據世界石油6月25日倫敦報道，荷蘭皇家殼牌公司表示，計劃購買BP公司在北海油田的股份，取代BP公司上個月達成的協議。

　　殼牌公司發言人周五表示：“殼牌英國有限公司已同意購買BP公司在Shearwater天然氣中心的權益。”但尚未披露具體條款。“此舉反映了殼牌的戰略，即將上游業務集中在更少的現有頭寸上，為股東創造實質性回報，并為我們新的低碳投資組合的增長提供資金。”

　　殼牌已經是該油田的運營商，對BP的任何出售擁有優先購買權其收購股權的決定終止了 BP 將其控股權剝離給 Tailwind 能源的交易，Tailwind能源是一家由貿易公司 Mercuria 能源集團支持的勘探公司。

　　BP和Tailwind能源沒有立即回應置評請求。

　　殼牌即將收購BP公司在Shearwater的27.5%的開采權益，將其股份擴大到55.5%，并持有SEAL和SILK管道的股份。該交易還有待監管部門的批準。

　　該交易計劃出臺之際，北海地區的并購活動正出現起色，因各公司希望充分利用原油價格從疫情引發的暴跌中復蘇的機會。BP此次出售資產是其250億美元資產出售計劃的一部分，該計劃旨在減輕其債務負擔，并為低碳能源投資提供資金。

　　BP公司最初打算將這一資產作為6.25億美元一攬子計劃的一部分出售給Premier 石油，但在Chrysaor 控股反向收購Premier 石油后，該計劃于去年被取消。

　　Shearwater是北海重要的石油中心之一，其日產量約為1.8萬桶油當量，在2004年達到峰值，日產量超過16萬桶。

　　裘寅 編譯自 世界石油

　　原文如下：

　　Shell to buy BP’s share of Shearwater North Sea gas hub

　　Royal Dutch Shell said it plans to buy BP’s stake in a North Sea field they share, superseding a deal agreed by the British oil major last month.

　　“Shell U.K. Ltd. has agreed to purchase BP’s interest in the Shearwater gas hub,” a spokesperson for the Anglo-Dutch company said Friday, without disclosing terms. “The move reflects Shell’s strategy of focusing our upstream activities on fewer, existing positions to generate material returns for shareholders and to fund the growth of our new low-carbon portfolio.”

　　Shell, already the operator of the field, has right of first refusal to any sale by BP. As such, its decision to acquire the stake puts an end to BP’s deal to divest the holding to Tailwind Energy Ltd., an explorer backed by trading house Mercuria Energy Group Ltd.

　　BP and Tailwind didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

　　Shell is acquiring BP’s 27.5% working interest in Shearwater, expanding its stake to 55.5%, and a share of the SEAL and SILK pipelines, according to the company. The deal is subject to regulatory approval.

　　The planned transaction comes amid a pickup in North Sea mergers and acquisitions as companies look to make the most of crude’s recovery from its pandemic-induced slump. BP’s disposal is part of a $25 billion asset-sale program to help ease its debt burden and fund investments in low-carbon energy.

　　BP had initially intended to sell the asset to Premier Oil Plc as part of a $625 million package, but the plan was scrapped last year following a reverse takeover of Premier by Chrysaor Holdings Ltd.

　　Part of an important hub in the North Sea, Shearwater pumps about 18,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day, having peaked in 2004 at more than 160,000 barrels a day.