The global oil and gas sector has seen a flurry of consolidation in recent weeks, as companies look to snap up assets before an economic recovery sends prices higher.

Here are some of the recently announced deals and deal talks in the sector:

* China's state-run Sinochem Corp agrees a $878 million takeover of Emerald Energy to gain access to the oil and gas explorer's operations in Syria and Colombia. (August 12)

* Secretive Russian oil tycoon Gennady Timchenko spends an estimated $1.6 billion on an 18 percent stake in gas firm Novatek (August 11)

* Canada's Petrobank offers to buy Tristar Oil & Gas for $2.08 billion, giving it a stake in a prolific Saskatchewan oil field. (August 5)

* U.S. acquisition shell Hicks, founded by sports billionaire Tom Hicks, agrees to buy unlisted oil company Resolute Natural Resources for $582 million. (August 3)

* Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) expands its North Sea assets by buying Dutch chemicals group DSM NV for $407 million. (July 29)

* GLG Partners is planning to launch a seed venture that will list in London with a value of around $500 million and then acquire oil production companies worldwide, sources say. (July 27)

* State-owned Chinese companies CNPC and CNOOC are among those interested in YPF, the Argentine unit of Spanish oil major Repsol, sources say. (July 21)

* North Sea gas producer Venture Production rejects hostile $2 bln offer from utility Centrica, the owner of British Gas. (July 13)

* China's Sinopec agrees to buy Swiss oil explorer Addax Petroleum Corp for $7.24 billion to secure energy supplies. (June 25)

* Russia's Gazprom Neft seeks control of mid-sized oil firm Sibir Energy, buying most of the free float in the London-listed company. (June 18/29)

* UK-based oil explorer Heritage Oil agrees a $6 billion merger with Genel Energy International, a unit of Turkey's Cukurova Group. (June 9)

* Dubai state firm Emirates National Oil Company says it is in talks to buy the 48 percent it doesn't own in London-listed Dragon Oil, which has a market cap of $2.66 billion. (June 5)

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