Masela Development Approval Nears
The Indonesian government is set to approve Japanese Inpex Corp's revised plan of development for the Masela natural gas block next week, the chairman of the country's upstream oil and gas regulator SKK Migas said on Wednesday.The government is expecting Inpex to submit the plan for the $20 billion gas project this week, Dwi Soetjipto, the SKK Migas chairman told reporters in Jakarta.Approval of the development plan would let Inpex, which controls 65% of the project, start pl
Abadi LNG Development Deal Reached
Japan's biggest oil and gas explorer Inpex Corp and the Indonesian government signed a basic agreement on the development of Indonesia's Abadi liquefied natural gas (LNG) project on Sunday, moving forward the $15 billion project.Inpex President Takayuki Ueda said the Japanese company, which owns a 65 percent stake in the project, said they plan to submit a development plan for the project…
Pemex Requests $8bn Loan Amid Heavy Uncertainty
Petróleos Mexicanos’ (Pemex) US$8 billion bank loan comes amid heavy investor uncertainty over the oil company’s debt load, but lenders wanting to maintain links with Pemex and the left-wing administration overseeing the firm may have little choice but to commit to the financing.The state-backed oil producer is tapping its relationship banks to refinance a chunk of liabilities, a big…
Sempra Names Bilicic Group President
Sempra Energy on Monday announced that George W. Bilicic has been named group president, effective upon completion of his service at Lazard later this year. Bilicic will lead the company's strategy, corporate development, and legal activities, reporting to Jeffrey W. Martin, chairman and CEO of Sempra Energy.Bilicic is currently a vice chairman of investment banking with Lazard Ltd, a New York-based investment banking firm.
Shell Pursues Exit from Indonesia LNG Project
Royal Dutch Shell is moving to sell its stake in Indonesia's $15 billion Abadi liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, industry and banking sources said, following on from an asset disposal program that has raised more than $30 billion.Shell, the world's largest buyer and seller of LNG, is raising cash to help pay for its $54 billion purchase of BG Group in 2015 and hopes to raise around $1 billion from the sale of its 35 percent stake in the project…
MOL, Mitsui Join in Modec FPSO Project
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Mitsui & Co have participated in a long-term charter business operated by MODEC for the purpose of providing a floating production, storage, and offloading system (FPSO) for use in the Area 1 block offshore Mexico and a loan agreement for the Project was entered into on April 12, 2019.Mitsui and MOL invested in Area1 Mexico MV34 B.V. ("MV34"), a Dutch company established by MODEC…
Mexico Could Pay Pemex Debt from Stabilization Fund
Mexico's deputy finance minister said on Thursday the government was considering using part of a $15.4 billion public income stabilization fund to pay some debt obligations for heavily leveraged state oil company Pemex.The finance ministry is working on a new design for the fund to make it counter cyclical, deputy minister Arturo Herrera said in an interview with TV network ADN40, during…
EnQuest Shares Slump to Three-year Low
British oil firm EnQuest's shares slumped to a three-year low on Tuesday after Cairn Energy, its partner in its flagship Kraken project, cut its estimate of the oilfield's reserves by around a fifth.The Kraken oil and gas field in the British North Sea is EnQuest's largest producing asset. EnQuest holds around a 70 percent stake and Cairn owns the rest.Cairn said in a statement that it had revised down its estimate of Kraken's reserves by 19 percent…
Spliethoff Gets Green Loan From ING, EIB
Dutch banking group ING and the European Investment Bank said they will provide a EUR 110 million ($123 million) loan to Dutch ship management firm Spliethoff’s Bevrachtingskantoor B.V. for retrofitting vessels with exhaust gas cleaning systems.According to a European Commission press release, Spliethoff will use the loan to retrofit 42 of its vessels with exhaust gas cleaning systems…
Verus Petroleum Up For Sale
Private equity firm HitecVision is seeking to sell its British North Sea oil and gas production unit Verus Petroleum, which last year completed a string of large acquisitions ramping up its output, industry and banking sources said.The sale process is being run by investment bank Jefferies and could fetch $500 million, according to the sources.HitecVision and Verus Petroleum did not respond to requests for comment.
