Goldman Sachs tops 2018 global oil and gas M&A financial advisers’ league

US investment bank Goldman Sachs has emerged top of the 2018 oil and gas sector mergers and aquisition (M&A) financial advisers’ league, according to a new industry report. 

A sector specific tabulation by GlobalData - of deal valuation in dollar terms and number of inked agreements - saw GS emerge on top on both counts. The analytics company compiles the league table annually using real-time data tracked from all M&A, private equity/venture capital and asset transaction activity globally.

Figure 1: Leading oil and gas sector M&A financial advisers (Source: GlobalData)

GS scored the top rank with a deal value of $151.8bn, with 46 deals advisory deals, which incidentally was also the highest in terms of volume. Barclays came in second with $143.5bn earned on the strength of 32 deals.

Morgan Stanley, top of the leader-board in 2018, came in third place with 28 deals worth a total of $141.0bn (See Figure 1 above).

Praveen Karnati, Financial Deals Analyst at GlobalData, said: “Goldman Sachs emerged as the top financial adviser in the oil and gas sector, mainly bolstered by two mega deals – Marathon Petroleum’s acquisition of Andeavor for $35.6bn and BP’s acquisition of Petrohawk Energy from BHP for $10.5bn.”

Deal valuation in the oil and gas sector increased by nearly 40% in value from $388.0bn in FY2017 to $541.0bn in FY2018; however, volume rise was sedentary, with only about 3% increase between the years under review.

Fig 2: Leading oil and gas sector M&A legal advisers (Source: GlobalData)

Away from financial advisers, Vinson & Elkins led the oil and gas M&A legal advisers’ league with a total deal valuation of $138.4bn (See Fig. 2 above)

Topping even in terms of volume, the Texas-based legal adviser’s 58 deals are 21 more than the second-placed Latham & Watkins, which worked on deals worth $128.4bn. Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton came in a close third with $125.6bn from 11 deals that it advised on.