article here that could be of relevance to AOK holdersarticle is...

article here that could be of relevance to AOK holders

article is written by Chad Watt from merger market

Shell calls US midcontinent'area of focus';

company actively seeks Mississippian play acquisitions,
bankers say Royal Dutch Shell has acquired mineral leases
in Southern Kansas,and is open to additional opportunities
in the US midcontinent,a company spokesperson confirmed.

Shell is interested in leasing acreage and acquiring assets
in the Mississippian play underlying Northwestern Oklahoma
and Southern Kansas,two energy industry investment bankers
told this news service.
Shell acquired mineral leases in south central Kansas from
Woolsey Energy Co during the second quarter of 2011,a
spokesperson said in a written response to queries.

Shell said the terms of the deal were confidential.
"This is an area of focus for Shell,and we remain open to
additional opportunities," the spokesperson said.
Wichita,Kansas;based Woolsey Energy declined to comment,
citing a confidentiality agreement.

A first banker active in the region said Shell is trying
to develop a position in the Mississippian region, adding
that it is easier to acquire and control because mineral
rights there are not as "chopped up" as they are in more
mature oilfields such as Texas' Permian Basin and hotly
contested shale oil plays in Texas, North Dakota and
Pennsylvania.

Other operators active in the Mississippian play include
SandRidge Energy (NYSE: SD), Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK)
and private equity-backed Eagle Energy of Oklahoma.

In April, Sandridge raised USD 315m in the initial public
offering of SandRidge Mississippian Trust I, which is
backed by oil wells planned for a portion of its
Mississipian holdings.

A second banker said Shell has been working toward making
small corporate acquisitions in the region, including
deals so small they wouldn't necessarily be reportable for
Royal Dutch Shell, a USD 220bn market cap company.
Shell was an active oil producer in the US midcontinent
for 60 years, the spokesperson said, exiting the region
in the 1990s.
by Chad Watt in Dallas, Texas