajectory is expected to remain modest.

Beneath that cautious pessimism, however, lies some light for the coming year. While Rystad expects a distinct decline in midstream and downstream investment in 2021, they are projecting a 14% increase in upstream gas and LNG investments, from $131 billion to $149 billion this year.

To a lesser extent, upstream oil investments are also expected to rise — from $287 billion in 2021 to $307 billion in the coming year.

Of particular interest in Texas is an expected surge (that’s the word Rystad uses) in global shale investments, from $86 billion in 2021 to $102 billion in 2022; that’s a better than 18% gain.

The point here is that there’s a lot of implied Texas M&A and CapM in those numbers. Even the decline in midstream and downstream has expressed itself in transactions, whether consolidation, expansion or simplification.

The increase in LNG bodes well for the global-scale LNG industry developing across the Gulf Coast. And even Rystad’s projections of a $20 billion increase in offshore wind projects spells work for the contractors who find themselves in transition.

Even with the advance of Omicron, experts seem to think that 2022 is likely to be a pretty good year.

Last week, the first full week of 2022, saw 13 deals valued at just below $8.3 billion. That represented work by 102 mostly Texas lawyers at 11 unique firms.

It was far better than last week’s nine deals for $1.3 billion and in the same neighborhood as the first week of 2021, which saw 22 deals valued at $6.8 billion.

Weekly Corporate Deal Tracker Roundup Stats

A compilation of weekly stats from The Lawbook's CDT Weekly Roundup
(Deal Values in Millions)

