The $27 billion University of Texas Investment Management Co. (UTIMCO) has formed a partnership with private equity energy firm Post Oak Energy Capital LP.

The 2011 Editorial Advisory Board of Institutional Investing in Infrastructure (I3) met in Chicago Nov. 9–10 following the Institutional Investing in Infrastructure conference Nov. 8–9 to discuss the challenges that face participants in this market. The meeting offers board members the opportunity to communicate openly about the relationship between LPs and GPs and consultants, as well as how these groups can better partner to manage infrastructure investments and collectively meet their investment objectives. The discussion also helps develop the I3 editorial calendar for the year ahead, and the mix of organizations and geographies present at the meeting provided for a broad and in-depth discussion on a range of topics. 

I have been to a number of financial conferences, and few have been so interesting for me and few seemed to engage attendees up until the final hour as the recent Institutional Investing in Infrastructure (I3) conference in Chicago.

Chris Faulkner is CEO of Breitling Oil and Gas, an Irving, Texas–based petroleum and natural gas exploration and extraction company founded in October 2004. Breitling extracts and develops onshore oil and natural gas and is currently in the process of drilling several wells in Oklahoma. Institutional Investing in Infrastructure contributing editor Tyson Freeman spoke with Faulkner about what drives the market for natural gas infrastructure, drilling and exploration. 

French alternative power developer Akuo Group has added two solar farms to its $1 billion renewable energy portfolio.

Alinda Capital Partners has acquired 100 percent ownership of Houston Fuel Oil Terminal Co. (HFOTCO) from AL Gulf Coast Terminals, an investment affiliate controlled by ArcLight Capital Partners.

The California High Speed Rail Authority board formally requested a multibillion-dollar appropriation to start construction on the high-speed rail project in 2012.

Energy and electric power private equity manager Energy Investors Funds (EIF) has closed its largest fund to date, EIF United States Power Fund IV, with more than $1.7 billion of committed capital.

Macquarie Capital Group and Barclays Integrated Infrastructure Fund have closed the $168 million acquisition of the Walney 1 offshore transmission owner (OFTO) project.

Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners (MSIP) has sold its 50 percent interest in SAESA Group, a Chilean electricity distribution, transmission and generation company.

The $5.2 billion North Dakota State Investment Board has committed $25 million to infrastructure manager Credit Suisse according to public documents from a September board meeting.

The National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) in Ireland has committed €250 million ($336 million) to a newly formed Irish infrastructure investment fund called the Irish Infrastructure Trust.