In February 2011, Dart Energy completed the acquisition of 100% of Composite Energy Limited, representing Dart's entry into the European CBM and shale gas industry.  Composite was established in 2004 to pursue CBM and shale gas opportunities in Europe.  Prior to the acquisition by Dart, it was owned by its founders and management, and strategic and financial advisors, including the Royal Bank of Scotland and BG Group.  Composite has since been rebranded as Dart Europe.

In December 2011, Dart made a second acquisition, for the unconventional gas assets of Greenpark Energy Limited, comprising 17 onshore licences in the UK. Greenpark was a privately held company with UK licence assets that were complementary to the existing acreage position, with similar footprint, CBM and shale potential, and an early stage development option.  The acquisition also included exlusive options over interest in licences prospective for CBM and shale gas in Poland and Spain.  The acqusition was completed on 28 April 2012.

Also in December 2011, Dart restructured its arrangements with BG Group, in which Dart acquired the 50% interest BG Group held in 14 CBM licence areas in teh UK, there by increasing Dart's interest in each of those licences to 100%.  Dart also secured an exclusive three month option over a 100% interest in two licence areas held by BG Group in Germany (Saxon I and Saxon II).  The option has since been exercised.

Following the two acqusitions and restructuring of arrangements with BG, Dart Europe holds 32 licences in the UK, 3 licences in Poland and 2 licences in Germany and has offices in Scotland and Poland .  The company has a staff base of 25 that includes technical, engineering, land access and planning, financial, business development and commercial capabilities.  Wihtin the Dart Europe portfolio, all licences are prospective for CBM and 14 licences in the UK, 1 licence in Poland and the 2 licences in Germany are prospective for shale gas. The concession regime prevalent in the UK and Europe give Dart rights over all resource types within the licence boundary.

Dart Europe's CBM portfolio of assets has 13.8 Tcf of gross OGIP and 4.7 Tcf of gross 2C resource, 10.4 Tcf of 3C resource as certified by Netherland, Sewell & Associates Inc ("NSAI") as of 31 December 2011.  In early-2012, NSAI conducted a resource assessment of shale potential across the portfolio and has estimated 12.0 Tcf of OGIP.

Dart UK's licences are spread across Midland Valley in Scotland, East Midlands, Wrexham / Chester, Staffordshire and South Wales.  Full details of individual licences are available in the download section.