Week EndingDeal CountAmountFirmsLawyersM&A CountM&A Value $MCapM CountCapM Value $M
March 25, 202315$8,779.5101415$2,36210$6,416.5
March 18, 20237$14,048.86695$13,3452$703.8
March 11, 202321$11,5761616516$8,1315$3,445
March 4, 202320$9,6681122816$8,2094$1,459
February 25, 202313$5,3351313012$4,2351$1,200
February 18, 202314$5,743.7131588$898.76$4,845
February 11, 202316$12,0881213712$9,9654$2,123
February 4, 202317$8,0661514013$5,6144$2,452
January 28, 20237$2,1807755$1,692.752$488
January 21, 202317$5,7681617412$1,9185$3,850
January 14, 202311$2, 800101028$4213$2,400
January 7, 202318$8,2961116714$6,4613$1,835
December 31, 202214$2,732119912$2,0922$640
December 1714$7,9191311512$7,4191$500
December 10, 202214$10,093128811$7,0933$3,000
December 3, 202226$12,800.91117220$4,1416$8,659.9
November 26, 20228$2,266.7853$765$2,190.7
November 19, 202221$2,8861521219$2,5502$336
November 12, 202213$15,093.79819$14,2004$893.7
November 5, 20222519,337.21650922$8,267.23$11,070
October 29, 202215$7,805.3911614$7,180.31$625
October 22, 202220$8,193.51325313$5,4427$2,751.5
October 15, 20229$3,046.191397$2,588.32$457.8
October 8, 202219$2,011.81211416$833.83$1,178
October 1, 202223$5,532.91615618$4,952.35$580.6
September 24, 202218$5,1941421615$4,0503$1,144
September 17, 202221$8,352.31232015$4,759.66$3,592.7
September 10, 202215$19,853.51012613$19,403.62$450
September 3, 20229$2,3129629$2,31200
August 27, 202216$30,891.71013515$30,666.41227.7
August 20, 202212$1,977815299253$1,052
August 13, 202218$8,004.71124211$2,844.77$5,160
August 6, 202224$7,948.91224017$3,5777$4,371.9
July 30, 20228$6,9419787$6,8391$102
July 23, 202211$801119210$80110
July 16, 202214$3,6501012214$3,65000
July 9, 202210$3,557.77689$3,557.710
July 2, 202218$8,609.41315215$2,754.43$5,855
June 25, 202215$6,142131469$2,0176$4,125
June 18, 202217$11,890.11422815$11,4102479.7
June 11, 202217$7,6001212310$2,3007$5,300
June 4, 202212$2,937101279$6923$2,245
May 28, 20229$3,197.611869$3,197.600
May 21, 202214$7,284.51218511$6,6093$675.5
May 14, 202211$306.698010$306.61$225
May 7, 202216$10,451.751210812$1,8274$8,624.75
April 30, 202216$2,296.51615712$895.54$1,401
April 23, 202210$2,24111588$16412$600
April 16, 202211$6,64371568$2,3593$4,284
April 9, 202217$4,4291418411$1,6906$2,739
April 2, 202213$1,75588410$1,1453$610
March 26, 202211$3,2058656$2005$3,005
March 19, 202213$2,239.17910613$2,239.1700
March 12, 202218$12,0161123915$11,9652$51.35
March 5, 202217$6,7861313713$5,1614$1,625
February 26, 202212$5,09581499$4,437.53$658
February 19, 202217$22,2291717414$21,3543$875
February 12, 202212$2,344.710738$641.74$1,703
February 5, 202211$2,50389911$2,50300
January 29, 202211$3,8721210112$3,87200
January 22, 202213$5,143.5109912$4,842.51$301
January 15, 202212$7,60591559$6,4803$1,025
January 8, 202213$8,256.21110213$8,256.200
January 1, 20229$1,273.86509$1,273.800
December 25, 202121$4,734.751117616$3,4105$1,324.75
December 18, 202126$7,325.21519318$3,640.28$3,685.2
December 11, 202116$5,0171010913$1,4173$3,600
December 4, 202114$2,3108868$2,3106$1,882.05
November 27, 20219$3.460.1101016$1,7583$1,702.6
November 20, 202120$22,7921515712$18,864.58$3,928
November 13, 202121$26,7291217813$11,8228$14,907
November 6, 202112$8,3031315710$6,6823$1,621
October 30, 202121$10,3681521815$9,24.46$1,103.
October 23, 202121$18.783.11522211$12,31410$6,468.6
October 16, 202115$3,8681111815$2,2932$1,575
October 9, 202120$8,6101617516$7,7954$815
October 2, 202114$6,2501113710$5,2004$1,050
September 25, 202111$11,4609937$10,2004$1,250
September 18, 202111$16,6038998$15,0843$1,519
September 11, 202117$10,6531110313$8,5034$2,150
September 4, 202113$7,222108911$6,7152$507
August 28, 202112$76396311$6631$100
August 21, 202112$29,65977911$29,5791$80
August 14, 202122$17,8451119912$12,80510$5,04
August 7, 202117$13,6701213915$11,7662$1,904
July 31, 202121$8,1601113410$3,57410$4,586
July 24,202121$6,3671113915$3,7126$2,655
July 17, 202114$4,0091112412$2,0152$1,994
July 10, 202116$3,9971314311$1,5974$2,4
July 3, 202124$7,492139416$3,7698$3,722
June 26, 202110$4,9957858$3,8472$1,148
