Wave of N. American Oil and Gas Bankruptcies to Continue at $40 Oil
A wave of oil and gas bankruptcies in North America is likely to continue this year as oil prices remain depressed and a new surge of COVID-19 cases threaten to stall any recovery in fuel demand, law firm Haynes and Boone said in a report released this week.Bankruptcies surged in the second quarter, including from major shale independents Chesapeake Energy and Whiting Petroleum, as oil prices collapsed due to the pandemic and a brief, unexpected price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia.There were 18 producer bankruptcies in the second quarter…
Andreas Silcher Negotiates LNG Carrier Contracts
Partner Andreas Silcher in Haynes and Boone’s London office represented TMS Cardiff Gas in its contract with Hyundai Heavy Industries of Korea (HHI) for the construction of one 174,000 cubic meter LNG carrier with XDF propulsion, plus an option for a second vessel. In a press release, TMS Cardiff Gas called the order the first in the company’s X Carrier Series of orders, which expands the company’s fleet of managed vessels to 10. The vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2020, when she will enter into a seven-year time charter contract with TOTAL Gas & Power Chartering, Limited. Andreas also represented TMS Cardiff Gas on the charter contract.
Offshore Oil Service Firms Dominate Energy Bankruptcies
Offshore oil drilling and service companies, hurt by the energy industry's shift to lower-cost shale and away from deepwater projects, are dominating the year's energy bankruptcies in North America, according to law firm Haynes and Boone. There were fewer oilfield service companies seeking protection this year than last but those that did have had larger debts. Through October, 44 oilfield services companies filed for bankruptcy in the United States and Canada owing creditors $24.8 billion, compared with 72 companies and $13.48 billion for all of 2016.
Paragon Offshore Eyes Options after Court Denies Bankruptcy Plan
Paragon Offshore Plc said on Friday it was evaluating its options after a U.S. judge rejected the offshore rig contractor's plan to exit bankruptcy, an unusual setback for a corporate Chapter 11 proceeding. In an oral ruling in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the District of Delaware, Judge Christopher Sontchi said the plan was not feasible because it removes too much cash from the company during the current downturn. The ruling does not preclude the company from a restructuring under a different plan, he said. "The company continues to believe, but cannot provide any assurances, that a positive resolution of the company's restructuring process can be achieved," Paragon said in a statement following the ruling.