Eni Continues High-speed Gulf Drive
In less than 12 months Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi has turned the Middle East from a sideshow to a strategic hub for the Italian energy major. And the shift is not over.Since last March the 63-year-old has clinched nine deals in the United Arab Emirates, gained a toehold in Bahrain and expanded in Oman to reshape the group's future.In the latest deal on Sunday, Eni pledged $3.3 billion to buy part of the world's fourth-biggest refinery in the UAE…
DAVOS: Oil Majors Huddle in DAVOS to Mull Future
When the global oil industry held its biggest annual gathering this week in the Swiss town of Davos, it invited banking bosses and fund managers to discuss two key topics - climate change and pressure from investors.The conclusion of the discussions was worrying for those present - pressure is rising and the industry is losing a battle not to be seen as one of the world's biggest evils.The answer?
Aramco reportedly seeks advisers for SABIC Debt Financing
Saudi Aramco is seeking advisers to arrange debt financing needed for the acquisition of a stake in Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), banking sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.The Saudi oil giant could borrow as much as $50 billion from international investors to fund the acquisition, sources previously told Reuters.A request for proposals was sent on Wednesday and banks are expected to make submissions by Monday…
Total Seeks Exit from Dutch Upstream
Total has launched the sale of its offshore gas fields in the Netherlands, a move that would mark the French energy giant's exit from Dutch upstream production after 55 years, industry and banking sources said.The Paris-based company hired investment bank Jefferies in December to run the process that could raise $300 to $400 million, according to the sources.Total had no immediate comment…
Motive Offshore Appoints Brebner as Finance Director
Motive Offshore Group, which is headquartered in Boyndie, Aberdeenshire, has seen a record turnover for 2018 and is set to exceed its projected 20% increase on the previous year.To support founding directors James Gregg and Dave Acton with their ongoing growth strategy for the business, John Brebner has joined the management team as finance director as Motive plans to start on the acquisition trail in 2019.Brebner…
Total in Talks to Sell North Sea Assets
French energy giant Total is in advanced talks with privately owned firms Albion Energy and First Alpha Energy Capital on the sale of some of its British North Sea assets, two industry sources said.In July, four banking sources told Reuters Total was set to sell a third of its stake in the Laggan Tormore gas field along with other oil and gas assets North Sea that could fetch a total of $1.5 billion.Total and First Alpha had no comment.
BP Launches $3 Bln Sale of US Onshore Assets
Britain's BP has launched the sale of U.S. oil and gas onshore assets that could raise more than $3 billion to help pay for other fields in the United States it bought in October from BHP, industry and banking sources said.The sale proceeds will partly fund the $10.5 billion acquisition of BHP's onshore assets that are mostly around oil-producing fields in Texas and Louisiana. BP had…
Uniper intensifies LNG plans with Japan's Mitsui OSK
Mitsui OSK Lines to own, fund FSRU in Wilhelmshaven; FSRU could be operational in H2 2022.Energy group Uniper on Monday entered agreements with Japanese shipping group Mitsui OSK Lines to handle potential deliveries of liquefied natural (LNG) gas into Germany.Discussions about LNG have flared up recently as the German government wants to diversify away from pipeline gas arriving from Russia, Norway and the Netherlands.
Chrysaor Sets Sights on Chevron's North Sea Assets
Private equity-backed oil firm Chrysaor has hired advisers ahead of talks to buy Chevron's British North Sea oil and gas fields for over $2.5 billion, industry and banking sources said.Chrysaor has signed up investment banks Jefferies and BMO for the discussions as a deadline for bids approaches before Christmas, the four sources said.Chevron said earlier this year it was selling its assets in the central North Sea…
Chevron Announces Leadership Changes
Oil major Chevron announced Monday it has named Navin Mahajan vice president and treasurer, effective February 1, 2019, and Dale Walsh vice president of Corporate Affairs, effective March 1.Mahajan, who is currently vice president, Finance Downstream & Chemicals, succeeds Randy Richards, who is retiring from Chevron after 40 years of service. Mahajan will oversee banking, financing…
