Top US Natural Gas Drillers Seek to Remove Middlemen From Sales

Expand Energy Corp. and EQT Corp. are trying to displace traders that act as middlemen so the biggest US natural gas drillers can reap bigger profits from their output.

Expand has increased its staff of marketers and related positions by 50% to 60 in the past year to strike more supply deals with end users that have typically relied on trading houses and other middlemen. The largest domestic gas producer also is shifting corporate headquarters to Houston from Oklahoma City to be closer to potential customers.

The new hires have included marketer and researchers tasked with signing supply agreements with ...