Exxon Explores Acquisition of U.S. Shale Company.

ExxonMobil has held informal talks about potentially acquiring Pioneer Natural Resources, the largest pure-play shale producer in the US. Exxon has said for years that the Permian Basin would be its key priority area for investments and growing production. Contacts between Exxon and Pioneer have been informal only at this stage, and there is no guarantee that the informal talks could turn into formal negotiations. If Exxon and Pioneer were to proceed to formal negotiations and potentially reach a deal on an Exxon acquisition, this would be the biggest for the US supermajor since the megadeal of 1999 when Exxon and Mobil merged to create the oil giant.