Chesapeake Energy鈥檚 $7.4 billion merger with Southwestern Energy is expected to close in the in the first week of October with the combined company renamed Expand Energy Corp., the companies announced Sept. 26.

The two natural gas players said they had cleared the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. Expand Energy will become the largest gas producer in the U.S. with its massive, dual footprints in both the Appalachia and Haynesville shale plays.

The all-stock acquisition of Southwestern by Chesapeake was first announced in January, but additional scrutiny and information requests by the Federal Trade Commission caused some delays. The new Expand name was only announced Sept. 26.

Chesapeake Energy’s $7.4 billion merger with Southwestern Energy is expected to close in the in the first week of October with the combined company renamed Expand Energy Corp., the companies announced Sept. 26.

The two natural gas players said they had cleared the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. Expand Energy will become the largest gas producer in the U.S. with its massive, dual footprints in both the Appalachia and Haynesville shale plays.

The all-stock acquisition of Southwestern by Chesapeake was first announced in January, but additional scrutiny and information requests by the Federal Trade Commission caused some delays. The new Expand name was only announced Sept. 26.