Resilience of independent oil firms faces hedging, debt tests

LONDON (Reuters) - Independent international oil producers can cope with plunging oil prices better than higher-cost U.S. shale firms but persistent low prices may still leave them struggling to repay debts and renew hedging facilities needed to protect revenues.The drop in Brent crude to $20 a barrel and less, or the even deeper slide of U.S. crude into negative territory, has hammered U.S. shale producers, which typically need more than $40 to breakeven, forcing shut-ins and threatening..