>New partners working on a different time scale in the set aside land in the Mako looks promisinging.

And I have a feeling it might be Chesapeake and StatoilHydro. Remember that partnership?

"May 21 (Bloomberg) -- StatoilHydro ASA, Norway’s biggest oil company, and Chesapeake Energy Corp. are examining more than a dozen shale formations in Europe and Asia to find where they should invest together in unconventional natural-gas projects."

"They’re looking in such countries as Hungary, Poland, India, Australia and China"

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Chesapeake and StatoilHydro seem to be a very happy team. That team was put together by Merrill Lynch.

Members of the team who negotiated the transaction. From Left, Nikita Taldykin, Vinson & Elkins (attorneys for StatoilHydro); Doug Jacobson, Chesapeake Energy; Andrew Winkle, StatoilHydro; Martin Debaig, StatoilHydro; Aubrey McClendon, Chesapeake Energy; Sean Mueller, Merrill Lynch; Paul Owen, StatoilHydro; Michael Williams, StatoilHydro; Ray Lees, Chesapeake Energy; John Connally, Vinson & Elkins; Lene Lanoy, StatoilHydro; and Sean Smith, Chesapeake Energy.

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Usually, when you are happy with a service, don't you normally call on the same company, and sometimes the same individual, if you need the same type of service at a later date?

Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. Announces Agreements With Merrill Lynch And Bmo Capital Markets As Advisors For Strategic Partner Initiative In Hungary

Sean Mueller, project lead for Merrill, said, “Merrill Lynch has one of the largest energy teams on Wall Street, with offices in nine countries, and with a substantial track record in unconventional gas transactions. Production from unconventional gas has completely changed the natural gas market in North America. Marc A. Bruner has been an industry pioneer in unlocking the potential at Jonah and Pinedale in the Rocky Mountains. He and his team have now taken that experience and expertise and expanded internationally to Hungary. Unconventional gas will become extremely important to Europe’s overall gas supply. Falcon’s Mako interests represent a unique opportunity in one of the most advanced unconventional plays in Europe.”

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If ML is one of the largest energy teams on Wall Street, with offices in nine countries, is it just a coincidence that Sean Mueller is involved with both deals? Personally I don't think so.