Exxon Mobil’s XTO Energy has begun seeking potential purchasers for a portion of its holdings in the Eagle Ford shale basin of South Texas, an Exxon spokesperson confirmed in a statement. In recent days the company opened a virtual data room to present the assets to interested parties, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions are confidential.
The assets being marketed cover about 168,000 net acres and are valued at in excess of $1 billion, the sources said. The package comprises more than a thousand wells - a mix of operated wells, interests where Exxon is a passive or non-operated partner, and streams from which the company collects royalties.
Exxon is handling the sale process internally and has not engaged investment banks, the sources added. In a brief comment, a company spokesperson said XTO Energy is exploring market interest for select Eagle Ford assets in South Texas and described the action as "consistent with our strategy to continually evaluate and optimize our portfolio." The spokesperson did not provide further specifics on timing, the scope of assets or prospective buyers.
The marketing of Eagle Ford holdings comes as U.S. oil producers have been actively divesting non-core position to concentrate on the most profitable parts of their operations after a period marked by heavy dealmaking activity. For Exxon, management has prioritized investments in the Permian Basin across Texas and New Mexico, operations in Guyana and liquefied natural gas projects as core areas of focus.
Exxon has been reshaping its asset base through deals and disposals in recent years. Following its $60 billion takeover of Pioneer Natural Resources in 2024, the company sold a number of assets including its majority-owned French subsidiary Esso and its interests in the Williston basin of North Dakota, Montana and Canada. Exxon has also announced plans to reduce its global workforce by about 2,000 employees.
Industry observers say asset sales among producers could accelerate if rising concerns about global oversupply push crude prices to levels that render many shale operations unprofitable, a dynamic that can weigh on equity valuations and prompt companies to tighten costs and shore up liquidity. U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude futures settled at $61.07 a barrel on Friday, a level that is 18% below where prices stood a year earlier.
Details remain limited regarding the buyer universe, financing terms or any timetable for completion. The company and sources have not disclosed whether individual pieces of the Eagle Ford package would be sold separately or as a single portfolio.
Summary
XTO Energy is marketing select Eagle Ford assets that include roughly 168,000 net acres and more than 1,000 wells, valuing the package at over $1 billion. Exxon is running the process internally and frames the move as part of routine portfolio optimization while focusing capital on the Permian, Guyana and LNG projects.