Caballo Energy LLC is building a new cryogenic processing plant to serve expanding natural gas production in the liquids-rich Mississippi Lime and Cana Woodford Shale plays.

PLS Inc. reports that US deal activity slowed in late May and early June as WTI oil prices rapidly descended to the low $80s from the $100+/bbl range in place since mid-February.

_On April 9 Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK) announced three oil and gas asset monetization transactions for total proceeds of approximately $2.6 billion in cash.

Cardinal Midstream, LLC has brought its third cryogenic processing plant online in the Arkoma Woodford shale.

Antero Resources has closed the sale of its midstream assets, located in the Woodford Shale area, to Cardinal Midstream LLC for $270 million.

Antero Resources has entered into definitive agreements to sell its midstream assets located in the Woodford Shale area of the Arkoma Basin of Oklahoma to affiliates of Cardinal Midstream LLC for $268 million in cash. 

Continental Resources Inc. has increased its capital expenditure budget to $1.3 billion from $850 million to accelerate its drilling program and to increase its acreage positions in the Bakken and Woodford shale plays.

Newfield Exploration Co. is reducing its planned gas development wells in the second half of 2010 to emphasize oil plays despite growth of 20% expected in its Granite Wash production this year.

SM Energy Co., formerly St. Mary Land and Exploration, recently started its Granite Wash drilling program with two wells.

When independent oil and gas exploration and production company Devon Energy Corp. presented at the UBS Global Oil and Gas Conference in May, the company briefed analysts and investors on its current 2010 capital expenditure budget that reinforced its position in the oil and gas shale plays.

Tulsa, OK-based ONEOK Partners LP, one of the largest publicly traded master limited partnerships, plans to invest nearly $405 million to $470 million between now and the end of 2011 for projects in two shale plays, the Bakken Shale in the Williston Basin in North Dakota, and the Woodford Shale in Oklahoma.

Continental Resources Inc. has priced its private placement of $200 million of 7 3/8% senior unsecured notes due 2020.

While Marathon Oil Corp.’s $5.1 billion 2010 CAPEX budget is 17% lower than last year, the company plans to advance its resource plays, including those in the Marcellus, Woodford, and Haynesville, and Bakken shales.