Oil and gas 1Q deal value remains flat

The U.S. oil and gas industry saw a total of 44 oil and gas deals with values greater than $50 million during the first quarter, accounting for $34 billion in deal value, PricewaterhouseCoopers said Thursday.

The first-quarter activity remained flat compared with the same period last year, when there were 45 deals accounting for $34.6 billion in deal value, PwC said in a statement.

"Although deal activity has remained consistent year-over-year, we are beginning to see a softening of deal flow when compared to the past few quarters," Rick Roberge, principal in PwC's energy M&A practice, said in the statement.

On the other hand, the quarter also saw a "watershed moment" for private equity activity.

The volume of first-quarter private equity mergers and acquisitions reached 11 transactions valued at $11.5 billion, a 120-percent increase from the same period in 2011.

In the Rocky Mountain region, three oil and gas deals took place for a total deal value of $616 million during the first quarter, said Rowena Cipriano-Reyes, a Denver-based partner with PwC's energy practice.

"In line with the national trend, we're seeing the depressed price of natural gas also having an impact on deal activity locally," Cipriano-Reyes said in the statement.