Oil Rules

Jeff Voncannon, principal of Redman Resources LLC, , shared about how to close a deal at the A&D Strategies and Opportunities conference in Dallas Sept. 3. Voncannon compared closing a deal to the components of a golf swing: the ball, club, grip, balance, power and tempo.

In closing a deal, the ball is the prospect. A golfer chooses which type of ball he wants to use – be it Callaway, Top-Flite, Titleist, Prove VI’s, etc. In A&D, the Haynesville, Marcellus, Barnettt and other plays are the prospects to swing at.

The next component of a good golf swing is the club, which connects you to the ball. The club in A&D is any avenue that connects you to a deal — an asset marketing firm, corporate brokers, your Internet service, an upstream property vendor or development professionals within your company.

A good golfer develops a firm grip. The grip in deal making is communication. How do you plan to make reserve growth? Through acquisition? Exploration? Exploitation? Find a solid grip and stick with it.

“You need to have a good grip. Know whether you’re going to be after oil or gas or both,”  Voncannon said.

Every pro golfer knows that balance is crucial to a good golf swing, Voncannon said. In A&D, balance equates to sectors of pursuit. An A&D professional must decide whether he is going after consolidation and divestiture to create opportunities or out of favor business or assets.

One must apply power in both golf and A&D deal making, Voncannon said. To build a power swing, golfers must work on their core and legs. In A&D, power comes from technical disciplines and team personalities, such as geological and engineering staff.

Finally, tempo is crucial to the game of golf and the game of A&D deals. Tempo equates to deal execution strategy. Just like golfers, A&D players must find a sweet spot where their deal making will look effortless. Just as Tiger Woods has a golf swing that is repeatable and a tempo that is solid, so A&D players should develop consistency and solidarity in their deals.

“Understanding and articulating your sector’s prospect allows your firm to develop unique investment opportunities,” Voncannon said.

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