INEOS to buy the entire Oil & Gas Business from DONG Energy A/S
The deal positions INEOS as the biggest private enterprise operating in the North Sea
INEOS announced that it has agreed to acquire the Dong Oil & Gas Business from DONG Energy A/S for an unconditional payment of $1.05bn, plus a contingent payment of USD 150 million related to the Fredericia stabilisation plant and a contingent payment of up to USD 100 million subject to the development of the Rosebank field.
In acquiring the entire DONG Oil & Gas Business, the deal positions INEOS as a top ten company in the North Sea and the biggest privately owned exploration and production business operating in this energy basin.
DONG Energy’s Oil & Gas business brings with it a good mix of long life and development fields, producing an average of 100,000 boepd (in 2016) in the North Sea, with around 570 million boe of commercial and potential oil and gas reserves in Denmark, Norway and the UK (West of Shetland).
Jim Ratcliffe, INEOS chairman says,”DONG Energy's Oil & Gas Business is a natural fit for INEOS as we continue to expand our Upstream interests. This business is very important to us at this stage of our growth plans and we are delighted with the expertise that comes with it. We have been successful in our petro-chemical businesses, focussing on operating our assets safely, efficiently and reliably and we intend to do the same with our oil & gas assets. We are keen on further growth and already see lots of opportunity within this impressive portfolio when it transfers to INEOS”.
On completion, 440 people will transfer to INEOS, working across a portfolio of production, development, exploration and appraisal assets in Denmark, Norway and UK (West of Shetland). The business will form part of INEOS Upstream, a business division of the INEOS Group of Companies.
The strong portfolio of assets is built around three world class fields; Ormen Lange is the largest field in the DONG portfolio and the second largest gas field in Norwegian waters, Laggan-Tormore is a new gas field West of Shetland which came on-stream early 2016 and Syd Arne is a large oil field in Denmark. Along with the existing production the portfolio also features several large scale oil & gas developments in Denmark, Norway and UK (West of Shetland).
This transaction will enable INEOS to significantly expand its trading and shipping activities making it a major trader in the sector.
INEOS has much to offer this business, bringing its proven track record in operating complex assets of this nature to further maximise the economic recovery of the hydrocarbons in the acquired portfolio. With a long term view and wide-spread industrial integration, INEOS is ideally placed to extend the lifespan of these assets and invest in the major oil & gas development opportunities that accompany this portfolio.
The DONG Oil & Gas business is a natural fit for INEOS, further strengthening its long-term Upstream activity, which was founded on the acquisition of both DEA’s and Fairfield’s UK portfolios in 2015 and more recently the Forties Pipeline System from BP.
The acquisition and transfer of ownership is targeted to complete within Q3 2017, subject to the receipt of regulatory and other third party approvals.
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