June 19, 202128$16,83082289$1,86119$14,968
June 12, 202126$27,2381520919$25,6027$1,636
June 5, 202115$15,5391310013$14,7092$600
May 29, 202135$20,2791114528$18,647$1,639
May 22, 202124$53,2081417417$51,0477$2,161
May 15, 202118$10,6201322011$5,8707$4,809
May 8, 202117$10,4001115615$8,3862$2,500
May 1, 202121$7,2001611512$3,8089$3,392
April 24, 20218$20,2009318$20,20000
April 17, 202114$6,270810211$4,01803$2,260
April 10, 202115$8,9401312914$7,9901$950
April 3, 202118$19,5131015112$16,9236$2,590
March 27, 202127$13,9421524414$4,30013$9,633.5
March 20, 202111$2,04641023$2708$1,776
March 13, 202115$3,27091096$5389$2,732
March 6, 202124$13,6171019613$10,39511$3,222
February 27, 202119$8,1051213915$4,9704$3,135
February 20, 20219$8,82091538$8,5201$300
February 13, 202112$4,852.678172,7665$2,086.6
February 6, 202118$9,7521315314$5,2224$4,530
January 30, 202118$9,449918215$8753.83$695.3
January 23, 202114$8,15081186$4,0008$4,150
January 16, 202117$6,7831313811$2,4006$4,382.9
January 9, 202122$6,8291413518$3,139.34$3,690
January 2, 20217$1,4667607$1,46600
December 26, 202018$15,9001216316$5,3001$600
December 19, 202018$9,7691411014$8,4264$1,343
December 12, 202010$7,20091009$3,3251$3,830
December 5, 202015$4,26191229$2,7806$1,481
November 28, 202019$7,7581011013$4,0036$3,755
November 14, 202014$864.11415712$289.12$575
November 7, 202013$6,33291299$2,483.54$3,849
October 31, 202010$3,995.881036$3,231.14$754.7
October 24, 20206$18,1006585$17,7091$350
October 17, 20208$351.95558$351.900
October 10, 20207$5,2293504$7353$4,494
October 3, 202014$21,42891739$17,5355$3,893
September 26, 202010$12,7708935$10,3005$2,470
September 19, 202014$8,36591016$1,0208$7,345
September 12, 20206$4,4068593$1,2703$3,136
September 5, 202011$5,19181179$4,0612$1,130
August 29, 202011$2,5319945$1,1306$1,401
August 22, 202018$6,574121407$1,93011$4,644
August 15, 202013$4,99110977$1,2166$3,775
August 8, 202012$32,092111129$30,4573$1,635
August 1, 20207$5,2878765$3,6872$1,600
July 25, 20209$18,7516677$18,4032$348
July 18, 20206$1,982.55504$1,407.52$575
July 11, 202011$565.1127510$65.11$500
July 4, 202010$8,8898989$8,7881$100.3
June 27, 20208$6,87410505$4,972.53$2,081.5
June 20, 202012$4,44491157$2,8295$1,615
June 13, 20206$3,5824372$3504$3,232
June 6, 202011$3,213.78657$4704$2,743.7
May 30, 20208$7,3357486$4,6392$2,697
May 23, 20204$432.44343$432.410
May 16, 20206$3106345$31010
May 9, 202018$5,6301612414$3,1804$2,450
May 2, 20201510,40010908$1,9007$,8,500
April 25, 20208$3,4009365$1,0003$2,450
April 18, 202019$9,50014928$185.711$9,360
April 11, 202012$6,0009405$1907$5,800
April 4, 202014$8,200116810$2,2004$6,000
March 28, 202016$6,500139610$3,7006$2,800
March 21, 202011$11,9107337$2,2504$9,960
March 14, 20207809.86346684.81125
March 7, 202016$2,500157013$6693$1,400
February 29, 202013$15,2601312811$11,7602$3,500
February 22, 202012$3,700109210$2,5602$1,130
February 15, 202016$1,250108412$354$1,222
February 8, 202018$6,0801412314$2,5954$3,485
February 1, 202021$20,9001210114$17,8607$3,060
January 25, 202013$7,430136212$6,4301$1,000
January 18, 202023$9,5801512019$6,5804$3,000
January 11, 202021$14,2001819916$1,0205$13,200
January 4, 202022$6,4001111916$3,2046$3,245
December 28, 201922$7,1501917518$6,8004$327.4
December 14, 201924$36,3002316719$9,5005$26,800
December 7, 201911$10,40011557$1,0824$9,370
November 30. 201914$2,4501212612$1,7602$692.5
November 23, 201916$1,995104111$6155$1,380
November 16, 201915$3,8201313511$2,5004$1,271
November 9, 201925$12,9001718223$12,2002$575
November 2, 201910$2,470126192,4503$22
October 26, 201912$5,560147011$3,8601$1,700
October 19, 20198$6,60081388$6,60000
October 12, 201919$4,300145516$3,8003$500
October 5, 201918$14,5001916615$11,1003$3,400
September 28, 201919$8,1001813218$7,5601$550
September 21, 201914$6,300166611$2,1603$4,170
September 14, 201915$23,800125611$21,2504$2,570
September 7, 201917$3,500159814$1,9003$1,600
August 31, 20195$8,7006505$8,70000
August 24, 201916$10,000148215$4,2501$5,750
August 16, 201910$1,6805527$6503$950
August 9, 201917$17,700156814$3,9003$13,800
August 2, 201913$5,7601210813$5,760NANA
