RENEE MONTAGNE, host: NPR's business news starts with a natural gas deal.</s>RENEE MONTAGNE, host: The global oil company Shell is buying an American company called East Resources to increase its presence in natural gas exploration. Shell is paying $4.7 billion for the Pennsylvania company. East Resources is a big operator in a natural gas field stretching from West Virginia to New York.</s>RENEE MONTAGNE, host: Shell and other energy companies are trying to increase holdings of U.S. shale fields that have natural gas reserves.
Global oil giant Shell is buying the U.S. company to increase its presence in natural gas exploration. Shell is paying $4.9 billion for the Pennsylvania company. East Resources is a big operator in a natural gas field stretching from West Virginia to New York.