Westport Resources to Merge with Belco Oil & Gas

(Dallas, Texas) - Denver-based Westport Resources Corporation announced recently that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement with Dallas-based Belco Oil & Gas Corp. The transaction, valued at approximately $922 million, includes the assumption of approximately $588 million of debt, fair market value of the hedge portfolio and convertible preferred stock.

Westport’s Vice President and General Counsel, Howard Boigon, was assisted in the transaction by Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P. Akin Gump attorneys involved in this transaction include partners Michael E. Dillard, Daniel J. Micciche (Dallas) and Paul B. Hewitt (Washington). Belco Oil & Gas Corp.’s Vice President-Legal Affairs, Joe Callaway, was assisted by attorneys Alan P. Baden, Eric S. Shube, Christine A. Hathaway, Gary G. Short, Gretchen Eisenach and Christopher C. Juban of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P..

Founded in 1945, Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P., a leading international law firm, numbers more than 1000 lawyers with offices in Austin, Brussels, Dallas, Denver, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, New York, Northern Virginia, Philadelphia, Riyadh (affiliate), San Antonio and Washington. The firm has a diversified practice and represents regional, national and international clients in a wide range of areas, including antitrust; banking and financial institutions; capital markets; communications; corporate and securities; employee benefits; energy; entertainment; environment, land use and project development; estate planning, wealth transfer and probate; financial restructuring; government contracts; health; insurance; intellectual property; international; investment management; labor and employment; litigation; mergers and acquisitions; privatization; project finance; public law and policy; real estate and finance; taxation; and technology. For additional information, please visit our Web site at http://www.akingump.com.