July 27, 201911$7,30013768$6,5703$730
July 20, 201913$11,8001312511$5,3002$6,500
July 13, 201910$7757468$542.52$233
July 6, 20197$2,5009857$2,50000
June 29, 201923$8,2901515417$2,3006$5,970
June 22, 201917$10,7001013914$7,7003$3,000
June 15, 201911$13,5001416011$13,500NANA
June 8, 201913$2,870175511$1,5702$1,300
June 1, 201910$4,46011608$4,1402$315
May 25, 201917$4,360147914$3,7003$612
May 18, 201922$9,0001715016$3,4006$5,600
May 11, 201918$19,8001717715$18,3003$1,500
May 4, 201910$7,0756328$6,9002$175
April 27, 201915$3,2001411714$3,1601$40
April 20, 201913$13,50010909$12,2004$1,300
April 13, 201916$38,900149114$37,8002$1,100
April 6, 201912$6,870119410$6,7302$50
March 30, 201915$6,470128410$7,91.55$5,677
March 23, 201918$6,450149114$5,0424$1,408
March 16, 201914$10,1801211511$8,8003$1,300
March 9, 20199$1,8006498$1,3001$500
March 2, 201920$3,0331610714$1,8176$1,262
February 23, 201912$2,0408699$614.63$1,430
February 16, 201916$9,970187716$9,97000
February 9, 201914$6,4001011014$6,40000
February 2, 201918$6,740159916$5,7202$950
January 26, 201913$2,770116711$918.952$1,850
January 19, 201915$3,819167612$2,5943$1,225
January 12, 201918$7,283149215$1,6833$5,600
January 5, 201910$529125010$52900
December 22, 201817$2,570138714$9413$1,629
December 15, 201810$2,8608268$2642$2,600
December 8, 201815$1,819166512$5523$1,267
December 1, 201812$7,50010909$1,2003$6,200
November 28, 201815$4,5001110714$4,0001$500
November 19, 201818$6,137139813$2,1425$3,995
November 14, 201818$9,2001315215$8,5003$694
November 6, 201816$17,3001618314$16,3612$950
October 29, 201814$14,4001812717$13,8001$600
October 24, 201813$6,1401312611$5,1222$1,018
October 17, 201818$18,3901512514$12,2924$6,098
October 10, 201829$3,1491810420$1,6479$819
October 2, 201818$9,300116714$7,3004$2,000
September 25, 201813$7,000117510$6,0003$995
September 18, 20189$3,5707449$3,57000
September 11, 201813$5,9001013213$5,90000
September 7, 201814$5,000158611$4,0003$1,000
August 29, 201815$20,700147913$4,7002$16,000
August 20, 201810$12,40011538$11,3803$1,057
August 14, 201812$19,900121329$18,8893$1,011
August 7, 201816$68,6001110613$67,2593$1,340
July 31, 201815$15,100159511$13,0604$2,060
July 23, 201813$2,130156010$1,8043$1,100
July 17, 201814$5,37017989$4,3105$1,100
July 9, 201816$11,200157410$11,0806$862
July 3, 201813$7,00078112$6,3301$750
June 25, 201815$8,80013979$4,9706$3,930
June 18, 201813$14,20014807$2216$14,290
June 11, 201812$6,3008968$5,9104$803
June 6, 201813$14,50010888$14,1545$579
May 31, 201811$4,89010638$3,2403$1,790
May 22, 201815$20,40011639$19,8086$885
May 15, 201815$4,7001510610$3,9005$643
May 9, 201811$1,40013889$1,3002$560
May 1, 20188$14,2507887$13,4001$450
April 24, 201812$5,30066111$4,4701$800
April 17, 20189$1,80010447$2,3302$1,434
April 11, 201811$2,5008326$1,6905$809
April 3, 201815$13,400111219$12,0206$1,090
March 28, 201810$4,00010927$3,8703$215
March 19, 201817$5,800135110$5907$5,165
March 12, 201815$3,130114311$2,3604$788
March 6, 201819$5,4001311610$1,5309$4,860
February 27, 201820$6,600136914$5,5306$1,030
February 19, 201815$5,5001411110$3,9906$1,980
February 12, 201823$10,9001715712$7,11011$3,840
February 5, 201816$8,600131007$1,3309$7,800
January 30, 201811$12,60011685$7,3006$4,982
January 24, 201819$9,400151295$2,01014$7,337
January 18, 201810$6,2808492$2,1008$4,188
January 9, 201812$16,50012929$15,8903$475
January 3, 201810$2,5009478$2,3502$150
December 27, 201715$9,000151139$7,5686$1,784
December 18, 201715$13,800161649$13,0107$1,118
December 11, 201714$9,7001012612$2,9404$8,500
December 4, 20176$1,8006315$1,5101$300
November 28, 20177$3,8508764$3,2603$285
November 16, 201710$2,70010486$1,8404$856
November 8, 201715$2,380179110$1,8605$516
November 1, 201712$4,70017949$3,4004$1,300
October 23, 201715$10,500106710$9,7804$1,530
October 18, 20176$2,000373$2253$1,820
October 10, 201712$6,5701009$3,8803$3,360
October 2, 20178$3,10011193$1,6305$1,750
September 25, 20178$4,8808795$2,6605$2,070
September 18, 20179$4,7703$3006$4,470
September 12, 201711$4,4308$2,0303$2,400
September 1, 20174$1,3103$3171$1,000
August 23, 201711$13,64098$11,8403$1,800

