May 20 (Reuters) – Chesapeake Energy Corp on Monday
named a top executive at rival Anadarko Petroleum Corp
to head the No. 2 U.S. natural gas producer, which has suffered
a governance crisis and liquidity crunch over the last year.

Chesapeake hired Robert Douglas Lawler, senior vice
president of international and deepwater operations at Anadarko,
to fill the post vacated by co-founder Aubrey McClendon in
April.

By Anna Driver and Michael Erman

(Reuters) – Hedge fund TPG-Axon Capital has won nearly half the seats on SandRidge Energy Corp’s board but faces an uphill battle to reverse the oil and gas company’s slumping stock price.

SandRidge shares have tumbled 20 percent this year to around $5 on disappointing forecasts for its wells in Oklahoma and Kansas, as well as investor uncertainty over its strategic direction.

* SandRidge shares are down 20 percent this year

* Investors worried about management loss

* TPG-Axon’s Singh hopes for streamlined drilling plan

* SandRidge reports Q1 results May 7

By Anna Driver and Michael Erman

May 3(Reuters) – Hedge fund TPG-Axon Capital has won nearly
half the seats on SandRidge Energy Corp’s board but faces
an uphill battle to reverse the oil and gas company’s slumping
stock price.

SandRidge shares have tumbled 20 percent this year to around
$5 on disappointing forecasts for its wells in Oklahoma and
Kansas, as well as investor uncertainty over its strategic
direction.

By Anna Driver

(Reuters) – Devon Energy Corp (DVN.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on Wednesday reported a large quarterly loss as the U.S. oil and gas company wrote down the value of some assets, but production was better-than expected, a factor that helped push shares higher.

Devon and other energy companies have made big investments in drilling for oil in U.S. shale formations following a collapse in natural gas prices. Devon’s oil output in the quarter rose to a record for its North American operations, a sign that the company’s efforts is taking hold.

By Anna Driver

(Reuters) – Chesapeake Energy Corp (CHK.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) reported quarterly profit that exceeded Wall Street expectations on Wednesday, as the U.S. oil and gas company produced more crude oil from shale basins like the Eagle Ford in Texas and expenses fell.

Chesapeake, under the direction of a board handpicked by its largest investors and interim Chief Executive Steve Dixon, is focused on drilling its best properties and increasing output of more profitable crude oil while lowering spending.

HOUSTON, April 30 (Reuters) – Valero Energy Corp and
Marathon Petroleum Corp reported higher first-quarter
profits on Tuesday as both U.S. refining companies continued to
look for ways to boost the use of cheaper domestic crude oil.

The shale boom in the United States has prompted refining
companies to invest in infrastructure and transportation assets
to increase the flow of less-expensive crude from places like
the Eagle Ford formation in South Texas to refineries located
along the Gulf Coast and elsewhere.

HOUSTON (Reuters) – Quarterly results from Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and ConocoPhillips (COP.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on Thursday showed that while overall growth remained elusive, output rose in key basins in the United States where the oil and gas companies are spending heavily to grow crude production.

North American shale basins and the Gulf of Mexico are seen as more secure places for energy companies to invest because they typically offer a steady source of growth. Conoco said in December that more than half of its nearly $16 billion budget for 2013 will be spent in North America.

HOUSTON, April 25 (Reuters) – Quarterly results from Exxon
Mobil Corp and ConocoPhillips on Thursday showed
that while overall growth remained elusive, output rose in key
basins in the United States where the oil and gas companies are
spending heavily to grow crude production.

North American shale basins and the Gulf of Mexico are seen
as more secure places for energy companies to invest because
they typically offer a steady source of growth. Conoco said in
December that more than half of its nearly $16 billion budget
for 2013 will be spent in North America.

April 24 (Reuters) – Hess Corp, under pressure from
investors to improve returns, reported a better-than-expected
first-quarter profit on Wednesday, helped by higher oil and
natural gas prices and lower costs.

Shares of Hess rose nearly 3 percent to $70.20 in midday New
York Stock Exchange trading.

HOUSTON/NEW YORK, April 19 (Reuters) – Despite being located
within a short walk of a nursing home, school and residential
buildings, West Fertilizer Co in central Texas had no blast
walls and had filed no contingency plan to the Environmental
Protection Agency for a major explosion or fire at the site.

It remains unclear what safety measures, if any, were
required of the company or whether West Fertilizer failed to
comply. But on Wednesday night, the company’s fertilizer complex
in West, Texas – population, 2,600 – exploded with such force
that 60 to 80 homes were flattened, the school and nursing home
took heavy damage and at least 14 people were killed,
authorities said.