據(jù)海上工程師網(wǎng)2022年7月20日報道，知情人士周三表示，殼牌公司時下正在考慮出售其在美國墨西哥灣的兩個石油和天然氣開發(fā)項目的股份，這可能為這家英國能源巨頭籌集多達15億美元的資金。

消息人士稱，對一些老化資產的潛在撤資，將使殼牌公司能夠專注于世界各地更新和更大的油氣田，包括預計將在2024年開始石油生產的位于墨西哥灣的巨型Whale開發(fā)項目。  

股東和監(jiān)管機構也一直在向殼牌公司施壓，要求其減少油氣業(yè)務，轉向更清潔的能源。

3名消息人士稱，殼牌公司已經(jīng)開始為其位于墨西哥灣的Auger中心和Conger油田37.5%的股份（由美國赫斯公司擔任作業(yè)者）尋求買家的興趣，并聘請了一家投資銀行來運營在最近幾周將啟動的拍賣過程。

兩名消息人士補充稱，總部位于倫敦的殼牌公司的目標是通過出售這些油田的股份獲得大約15億美元的收入，這些油田的日產量約為5萬桶。

消息人士警告稱，不能保證殼牌公司會達成交易，但由于討論是保密的，他們要求匿名采訪。

殼牌公司拒絕置評。 

據(jù)路透社2月報道，殼牌公司今年還尋求剝離英國北海南部兩個天然氣田群的股份。

6月份，殼牌公司表示已暫停出售其在尼日利亞的陸上石油資產的計劃，以遵守尼日利亞最高法院的一項裁決，即殼牌公司必須等待對2019年石油泄漏事件的上訴結果。 

在原油和天然氣價格高企的背景下，探索潛在資產出售是有利的。不過，業(yè)內消息人士稱，價格波動令潛在買家和賣家更難達成交易。 

李峻 編譯自 海上工程師網(wǎng)

原文如下：

Shell Places US Gulf of Mexico Assets Up for Sale

Shell is exploring a sale of its stakes in two U.S. Gulf of Mexico oil and gas developments which could raise as much as $1.5 billion for the energy major, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Potential divestments of some aging assets would allow the company to focus on newer and larger fields around the world, including its giant Whale development in the Gulf which is expected to start production in 2024, the sources said.

Shareholders and regulators also have been pressuring Shell to pare back oil and gas operations and shift toward cleaner forms of energy.

Shell has begun soliciting buyer interest for its Auger hub and its 37.5% stake in the Conger field, which is operated by Hess Corp, having hired an investment bank to run an auction process which kicked off in recent weeks, said three sources.

The London-based company is targeting a valuation of around $1.5 billion from the sale of the fields, which have a combined output of around 50,000 barrels per day, two of the sources added.

The sources cautioned there was no guarantee Shell would secure a deal, and spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private information.

Shell declined to comment.

Shell also has sought this year to divest stakes in two clusters of gas fields in the southern British North Sea, Reuters reported in February. 

Last month, Shell said it had suspended plans to sell its onshore oil assets in Nigeria, to comply with a Nigerian Supreme Court ruling that it had to wait for the outcome of an appeal over a 2019 oil spill.

With crude and natural gas prices high, the backdrop to explore potential sales is favorable. However, price volatility has made it harder for potential buyers and sellers to strike deals, industry sources have said.