M&A/FUNDING

Digital Realty acquires control of Teraco for $3.5B

Deal Description: Digital Realty, the world’s largest global provider of cloud- and carrier-neutral data infrastructures, announced Jan. 3 it is acquiring for $3.5 billion a majority stake in Teraco, its Africa-based counterpart. The sellers include Berkshire Partners and Premira, part of a consortium. Teraco has seven state-of-the-art facilities strategically located throughout South Africa and is the largest digital infrastructure provider on the continent, with 600 customers that include 275 internet providers over 25 cloud platforms and currently provides access to seven subsea cables and anticipates access to three more currently under construction by consortiums of leading cloud and content providers.After closing Digital Realty will hold 55% of Teraco with the remainder retained by existing investors.

Financial Advisors: Solomon Partners

Digital Realty Outside Counsel: Bowmans and Latham & Watkins advised Digital Realty.

Teraco Financial Advisors: Goldman Sachs

Teraco Outside Counsel: ENSAafica and Weil, Gotshal & Magnes advised Teraco. No Texas lawyers were involved.

Notes: Last January, Digital Realty announced that it was moving its headquarters from San Francisco to Austin. In 2002 Digital Realty acquired 2323 Bryan Street, a major regional connectivity hub in downtown Dallas, still one of the major connectivity centers in North America. Digital Realty now owns more than 30 data centers across Texas, as well as major hubs in Houston and Austin.

In November, KKR announced the $15 billion privatization of Dallas-based CyrusOne, a major digital infrastructure provider. Like Digital Realty, CyrusOne operated as a real estate investment trust (REIT).

Blackstone invests $3B into Invenergy

Deal Description: Blackstone Infrastructure Partners agreed Jan. 7 to invest $3 billion in Chicago-based Invenergy Renewables Holdings, the largest private renewable energy company in North America. You can read more about the deal HERE.

