（彭博社） 据知情人士透露，Pioneer Natural Resources Co. 正在考虑收购 Range Resources Corp.。

知情人士称，这家总部位于德克萨斯州的石油和天然气勘探公司正在考虑收购这家规模较小的美国竞争对手，以寻求进一步整合页岩油行业。因讨论机密信息而要求匿名。

知情人士表示，审议仍在进行中，不确定两家公司能否达成协议。先锋公司的代表拒绝置评，而 Range 也无法立即联系到置评。

消息传出后，Pioneer 股价下跌 7%，而 Range 则上涨 18%，该公司市值达到 68 亿美元。

截至周五，过去 12 个月，先锋公司在纽约的股价已下跌 11%，估值约为 470 亿美元。Range 的股价在此期间上涨了 12%。

收购 Range 将使先锋公司进入阿巴拉契亚西南部的马塞勒斯盆地，那里的主要资源是天然气，而不是石油。先锋公司已经在二叠纪生产天然气，但只是作为其油井的副产品。

先锋公司首席执行官斯科特谢菲尔德在交易方面享有盛誉，自 2020 年以来收购了 Parsley Energy 和 DoublePoint Energy。这两笔交易扩大了先锋公司在其核心米德兰盆地资产的面积。

麦肯锡公司周五发布的报告称，随着一些最大的石油公司寻找部署现金的方法，美国页岩油行业今年的交易活动有望大幅回归。

其他以阿巴拉契亚山脉为主的天然气生产商的股价也有所上涨。EQT Corp. 上涨 5.6%，Coterra Energy Inc. 上涨 2.8%，Antero Resources Corp. 上涨 8.5%。

(Bloomberg) – Pioneer Natural Resources Co. is considering an acquisition of Range Resources Corp., according to people familiar with the matter.

The Texas-based oil and gas explorer is weighing a deal for the smaller U.S. rival as it seeks further consolidation in the shale industry, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing confidential information.

Deliberations are ongoing and there’s no certainty the companies will reach an agreement, the people said. A representative for Pioneer declined to comment while Range couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Pioneer shares fell as much as 7% on the news while Range rose as much as 18%, giving the company a market value of $6.8 billion.

Up until Friday, shares in Pioneer have fallen 11% in New York over the last 12 months, valuing it at about $47 billion. Range’s stock is up 12% over the period.

Buying Range would bring Pioneer into the Marcellus Basin in southwest Appalachia, where the key resource is gas, not oil. Pioneer already produces gas in the Permian, but only as a byproduct from its oil wells.

Pioneer’s CEO Scott Sheffield has a reputation for dealmaking, with acquisitions of Parsley Energy and DoublePoint Energy since 2020. Both deals expanded Pioneer’s acreage in its core Midland Basin asset.

The U.S. shale sector is poised for a big return to dealmaking this year as some of the largest oil companies look for ways to deploy cash, according to a McKinsey & Co. report Friday.

Shares of other Appalachian-focused gas producers also climbed. EQT Corp. rose as much as 5.6% while Coterra Energy Inc. gained 2.8% and Antero Resources Corp. advanced 8.5%.