• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Ohio city workers are covering automated license plate readers with trash bags as officials sound the alarm on 'egregious violations' of privacy

2

CEO says anyone who works from home is grabbing groceries or at the vet 30% of the time—and shows off his busy office at Friday 5 p.m. to prove it

3

A single new sentence in SpaceX's amended IPO filing could signal the biggest merger in history

1

Ohio city workers are covering automated license plate readers with trash bags as officials sound the alarm on 'egregious violations' of privacy

2

CEO says anyone who works from home is grabbing groceries or at the vet 30% of the time—and shows off his busy office at Friday 5 p.m. to prove it

3

A single new sentence in SpaceX's amended IPO filing could signal the biggest merger in history

Linn Energy Just Filed for Bankruptcy

By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 12, 2016, 11:51 AM ET
Photograph by Getty Images

Oil-and-gas producer Linn Energy filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Wednesday, becoming one of the biggest victims of global commodity rout, and said it had an agreement with senior creditors to recapitalize the company.

Under the plan with creditors, Linn will spin off Berry Petroleum, acquired in 2013 for $4.3 billion to create one of the largest independent energy producers.

The company said lingering weak energy prices prompted the Chapter 11 filing, and it expects its operations to continue while it is in bankruptcy court.

“Like many others in our industry, Linn has been impacted by continued low commodity prices. We believe that these steps will provide us the financial flexibility to successfully manage in the current commodity price environment,” CEO Mark Ellis said in a statement.

Linn Energy, which was founded in 2003 and went public in 2006, has about $10 billion in debt, about twice that of Samson Resources Corp and Energy XXI Ltd, two of the largest oil-and-gas companies to file in the current downturn.

Linn said it had sufficient cash to support its operations during its bankruptcy.

The company was designed as a high-yield energy investment vehicle, which received beneficial tax treatment in return for paying out the bulk of its profits as distributions to its unitholders.

Because of this structure, the company took on significant debt to grow through acquisitions. Since 2006, the company has done 62 deals for a total of around $17 billion to build its asset base.

Linn operates in California, Wyoming and North Dakota shale fields.

Linn said its restructuring support agreement reached with its senior creditors would include a new $2.2 billion reserve-based term loan and a term loan credit facility.

The company is targeting an emergence from bankruptcy by the end of 2016, according to a regulatory filing. However, it appeared the company’s junior creditors opposed the company’s plan and had proposed their own reorganization in which they would have taken control of Linn, regulatory filings showed.

Linn joins dozens of U.S. shale companies that have sought to restructure debt taken on during a frenzy of development in recent years. In the middle of 2014 energy prices began to decline and many companies were unable to meet their debt obligations.

Another struggling energy producer, Sandridge Energy, said on Wednesday it would not file its quarterly results on schedule.

About the Author
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Cronometer Review (2026): Calorie Tracking and More
HealthDietary Supplements
Cronometer Review (2026): Calorie Tracking and More
By Emily PharesJune 5, 2026
40 minutes ago
Nitrosurge Pre-Workout Review (2026): Expert Tested
HealthDietary Supplements
Nitrosurge Pre-Workout Review (2026): Expert Tested
By Christina SnyderJune 5, 2026
53 minutes ago
Suzy Welch, author and NYU Stern School of Business professor
SuccessCareers
NYU Stern professor Suzy Welch says the career aspiration to follow your passion is ‘dumb advice’
By Emma BurleighJune 5, 2026
56 minutes ago
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power (May 23-June 5, 2026)
C-SuiteFortune 500 Power Moves
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power (May 23-June 5, 2026)
By Fortune EditorsJune 5, 2026
60 minutes ago
Jane Lynch
SuccessCareers
Former ‘Glee’ star Jane Lynch says the secret to career success isn’t a 10-year plan: ‘Life doesn’t care about your timeline’
By Preston ForeJune 5, 2026
1 hour ago
‘Nobody knows what they’re doing’ says Michelle Obama  
SuccessMichelle Obama
‘Nobody knows what they’re doing’ says Michelle Obama  
By Sam BirchallJune 5, 2026
1 hour ago

Most Popular

Ohio city workers are covering automated license plate readers with trash bags as officials sound the alarm on 'egregious violations' of privacy
Cybersecurity
Ohio city workers are covering automated license plate readers with trash bags as officials sound the alarm on 'egregious violations' of privacy
By Sasha RogelbergJune 3, 2026
2 days ago
CEO says anyone who works from home is grabbing groceries or at the vet 30% of the time—and shows off his busy office at Friday 5 p.m. to prove it
Success
CEO says anyone who works from home is grabbing groceries or at the vet 30% of the time—and shows off his busy office at Friday 5 p.m. to prove it
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 4, 2026
1 day ago
A single new sentence in SpaceX's amended IPO filing could signal the biggest merger in history
Startups & Venture
A single new sentence in SpaceX's amended IPO filing could signal the biggest merger in history
By Shawn TullyJune 4, 2026
1 day ago
10,000 Boomers a day, $39 trillion in debt, and no benefit cuts: Bessent stakes Social Security on the Trump economy
Economy
10,000 Boomers a day, $39 trillion in debt, and no benefit cuts: Bessent stakes Social Security on the Trump economy
By Nick LichtenbergJune 4, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 4, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 4, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 4, 2026
1 day ago
Teens are up against the worst summer job market in nearly 80 years—they’re fighting against hundreds to work at ice cream shops and swimming pools
Success
Teens are up against the worst summer job market in nearly 80 years—they’re fighting against hundreds to work at ice cream shops and swimming pools
By Emma BurleighJune 2, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.