Icahn, Elliott Associates and Other Investors Drill for Oil and Gas Deals

Updated to clarify Hess asset sales

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- From corporate raider Carl Icahn to hedge fund firm Elliott Associates, activist investors are drilling into the oil and gas industry for value investments.

The moves indicate that the energy sector is poised for another busy year of asset sales and board transitions after many of the nation's largest players, from ConocoPhillips(COP) and Sunoco(SUN) to Chesapeake Energy(CHK) , underwent dramatic change in 2012.

On Monday, Hess(HES) said Elliott Associates may take an activist stake of more than $800 million in the integrated oil and gas driller, in an effort gain seats on the company's board. Elliott's move comes amid analysis that the company should split its energy-exploration assets from its midstream refining and marketing operations.

According to a press release from Hess, Elliott Associates has notified the company it may nominate candidates to Hess's board of directors at its annual shareholders meeting this year.

Hess has hired Goldman Sachs(GS) to sell its terminal network in the U.S. and close a terminal in Port Reading, N.J., which will release $1 billion in working capital. The network, concentrated on the East Coast, has a storage capacity of 28 million barrels of oil spread among 19 terminals.

Still, Hess reiterated its conviction in remaining an integrated player in the energy sector, with businesses in oil and gas exploration and those in downstream businesses like energy marketing.

The New York-based company has already been an active seller of assets to unlock value for shareholders, an effort Chief Executive Officer John Hess referred to on Monday.

In recent months, Hess has announced asset sales worth a total of $2.4 billion, in addition to divestitures ranging from oilfields in Russia to the Eagle Ford shale in Texas.