Woodside Petroleum Ltd (Woodside) and BHP Group (BHP) have entered into a merger commitment deed to combine their respective oil and gas portfolios by an all-stock merger.
On completion of the transaction, BHP’s oil and gas business would merge with Woodside, and Woodside would issue new shares to be distributed to BHP shareholders. The expanded Woodside would be owned 52% by existing Woodside shareholders and 48% by existing BHP shareholders. The transaction is subject to confirmatory due diligence, negotiation and execution of full form transaction documents, and satisfaction of conditions precedent including shareholder, regulatory and other approvals.
With the combination of two high quality asset portfolios, the proposed merger would create the largest energy company listed on the ASX, with a global top 10 position in the LNG industry by production. The combined company will have a high margin oil portfolio, long life LNG assets and the financial resilience to help supply the energy needed for global growth and development over the energy transition.
The combination of Woodside and BHP’s oil and gas business is expected to deliver substantial value creation for both sets of shareholders from across a range of areas, including:
- Greater scale and diversity of geographies, products and end markets through an attractive and long-life conventional portfolio.
- Resilient, high margin operating cash flows to fund shareholder returns and business evolution to support the energy transition.
- Strong growth profile with a plan to achieve targeted Scarborough FID in the 2021 calendar year and capacity to phase the most competitive, high-return options within the portfolio.
- Proven management and technical capability from both companies.
- Shared values and focus on sustainable operations, carbon management and ESG leadership.
- Estimated synergies of more than US$400 million (100% basis, pre-tax) per annum from optimising corporate processes and systems, leveraging combined capabilities and improving capital efficiency on future growth projects and exploration.
- Greater financial resilience, relative to Woodside’s and BHP’s standalone petroleum businesses.
Woodside CEO and Managing Director Meg O’Neill said: “Merging Woodside with BHP’s oil and gas business delivers a stronger balance sheet, increased cash flow and enduring financial strength to fund planned developments in the near term and new energy sources into the future.
“The proven capabilities of both Woodside and BHP will deliver long-term value for shareholders through our geographically diverse and balanced portfolio of tier 1 operating assets and low-cost and low-carbon growth opportunities.
“The proposed transaction de-risks and supports Scarborough FID later this year and enables more flexible capital allocation. We will continue reducing carbon emissions from the combined portfolio towards Woodside’s ambition to be net zero by 2050.”
BHP CEO Mike Henry said: “The merger of our petroleum assets with Woodside will create an organisation with the scale, capability and expertise to meet global demand for key oil and gas resources the world will need over the energy transition.
“Bringing the BHP and Woodside assets together will provide choice for BHP shareholders, unlock synergies in how these assets are managed and allow capital to be deployed to the highest quality opportunities. The merger will also enable the skills, talent and technology of both organisations to build a resilient future as the world’s needs evolve.”
This transaction delivers significant benefits for both Woodside and BHP shareholders by creating a long-life conventional portfolio of scale and diversity of geography, product and end markets.
The combined business will continue to have an unrelenting focus on safe, sustainable and reliable operations, building on Woodside’s and BHP’s strong track records.
It will build on Woodside’s existing targets to reduce net emissions by 15 per cent and 30 per cent by 2025 and 2030 respectively, on the pathway to its ambition of net zero by 2050, applying these to the combined portfolio. Progress will be reported on both an operated and non-operated equity emissions basis.
In support of the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, and to contribute to the energy transition, the combined business will focus on building and maintaining a high return and carbon-resilient portfolio which includes natural gas and new energy technologies.
The combined business is expected to generate significant cash flow this decade to support the development of new energy products and low carbon solutions including hydrogen, ammonia and carbon capture and storage (CCS).