Savannah buys African assets from ExxonMobil, Petronas for $676M

Deal Description: On Dec. 13 London AIM-listed Savannah Energy plc agreed to acquire ExxonMobil’s and Petronas’ entire interests in the Doba oil field in Chad and their shareholding in the Chad-Cameroon pipeline and floating, storage and offloading vessel for $676 million. On Dec. 30 Savannah raised $65 million through a share placement with institutional and other investors, including five of the company’s six directors led by chief executive Andrew Knott, to pay for the deal alongside debt and other financing.

Savannah’s Outside Counsel: Bracewell with a team led out of London by partner Ben James but including partners Jeffrey B. Andrews and Jeffery B. Vaden, both of Houston 

Blackbaud Acquires EverFi for $750M

Deal Description: Blackbaud, a technology company that specializes in a wide array of technical services and platforms, announced Jan. 3 that it has agreed to acquire the tech-driven social education company EverFi for $750 million. Terms of the agreement include a $450 million cash payment and 3,844,423 shares of Blackbaud common stock. Blackbaud said the cash was provided through a combination of cash on hand and Blackbaud’s existing credit facilities.

EverFi Financial Advisor: Goldman Sachs

EverFi Outside Legal Counsel: DLA Piper

Blackbaud Outside Legal Counsel: Sidley Austin advised Blackbaud with a team that included partners Martin Wellington of Palo Alto and Sara Garcia Duran of Dallas. Also advising were senior managing associate Jocelyne Kelly, managing associate Eryn Berquist and associate Ashley Rogers, all of Dallas.

Notes: Blackbaud has been advised by Sidley’s Wellington on a variety of transactions including its acquisitions of MicroEdge, SmartTuition and JustGiving.

Austin streamer lands $100M in funding

Deal Description: Atmosphere — an Austin-based ad-supported streaming service designed for such public business spaces as bars, gyms, restaurants and doctors’ offices — announced Jan. 4 that it has secured $80 million in Series C PE funding led by Sageview Capital. The funding for Atmosphere, which claims more than 20 million unique visitors per month, also includes existing investors Valor Equity Partners and S3 Ventures. Atmosphere says it has doubled the customer footprint in the past two years for its 64 channels of short-form programming, including Meineke Car Care, Burger King and Texas Roadhouse. Sageview Capital is a Greenwich, Connecticut PE firm founded in 2005 by Ned Gihuly and Scott Stuart, two KKR alums.

Financing: An addition $20 million debt facility was provided by Bridge Bank.

Outside Counsel: Latham & Watkins LLP represents Atmosphere in its financing with a deal team led by Austin partner Scott Craig, with Austin associate Chen Zhang and Century City associate Kathryn Neubauer. Bay Area partner Dan Van Fleet, with Bay Area associate Trevor Church and Houston associate Whitley Johnson advised on the debt facility.

Notes: Atmosphere was co-founded by Leo and John Resig, who founded the ubiquitous Chive Channel. Chive is one of the owner-operated channels streamed by Atmosphere, which was spun out from Chive in 2019. In addition to its various entertainment streams, Atmosphere offers promotional slots for its subscriber businesses.

PosiGen announces $100M equity financing from Magnetar, others

Deal Description: New Orleans-based PosiGen, a provider of renewable energy and efficiency solutions for low-to-moderate income households, announced Jan. 5 the close of a $100 million preferred equity financing. Magnetar Capital’s Energy & Infrastructure group was the lead investor and will nominate two new directors to join PosiGen’s board. Existing PosiGen investors, including Emerson Collective, Irradiant Partners, Activate Capital, the Builders Fund, SJF Ventures and The Kresge Foundation, also participated. PosiGen has served over 19,000 customers, 50% in communities of color. PosiGen said the capital will provide momentum to the company’s expansion efforts, fuel development across new states and support investments in its technology infrastructure.

Magnetar Outside Counsel: Kirkland & Ellis led by corporate partner Bill Benitez and associates Mark Kunzman and Soheil Ebadat; tax partners Mark Dundon and Michael Masri; and capital markets partner Matt Pacey.

