Devon Energy Corp., Oklahoma City, plans to divest its Gulf of Mexico and international assets in a move toward focusing on high-growth US and Canadian onshore assets, the company reported Nov. 16.

Indonesia’s state-owned PT Pertamina, aiming for an 11% boost in oil production, expects to increase capital expenditure to $4.15 billion in 2010—a 77% increase over spending in 2009, according to a company official.

Black Elk Energy LLC, private Houston independent, completed the acquisition of Gulf of Mexico oil and gas properties from an undisclosed seller for $30 million plus other cash considerations.

Qatar Petroleum International signed a series of agreements to acquire two Singapore chemical joint ventures from Royal Dutch Shell PLC.

Occidental Petroleum Corp., Mubadala Development Co., and the National Oil & Gas Authority of Bahrain (NOGA) have formed a joint operating company to further develop Bahrain field.

Brazil’s state-owned oil and gas company Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) has signed the final agreements with China Development Bank Corp. (CDB) for a $10 billion loan, which has been under negotiation since May.

Origin Energy Ltd., Sydney, has acquired 51.55% interest in the Otway gas project in western Victoria from joint venture partner Woodside Petroleum Ltd., Perth, for $712.5 million (Aus.).

Two former officials of an Alaskan oil field engineering and construction company were sentenced on Oct. 28 for their roles in a scheme that paid $395,000 in bribes to state officials, the US Department of Justice said.

BP PLC has identified 22 US properties for divestment in a midstream asset review aimed at bolstering profitability of its refining and associated operations.

Korea National Oil Corp. plans to buy Harvest Energy Trust for $1.8 billion (Can.) plus the assumption of $2.3 billion in debt.

Plains All American Pipeline LP has bought receiving pipelines, a manifold system, and 400,000 bbl of crude oil storage capacity at Holly Corp.’s 85,000-b/d refinery in Tulsa for $40 million cash.

The Justice Department’s antitrust division asked for more information from Baker Hughes Inc. and BJ Services Co. regarding the proposed merger of the two firms.

Occidental Petroleum Corp. plans to invest $250 million to buy Phibro LLC from Citigroup Inc. in a move that will give Oxy trading expertise.

Privately owned independent Chaparral Energy Inc., Oklahoma City, and publicly held United Refining Energy Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, agreed to merge in a deal valued by company officials at $1.8 billion.

Venezuela’s state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela SA said it has acquired from ConocoPhillips a stake in the Deltana Platform—a joint natural gas project with Chevron Corp.