Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 27 / Trend E. Kosolapova/
ConocoPhillips has notified government authorities in Kazakhstan and its co-venturers of the company's intent to sell its 8.4 percent interest in the North Caspian Sea Production Sharing Agreement (Kashagan) to ONGC Videsh Limited, ConocoPhillips said.
"Subject to various government approvals, Kazakhstan state preemption rights and co-venturers' preemption rights, ONGC Videsh Limited, the international arm of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited, India, would acquire ConocoPhillips' interest in Kashagan... The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2013," the company said.
Expected proceeds are approximately $5 billion, which represents the purchase price plus expected working capital and customary adjustments at closing.
"The sale of this quality asset is an important component of our ongoing strategic asset disposition program," said Don Wallette, executive vice president, Commercial, Business Development, and Corporate Planning.
At Sept. 30, 2012, the carrying value of the net assets related to ConocoPhillips' interest in Kashagan was approximately $5.5 billion. ConocoPhillips expects to record an after-tax impairment of approximately $400 million in the fourth quarter of 2012 to reduce the carrying value to fair value.
Through Sept. 30, 2012, the company's 2012-13 disposition program has yielded proceeds of $2.1 billion. Once closed, this transaction would increase that total to approximately $7 billion, and strongly position the company to accomplish its target of $8-$10 billion by the end of 2013.
Kashagan is one of the largest fields discovered in the past 40 years. According to analysts. Kashagan has the potential to unite the top five largest oil companies in the world. Kazakh geologists estimate geological oil reserves at 4.8 billion tons. According to the project operator, total oil reserves are 38 billion barrels (six billion tons), with a recoverable volume of about 10 billion barrels. Natural gas reserves are estimated at over one trillion cubic meters.
The companies, develop the project, are planning to begin commercial production on Kashagan in the first quarter of 2013.
At present the Kashagan project participants are Eni, Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil, Total and KazMunaiGas, which owns equal shares (16.81 per cent), as well as ConocoPhillips - 8.4 per cent and Japan's Inpex - 7.55 per cent.