PosiGen Outside Counsel: Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati (partner Bob O’Connor and associate Piper Miles-Coccaro in California)

Deal Facilitator: Marathon Capital

Magnetar’s Due Diligence Support: Plexus Solutions

Abraxas sells its Williston Basin assets to Lime Rock for $87.2M

Deal Description: San Antonio-based Abraxas Petroleum Corp. announced Jan. 3 the cash sale of its Williston Basin assets to Lime Rock Resources for $87.2 million. It also repaid all of its revolving credit facility and exchanged its entire second lien term loan held by Angelo Gordon Energy Funding into newly authorized Series A preferred stock. The transactions were part of the company’s previously announced strategic alternatives review, transforming it into a pure-play Delaware Basin operator. Abraxas CEO Bob Watson said it can now access available capital sources to restart a drilling program in the Permian Basin. 

Angelo Gordon’s Outside Counsel: Simpson Thacher team includes partner Robert Rabalais (Houston—banking and credit), partner Shamus Crosby (Houston—M&A); and restructuring lawyers in New York: partners Michael Torkin and Nicholas Baker and associate Dov Gottleib; and Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck (Albert Kovacs in Las Vegas)

Abraxas Financial Advisor: Petrie Partners Securities (Jon Hughes in Denver and Richard Moss in New Orleans)

Abraxas Outside Counsel: Dykema Gossett (Jamie Smith, Jeffrey Gifford and Brandon Durrett in San Antonio) and Holland & Hart (David Garcia in Reno)

Patterson-UTI sheds well service/wireline unit to Clearwell for $43M

Deal Description: Patterson-UTI Energy Inc. announced Jan. 3 that it sold the well service rig and wireline business that it picked up as part of its purchase of Pioneer Energy Services Corp. to ClearWell Dynamics for $43 million. The sale was completed on Dec. 31. Andy Hendricks, Patterson-UTI’s CEO, said in a statement that the Pioneer acquisition included a production services business that he believes will be better served as a focused stand-alone business. He noted that the proceeds from the sale exceeded the cash portion of the company’s purchase price for Pioneer. Piper Sandler analyst Ian Macpherson said the sum exceeded his expectations of $30 million in disposal proceeds.

Patterson-UTI’s Outside Counsel: Gibson Dunn & Crutcher including Tull Florey and Jonathan Sapp (M&A), Michael Cannon (tax) and Krista Hanvey and Gina Hancock (benefits)

Patterson-UTI’s In-House Counsel: Seth Wexler, general counsel and a former partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, and Robert Wilson, senior counsel – securities and transactions and a former associate at Vinson & Elkins

Buyer counsel: Mitchell Moses with Underwood in Fort Worth

Notes: GDC’s Florey also counseled Patterson-UTI on its $295 million acquisition of Pioneer in July 2021.

E Source acquires AAC Utility Partners

Deal Description: Align Capital Partners, a PE firm headquartered in Ohio with a strong presence in Dallas, announced Jan. 4 the acquisition of South Carolina-based AAC Utility Partners, a consulting firm specializing in consulting on digital services for municipalities and utility companies. Terms weren’t disclosed. Formed in 2005, AAC has developed advanced metering structures, as well as analytics, for electric, gas, water, wastewater and multi-service utility projects. AAC will become part of E Source, Align’s utility market intelligence, data science and consulting platform.

Counsel to E Source: Dallas partner Jon Finger of McGuireWoods advised E Source and Align Capital on the transaction with the aid of associate Allison Rosenzweig.

Nature Nate’s gets Sweet deal

Deal Description: Nature Nate’s a McKinney-based provider of local honey products has been acquired by Sweet Harvest Foods, a distributor of sweeteners and sweetened products based in Minnesota. Founder Nathan Sheets, a former ad executive, bought his first hive in 1997 as a personal hobby and began filling raw and unfiltered honey in his garage. Sheets made honey his fulltime business in 2010 and has since established his honey as the top brand in the U.S. in 2019. Terms of the transaction were undisclosed.

