Matador Resources Company has announced two of its catalysts for this year. First, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Matador has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Paloma Permian LLC, a portfolio company of EnCap Investments, including certain proved undeveloped acreage and oil and natural gas producing properties located in Southeast New Mexico (the 'Paloma Acquisition'). Subject to customary closing adjustments, the consideration for the Paloma Acquisition will consist of a cash payment of $1.275 billion. The Paloma Acquisition includes 16,235 net undeveloped acres in Eddy and Lea Counties, New Mexico and third quarter estimated production of approximately 11,100 barrels of oil equivalent ('BOE') per day (57% oil). The Paloma Acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026.
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Secondly, Matador agreed to acquire primarily undeveloped acreage in what it believes to be the heart of the Woodford play in West Texas and Southeast New Mexico from Ridge Runner Resources II, LLC, another portfolio company of EnCap (the 'Ridge Runner Acquisition'). As a result of the Ridge Runner Acquisition, prior acreage additions and Matador’s ongoing 'brick-by-brick' land strategy, Matador will have acquired approximately 50,000 contiguous, undeveloped net acres in the Woodford formation, primarily located in its Antelope Ridge asset area in Lea County, New Mexico and in West Texas. These additional contiguous net acres, together with the Paloma Acquisition, will bring Matador’s corporate acreage total to approximately 240,000 net acres in the Delaware Basin.
Matador’s confidence in the Woodford play is reinforced by the successful test results announced today from Matador’s first exploratory well in the Woodford formation in Southeast Lea County, New Mexico, the 'Rae’s Creek' well. Accordingly, Matador is pleased to announce that the Rae’s Creek well recorded initial production rates exceeding 2,200 BOE per day (72% oil) during its official 24-hour test on June 29, 2026. The Rae’s Creek well is still producing approximately 20% better than the average production of Woodford formation wells in Texas on a 60-day cumulative oil production basis. The Rae’s Creek well test results serve to validate the commercial viability of the Woodford formation in this area of the Delaware Basin.
More details and highlights on the Woodford test follow the Paloma announcement below. A short slide presentation summarizing the Paloma Acquisition, acreage additions, including acreage acquired in the Ridge Runner Acquisition, and well results in the Woodford formation, is also included on the Company’s website at www.matadorresources.com on the Events and Presentations page under the Investor Relations tab.
Paloma Transaction
Joseph Wm. Foran, Matador’s Founder, Chairman and CEO, commented, 'Matador is excited to announce this catalyst and the expansion of our Delaware Basin asset base with these assets from Paloma, a successful and respected exploration firm in the Permian Basin and other oil and gas areas. Similar to Matador’s previous transactions with EnCap, and its portfolio companies, we anticipate this acquisition will be integrated efficiently into Matador’s operating plan, contribute to Matador’s cash flow generation and deliver significant efficiency gains, increases in oil and natural gas production, and reserve growth.'
Highlights
- Adds 16,235 net undeveloped acres in Eddy and Lea Counties, New Mexico, the majority of which is held by production
- Adds over 156 net locations (normalized to two-mile laterals), primarily in the Bone Spring and Wolfcamp formations, and is expected to add significant value to Matador’s inventory
- Adds $816 million of PV-101 as of May 31, 2026, and total proved oil and natural gas reserves of 55 million BOE
- Estimated third quarter 2026 production of approximately 10,600 to 11,600 BOE per day (57% oil) attributable to the acquired properties
- Improved finding and development ('F&D') costs estimated for 2027/2028 turn-in-line wells from acquired properties driven by below-average well costs and reserve estimates that meet or exceed Matador’s corporate average
Ridge Runner Acquisition and Woodford Results
Mr. Foran further commented, 'We are also excited to announce the expansion of our acreage position in the emerging Woodford play of the Delaware Basin and the results of our Rae’s Creek Woodford well. Ridge Runner is another successful and respected EnCap sponsored company Matador has interacted with in the past and appreciates greatly the ongoing relationship.
“I also would like to commend our land, geology, operations, and field teams for their roles in what we believe is one of the first commercially successful horizontal Woodford test wells drilled in New Mexico and look forward to future developments in our Woodford position in upcoming years. We anticipate our drilling and completions teams will work quickly to integrate efficiencies across this development area to reduce well costs between 30 to 40% in the next 12 to 18 months, similar to the incremental improvements we made at both our Stateline and Rodney Robinson assets acquired in 2018.'
Highlights
- Optionality for extended reach laterals, large batch developments and multi-well completion capabilities are expected to lead to 2027 drilling and completion capital efficiencies
- Adds over 150 net operated Woodford locations (normalized to two-mile laterals), acquired at approximately $1.3 million per net location, which is highly competitive as compared to recent industry transactions
- Ridge Runner Acquisition combined with Matador’s previous acquisitions and “brick-by-brick” strategy creates a Woodford position of approximately 50,000 net acres, acquired at an average cost of $4,000 per acre
Financing and Balance Sheet Impact
The Paloma and Ridge Runner Acquisitions are expected to be funded through cash on hand and borrowings under Matador’s existing reserve-based lending ('RBL') credit facility which was fully repaid in May 2026 (providing the Company ample liquidity to complete both the 5,154 acre acquisition in the Federal lease sale and the pending Paloma and Ridge Runner Acquisitions). Matador anticipates it will generate approximately $1 billion in adjusted free cash flow2 for full-year 2026 (based on May 2026 corporate guidance and strip oil and natural gas pricing as of July 2026). Additional production volumes associated with the acquired properties are expected to accelerate the Company’s ability to repay the borrowings to finance the acquisitions and return its corporate leverage ratio closer to 1.0x within 12 to 18 months of closing. Such prepayments will be a top priority for Matador.
Advisors
Baker Botts L.L.P. served as legal advisor to Matador for the Paloma Acquisition and Ridge Runner Acquisition. Vinson & Elkins LLP served as legal advisor and RBC Richardson Barr served as financial advisor to Paloma, Ridge Runner and EnCap.
About Matador Resources Company
Matador is an independent energy company engaged in the exploration, development, production and acquisition of oil and natural gas resources in the United States, with an emphasis on oil and natural gas shale and other unconventional plays. Founded in 2003 with friends and family investments, and a public company since 2012, Matador’s current operations are focused primarily on the oil and liquids-rich portion of the Wolfcamp and Bone Spring plays in the Delaware Basin in Southeast New Mexico and West Texas. Matador also operates in the Haynesville shale and Cotton Valley plays in Northwest Louisiana. Additionally, Matador conducts midstream operations in support of its exploration, development and production operations and provides natural gas processing, oil transportation services, oil, natural gas and produced water gathering services and produced water disposal services to third parties.
For more information, visit Matador Resources Company at www.matadorresources.com.
Source: Matador Resources Company
