The merger and acquisition frenzy in the U.S. oil patch is still gathering momentum and could result in even more deals than last year. The industry is yet again undergoing a complete makeover. Last year, U.S. oil and gas companies announced several massive deals—regularly called megadeals in the media—including Exxon’s $60-billion takeover of Pioneer Natural Resources and Chevron’s $53-billion merger with Hess, currently being held up by Exxon. Indeed, the final quarter of last year saw the highest-ever M&A deal value…
