With 56 private equity deals completed so far this year, the energy industry isn't quite flowing with the same activity as last year, but plenty of energy deals are still coming through, say the experts at PitchBook. Since the beginning of 2011, PE investors have bought a stake in 191 U.S. companies in the energy industry, according to the PitchBook Platform, with over a third of the deals falling into the $50 million-to-$250 million range.

Predictably, Texas is home to over half of the deals in the exploration and production (E&P) sectors, says PitchBook. Since 2009, PE investors have invested in 156 energy exploration and/or production companies, and Texas has been home to just about half (49%) of those deals. Other states with E&P companies attracting PE attention are Oklahoma (with a 13% share), Colorado (7%), and California (5%).

Texas is also home to the ASA Houston energy conference. On Thursday, September 13, the ASA’s Houston Chapter will be hosting its second annual Energy Valuation Seminar. Conference organizers have created an agenda focused equally on current appraisal topics in the energy field (valuing oil and gas interest, with and without reserves) as advances in technology (updates on liquid natural gas, nanotechnology, and mineral leasing). For more information and to register, click here.