Okla. City-based Devon Energy and neighbor Expand Energy apparently don’t share a bat phone. Instead, their separate announcements inside a week to move their respective headquarters to Houston must have come as a surprise in timing to each other, but the exodus of two of the largest Okla. producers in the span of a week has certainly grabbed our attention. While it’s not the first time an oil and gas merger has relocated the headquarters of an acquisition here, the moves to Houston by Devon and Expand are certainly colored with Gulf Coast opportunity.

Reese Energy Consulting today is following the latest news from Expand Energy, the nation’s largest natural gas producer, and the sudden exit of CEO Nick Dell’Osso. His departure comes after 17 years with the company and less than six years as CEO, during which time he led the company through its merger with Southwestern Energy and a rebranding of then-Chesapeake Energy to Expand Energy in 2024. But following a recent board decision to relocate Expand’s HQ from Okla. City to Houston, Dell’Osso was summarily terminated without cause. He didn’t want to move the company. Simple as that.

On a personal note, it’s been approximately 42 years from the day I walked into Three Chopt Square original office of my old friend Aubrey McClendon. There were maybe four people in the office. So many great memories…

In other news, Continental Resources has made clear the company will continue to operate its headquarters in Okla. City. As will Williams and ONEOK in Tulsa.