Shell Bets Big On Montney Basin In $16.4 Billion ARC Acquisition

BusinessEnergyShell Bets Big On Montney Basin In $16.4 Billion ARC AcquisitionByDavid Blackmon,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. David Blackmon is a Texas-based public policy analyst/consultant.Follow AuthorApr 27, 2026, 01:21pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Shell CEO Wael Sawan speaks during the 2026 CERAWeek by S&P Global energy conference in Houston, Texas on March 24, 2026. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty ImagesIn a deal that underscores the enduring strategic value of North American shale resources, London-based Shell plc announced Monday that it has agreed to acquire Canadian producer ARC Resources Ltd. in a cash-and-share transaction valued at approximately $13.6 billion in equity, or $16.4 billion on an enterprise-value basis. The move embeds Shell deeper into Canada’s prolific Montney Basin, one of the most economic and long-lived shale plays on the continent. It also sends a clear signal that Shell’s strategic redirection to plow more of its capital investments back into its core oil and gas operations continues apace. A “compelling proposition” for ShellIn a release, Shell details that ARC shareholders will receive CAD 8.20 ($5.98 in U.S. dollars) in cash and 0.40247 Shell ordinary shares for each ARC share, equating to a roughly 25% cash and 75% stock total transaction value. That works out to a 20% premium to ARC’s 30-day volume-weighted average price. Shell assumes about $2.8 billion in net debt and leases in the deal, funding the equity portion with $3.4 billion in cash and the issuance of roughly 228 million new shares. Both boards have unanimously approved the transaction, which is expected to close in the second half of 2026 subject to customary approvals.“We are accessing uniquely positioned assets and welcoming colleagues that bring deep expertise which, combined wit...