Plunging Energy Prices Slow Development of Tuscaloosa Marine Shale

This article was first published by TheStreet on December 24, 2014.

By Sarfaraz A. Khan

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Plunging crude prices are not only hitting energy producers, but also high-cost oil- and gas-producing regions such as the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale, or TMS, in the southeastern U.S.

Why Encana’s Gas-to-Oil Transition Isn't Threatened by Price Drop

This article was originally published by TheStreet on November 21, 2014. 

By Sarfaraz A. Khan. Research Asst. Omar E. 

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Two years ago, Encana (ECA) , which became Canada's largest gas producer by drilling wells in more than 25 different areas, said that it was going to focus on just five higher-margin oil and natural-gas-liquid-rich regions.

It has continued that transition and, despite double-digit drops in crude prices over the last three months, is not slowing down.

This year, the Calgary company purchased properties from Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (FCX) for $3.1 billion and acquired Athlon Energy (ATHL) for $7.1 billion. Both of these purchases were revealed at a time when WTI crude oil prices were trading at over $90 a barrel, compared with current levels of around $76 a barrel.