After the biggest first quarter for global upstream dealmaking in five years, the industry could see another $150 billion of merger and acquisition (M&A) deals in the remainder of 2024. With global M&A deal value crossing the $64 billion mark already this year, it represents the strongest first-quarter performance since 2019 and a 145% increase on the first quarter of 2023, fueled primarily by consolidation in the US shale patch. Deals in North America totaled $54 billion in the first quarter of the year, about 83% of the worldwide total, with the region continuing to be the driving force for the remainder of 2024, ... (full story)