Nature Nate’s Outside Counsel: Foley & Lardner advised Nature Nate’s with a team led from Dallas by partner Chris Converse and included partners Michael Donohue, Michael Dubner, Clifton Dugas, Benjamin Dryden, of counsel Nick Peters and Cynthia Harkness, and associates Timothy Grasser and Samuel Kuzniewski.

Notes: Last year Sweet Harvest Foods itself was acquired by New York PE Blue Road Capital, which specializes in control investments in largely food and food ingredient companies.

UpCurve II snags undisclosed equity commitment from Post Oak Energy

Deal Description: UpCurve Energy Partners II on Jan. 5 announced the closing of an equity commitment from Post Oak Energy Capital. Terms were not disclosed. In addition, UpCurve II has completed an initial acquisition in the Delaware Basin. The company will use the remaining equity commitment to continue to pursue an “acquire and exploit” strategy. UpCurve II is led by executives Zach Fenton, Steve Escaler and Dave Kyte, who worked together for years in their existing partnership with Post Oak, UpCurve Energy Partners, which also holds an acreage position in the core of the Southern Delaware Basin. Before UpCurve, the majority of the management team worked at ConocoPhillips.

Post Oak’s Outside Counsel: Latham & Watkins with a Houston-based team led by partner James Garrett with associates Jordan Mack and Josh Blankenship. Advice was also provided on finance matters by Houston counsel Bryce Kaufman; on tax matters by Houston partner Jim Cole; and on benefits and compensation matters by Washington, D.C. partner Adam Kestenbaum.

UpCurve’s Outside Counsel: King & Spalding

Clearlake Capital-Backed FloWorks buys SemiTorr

Deal Description: FloWorks, a Santa Monica- and Dallas-based flow control distribution platform backed by Clearlake Capital Group, announced Jan. 6 that it acquired SemiTorr Group, a fluid handling systems and components distributor. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1988 and based in Tualatin, Oregon, SemiTorr offers products and services to the high purity, sanitary and general industrials sectors. Its products include processing equipment, pumps, tubing, hoses, fittings, valves, filtration and instrumentation, among others. SemiTorr has completed several acquisitions over the last seven years, expanding to 11 distribution centers across the U.S. in Oregon, California, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York. Together with SemiTorr, FloWorks will have more than 40 branches globally. Kevin Waddell will continue to manage SemiTorr.

Debt Financing Providers: RBC Capital Markets, Jefferies, UBS Investment Bank, Wells Fargo, BNP Paribas and Audax Private Debt 

FloWorks’ Outside Counsel: Vinson & Elkins led by partner Matt Strock with assistance from senior associates Mike Marek and David Bumgardner and associates Jimmy Chalk, Carli Gish and Phil Greenfield. Other team members include partner Sean Becker, counsel Christie Alcalá and associate Annie Blanc (employment/labor); partner John Lynch and senior associate Lauren Meyers (tax); partner David D’Alessandro, counsel Heather Johnson, senior associate Missy Spohn and associate Mary Daniel Morgan (executive compensation/benefits); partner Sarah Mitchell and associate Victoria Bahrami-Negad (insurance); counsel Rajesh Patel (technology transactions/IP); counsel Scot Dixon, senior associate Tyler Hokanson and associate Patrick Sullivan (real estate); partner Dave Wicklund and senior associate Caitlin Snelson (finance); partner Matt Dobbins and associate Simon Willis (environmental); and partner Hill Wellford and senior associate Ryan Will (antitrust).

Clearlake’s Outside Counsel: Kirkland & Ellis

Blue Sea Capital sells RESA Power

Deal Description: West Palm Beach-based private equity firm Blue Sea Capital announced Dec. 15 the sale of RESA Power to Investcorp. Terms were not disclosed. Based in Houston, RESA Power has more than 20 locations across the U.S. and Canada. The company claims to be a market leader in providing maintenance and testing, systems integration and related distribution services to customers across the renewables, commercial and industrial end markets in North America. It serves over 6,000 customers.

RESA’s Outside Counsel: Jones Day led by partner Lisa Lathrop out of Chicago

RESA’s Financial Advisors: William Blair and Lincoln International

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