InterOil take over approved

ExxonMobil will now own InterOil’s assets in the undeveloped Elk-Antelope gas fields, in the Gulf Province, and exploration licenses covering about 16,000sqkm.

In a statement today, InterOil announced that the Supreme Court of Yukon in Canada, granted a final order approving the arrangement between InterOil and ExxonMobil.

In November 2016 the Yukon Supreme Court had initially upheld an appeal by InterOil founder, Phil Mulacek, against an original takeover offer.

Last week InterOil shareholders overwhelmingly approved a revised transaction agreement with Exxon Mobil with more than 91 per cent of  votes cast in favour.

Previously 80 per cent of shareholders voted to approve the original transaction  at a Special Meeting on September 21, 2016.

According to the amended agreement Exxon Mobil lifted the maximum price payable for InterOil by about 10 per cent to US$78.94 (K236) per share. 

The offer was structured as a US$45 (K135) per share flat cash payment, plus an extra US$7.07 (K21) per share for each trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas certified as being held in Elk-Antelope. 

Under the approved arrangement, ExxonMobil now becomes a Joint Venture in the Papua LNG Project, operated by Total SA, and the PNG Government, with expected first gas in the early 2020s.

The Papua LNG will be supported by the Elk-Antelope gas field, located in the Eastern Papuan Basin.

ExxonMobil now has a commanding position in the basin with a record of five successful discoveries originally by InterOil – Triceratops, Elk, Antelope, Raptor and Bobcat.

This afternoon, an ExxonMobil spokesperson informed Loop PNG that "the acquisition of InterOil as envisioned in the amended agreement continues to represent a significant value to the government and people of Papua New Guinea, as well as to InterOil shareholders.  ExxonMobil looks forward to closing the transaction in accordance with the Plan of Arrangement."

Pictures credit: ​http://www.offshorepost.com/