據油價網8月2日消息稱，澳大利亞兩大能源巨頭將合并，成立一家價值160億美元的公司，并將躋身全球20大能源公司之列。

　　據路透社報道，石油搜索公司今天建議桑托斯提高收購報價，使該公司的估值約為62億美元。彭博社指出，這筆交易將為伍德賽德在液化天然氣領域創造競爭對手。

　　根據交易條款，石油搜索公司股東每持有一股該公司股票，就可以獲得0.6275股桑托斯股票。這是早先向石油搜索公司股東提供0.589股桑托斯股票的報價的改進版。

　　這筆交易將使桑托斯通過石油搜索公司參與埃克森美孚領導的巴布亞新幾內亞的PNG液化天然氣公司，獲得一些全球成本最低的液化天然氣產能。

　　桑托斯在一份聲明中說，此次合并將成為"規模和規模上的地區冠軍"，"在澳大利亞、東帝汶、巴布亞新幾內亞和北美擁有多元化的高質量、長壽命、低成本資產組合，具有顯著的增長可選性"。

　　桑托斯還表示，新公司今年的產量將達到約1.16億桶石油當量。

　　據該公司稱，石油搜索公司持有巴布亞液化天然氣公司29%的股份，以及巴布亞液化天然氣公司22.8%的股權，這是一個棕地增長機會。該公司還擁有阿拉斯加Pikka石油項目的多數股權，該項目是該國最近發現的最大陸上石油項目。

　　石油搜索公司與桑托斯的合作是行業整合不僅僅限于美國及其頁巖地帶的最新跡象。不斷變化的能源環境正促使更多公司通過并購尋找長期的業務可持續性選擇。

　　曹海斌 摘譯自 油價網

　　原文如下：

　　Santos, Oil Search Merger Creates $16 Billion Giant

　　Two Australian energy heavyweights are set to merge in a move that will create a company worth $16 billion that will rank among the 20 biggest in the industry globally.

　　Oil Search today recommended an improved takeover offer by Santos that would value the company at some $6.2 billion, according to Reuters. Bloomberg noted that the deal would create a rival for Woodside in the liquefied natural gas space.

　　Per the terms of the deal, Oil Search shareholders would get 0.6275 new Santos shares for every Oil Search share they hold. This was the sweetened version of an earlier offer that gave Oil Search shareholders 0.589 Santos shares.

　　The deal would give Santos access to some of the world’s lowest-cost LNG production capacity via Oil Search’s participation in Exxon-led PNG LNG in Papua New Guinea.

　　In a statement, Santos said the merger would be “a regional champion of size and scale” with “a diversified portfolio of high quality, long-life, low-cost assets across Australia, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea and North America with significant growth optionality.”

　　The new company’s production this year would come in at some 116 million barrels of oil equivalent, Santos also said.

　　Oil Search holds a 29-percent stake in PNG LNG as well as a 22.8-percent interest in Papua LNG—a brownfield growth opportunity, according to the company. It also has a majority stake in the Pikka oil project in Alaska, which is the largest recent onshore oil discovery in the country.

　　The tie-up between Oil Search and Santos is the latest sign that the industry consolidation is not only limited to the United States and its shale patch. The changing environment in energy is prompting more companies to look for long-term business sustainability options through mergers and acquisitions.