Reason #14 Why I Love To Blog -- June 8, 2016: New Non-Operated E&P Player In The Bakken

Does anyone ever remember my post on Crestview Partners? LOL. I certainly did not.

But if you read carefully you will see that Crestview Partners was mentioned on the blog back on November 18, 2012.

Now, why would I bring that up? It's the only time I ever mentioned Crestview Partners on the blog as far as I know.

Here's why (I bring it up now). A reader just sent me this story, a press release:

Crestview Partners, a New York based private equity firm, announced an investment in a newly-formed company, W Energy Partners.

Crestview Partners III, L.P. and its affiliated funds, will invest up to $150 million in W Energy to capitalize the business and fund the acquisition and development of high quality exploration and production ("E&P") assets in the Bakken shale play.

Based in Dallas, Texas, W Energy is an E&P company that acquires non-operated working interests in acreage and producing wells.

The Company will seek to partner with best-in-class operators in the core of the Williston Basin in North Dakota.

W Energy is led by an experienced management team that has been investing in non-operated interests in North Dakota for over 10 years. John Wunderlick, CEO, formed the predecessor to W Energy in 2011 and invested $225 million pursuing this strategy in the Bakken. Prior to this, he worked in the Land and Business Development group at Petro-Hunt LLC and managed operations in several major U.S. basins including the Williston. 

Mr. Wunderlick is joined by Shane Hannabury, President of W Energy. Mr. Hannabury previously served as a partner at the predecessor to W Energy.  Before this, he worked as an investor at EnCap Investments, an energy-focused private equity firm, and spent significant time working with management teams in the Williston Basin. Before EnCap, Mr. Hannabury worked as an energy investment banker at Raymond James. 

And now that you know, you can go back and read the WSJ article that was linked earlier today, about the vultures circling the Bakken.