Williams Announces Upstream Operator and Joint Venture in the Wamsutter Field

Rhea-AI Summary

Williams (NYSE: WMB) announced a finalized upstream joint venture with Crowheart Energy in Wyoming's Wamsutter Field, consolidating three operating assets across 1.2 million net acres and over 3,500 wells. This partnership aims to deliver operational cost savings, enhance midstream and downstream infrastructure value, and unlock significant development potential. Initially, Williams will hold a 75% stake. The venture includes simplified agreements for upstream asset management, dedicated NGL volumes, and opportunities for increased transportation and fee-based revenues.

Positive

• Joint venture with Crowheart consolidates 1.2 million acres and 3,500 wells, enhancing operational efficiencies.
• Williams retains 75% ownership initially, ensuring governance rights and control over operations.
• Simplified fixed fee agreements reduce commodity price sensitivity and increase operational clarity.
• Increased NGL volumes dedicated to Williams, enhancing transportation revenues.
• Opportunity for enhanced margins through aggregated residue gas marketing.

Negative

• None.

Williams (NYSE: WMB) announced today that it has finalized an upstream joint venture with Crowheart Energy (Crowheart) in the Wamsutter Field of the Greater Green River Basin of Wyoming. The joint venture involves the consolidation of three legacy operating assets consisting of over 1.2 million net acres, over 3,500 operating wells, and more than 3,000 potential development locations. The transaction consolidates the legacy BP, Southland and Crowheart upstream assets into one contiguous footprint, delivering operational cost savings and synergies, while unlocking significant long lateral development inventory. Williams’ strategic efforts to combine the Wamsutter Field reserves will enhance the value of its midstream and downstream natural gas and NGL infrastructure.

“We are excited to enter into this joint venture with a strong and well-capitalized operator with an ownership structure that will reduce costs, stimulate development activity, drive volumes and position our midstream and downstream assets for growth,” said Chad Zamarin, Williams Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategic Development. “Today’s announcement is the culmination of Williams’ consolidation efforts in the Wamsutter Field. With Crowheart as our operating partner, we position the upstream platform with a proven in-basin operator who is committed to optimizing and developing the consolidated assets.”

Under the joint venture, Crowheart will operate the parties’ consolidated upstream position and Williams will continue to operate and retain full ownership of its midstream assets. Williams will also retain real estate, surface and other rights designed to enable further expansion of midstream and renewable energy opportunities in Wyoming. The existing large scale and efficient infrastructure will allow this resource to be produced in an environmentally responsible manner.

Other key highlights of the joint venture include the following:

• Initially Williams and Crowheart will own 75% and 25% respective interests, although Crowheart may increase its ownership through performance under a development program designed to enhance the value of Williams’ midstream assets.
• Williams retains significant governance rights, including control of the selection and pace of operations pursued, and the ability to exit its upstream ownership position.
• Upstream assets will be subject to a single, expanded fixed fee gathering and processing agreement, eliminating commodity price sensitive contracts while combining numerous existing agreements into a simplified structure.
• NGL volumes from each of the legacy upstream assets will be combined and dedicated to Williams, adding transportation volumes on Overland Pass Pipeline (OPPL) and Bluestem, and increasing downstream fractionation volumes at attractive rates.
• Residue gas from the jointly held assets will be aggregated for downstream marketing and transportation, creating opportunities for enhanced margin as well as downstream fee-based revenue.

“The Wamsutter Field consolidation is a transformational milestone for the Greater Green River Basin. It provides the corporate scale, field operating efficiencies, water infrastructure backbone and new well development platform needed to make our basin an important and growing source of natural gas, natural gas liquids and oil,” said Crowheart Chairman Robb Turner. “Our team looks forward to working with Williams, our local communities, regulators and service providers to realize the full potential of this exciting transaction.”

About Williams

Williams (NYSE: WMB) is committed to being the leader in providing infrastructure that safely delivers natural gas products to reliably fuel the clean energy economy. Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Williams is an industry-leading, investment grade C-Corp with operations across the natural gas value chain including gathering, processing, interstate transportation and storage of natural gas and natural gas liquids. With major positions in top U.S. supply basins, Williams connects the best supplies with the growing demand for clean energy. Williams owns and operates more than 30,000 miles of pipelines system wide – including Transco, the nation’s largest volume and fastest growing pipeline – and handles approximately 30 percent of the natural gas in the United States that is used every day for clean-power generation, heating and industrial use.

About Crowheart

Crowheart Energy is a Denver, Colorado based upstream oil and gas company focused on the safe, efficient and environmentally-friendly development of operated assets in Wyoming's Greater Green River Basin. The company was founded in 2017 in partnership with The Madava Group.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210706005146/en/

FAQ

What is the latest joint venture news for Williams (WMB)?

Williams finalized a joint venture with Crowheart Energy to consolidate upstream assets in the Wamsutter Field, Wyoming.

What are the key benefits of the Williams and Crowheart joint venture?

The joint venture is expected to deliver operational cost savings, enhance midstream and downstream infrastructure value, and unlock significant development potential.

How will the joint venture affect Williams' (WMB) ownership structure?

Williams will initially own 75% of the joint venture, with Crowheart holding 25%, which may increase based on performance.

What assets are involved in the Williams and Crowheart joint venture?

The joint venture consolidates three legacy operating assets covering over 1.2 million net acres and more than 3,500 operating wells.

How does the joint venture impact Williams' midstream operations?

Williams retains full ownership of its midstream assets and will benefit from dedicated NGL volumes and simplified agreements.