Did BP Pay Reliance Industries a Bit Too Much?

We are a bit surprised to see BP pay so much for exploration rights as a minority partner in offshore Indian gas blocks, although the move could turn out to be quite savvy

Jason Stevens 23 February, 2011 | 10:04AM
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

Over the weekend, BP (BP.) announced a deal to pay as much as $9 billion for a 30% stake in Reliance Industries' oil and gas assets. Initially, BP will pay the Indian firm $7.2 billion for interests in 23 oil and gas blocks, mostly offshore. BP will pay up to an additional $1.8 billion depending on exploration success. The two companies will create a joint venture to market natural gas.

This is the second large deal we've seen BP pursue since the Deepwater Horizon incident, intended to demonstrate that BP can continue to grow despite significant asset sales. We are a bit surprised to see BP pay so much for exploration rights as a minority partner in offshore Indian gas blocks, but also think the move could turn out to be quite savvy. India's energy demand is growing at a very rapid rate, and the country lacks significant domestic oil and gas production. If BP and Reliance find success in their exploration efforts, there's a very large local market for hydrocarbons. The deal gives Reliance access to BP's technology and expertise in deep-water exploration and production, plus a large cash infusion.

The information contained within is for educational and informational purposes ONLY. It is not intended nor should it be considered an invitation or inducement to buy or sell a security or securities noted within nor should it be viewed as a communication intended to persuade or incite you to buy or sell security or securities noted within. Any commentary provided is the opinion of the author and should not be considered a personalised recommendation. The information contained within should not be a person's sole basis for making an investment decision. Please contact your financial professional before making an investment decision.

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

Securities Mentioned in Article

Security NamePriceChange (%)Morningstar
Rating
BP PLC510.40 GBX-1.05Rating

About Author

Jason Stevens  Jason Stevens is an associate director of equity research at Morningstar.

© Copyright 2024 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

Terms of Use        Privacy Policy        Modern Slavery Statement        Cookie Settings        Disclosures