Tullow Oil and Kosmos Energy in early merger talks

Tullow Oil has confirmed that it is engaged in preliminary discussions with US-based Kosmos Energy for a potential all-share acquisition that could reshape the landscape of oil production in West Africa. 

The announcement came after recent media speculation about the discussions regarding Kosmos making a possible all-share offer for Tullow Oil plc.

According to a statement released by Tullow Oil, no firm offer has been made, and there is no certainty that an offer will materialize or the terms it might entail.

However, under the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers, Kosmos has until 5:00 p.m. on January 9, 2025, to either announce a concrete intention to make an offer or declare that they do not intend to proceed, unless an extension is granted by the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers.

The potential merger comes at a time when both companies are dealing with significant debt burdens. Tullow, with a market capitalization of $480 million and net debt around $1.4 billion, has been navigating through operational challenges and the global shift towards renewable energy. 

Kosmos, on the other hand, with a market cap of $1.5 billion and net debt of $2.7 billion, is poised to benefit from the upcoming start-up of the Tortue LNG project off Senegal and Mauritania.

If the merger goes through, the combined entity would boast a production capacity exceeding 130,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), leveraging assets across Mauritania, Senegal, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

This consolidation could provide both companies with economies of scale, potentially reducing costs and enhancing operational efficiencies in their shared West African fields, notably the Jubilee and Tweneboa Enyenra Ntomme (TEN) oilfields in Ghana.

The timing of these talks coincides with significant leadership changes at Tullow, with CEO Rahul Dhir stepping down on December 4, 2024, potentially leaving the company in a transitional phase which might make it more amenable to such strategic moves. Market reactions to the news have been mixed, with Tullow’s shares dropping by more than seven percent and Kosmos’s shares declining by about 15 percent following the announcement.

Source: Graphic Online