Halliburton Company (HAL)

[stocksmarter]

Let the U.S. Oil and Gas M&A Frenzy begin!!

Stages of Oil Industry Downswing: First Shock and Panic, Then M&A opportunities.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- The major oil companies are tightening their belts as crude prices slide, but it won't be long before an M&A frenzy begins in the sector, analysts say. The targets will be U.S. explorers and producers, both large and small.

Many producers and service providers in U.S. shale production are seeing opportunities to consolidate competitors and drive up market share in 2015, at very discounted prices from as little as a year ago. Discounts as large as 60-70% can be seen today with weaker companies downsizing and even folding under the current oil price deflation.

This will lead to a stronger domestic oil and gas market experts say, with emerging technologies and a more defined market.