世界石油

（彭博社）“雪佛龙公司预计，与埃克森美孚公司之间关于圭亚那石油合同的纠纷将在未来几个月内得到解决，这将有助于今年完成对赫斯公司 530 亿美元的收购。

埃克森美孚于 3 月份启动仲裁程序，声称自己对赫斯拥有的 Stabroek 区块 30% 的股份和埃克森美孚拥有的 45% 股份拥有优先购买权。赫斯要求在第三季度举行听证会，并在第四季度做出决定。

雪佛龙首席执行官迈克·沃斯 (Mike Wirth) 周一在接受彭博电视台采访时表示，“这就是我们在仍在展开的过程中努力争取的时机”。五到六个月是“足够的时间范围来澄清此处的具体合同条款。”

埃克森美孚和雪佛龙都任命了一名仲裁员，组成一个由三人组成的小组，对案件进行裁决。雪佛龙辩称，埃克森美孚的优先购买权并不适用，因为其交易是与赫斯的公司合并，而不是资产出售。

“我们相信我们对这份合同有正确的解释，”沃斯说。

这场纠纷已经推迟了雪佛龙对赫斯的收购，有可能使这家石油巨头陷入战略困境数月或更长时间。该交易仍需通过单独程序获得美国联邦贸易委员会的批准。埃克森美孚在圭亚那近海发现了11桶石油储量，这是该公司股票在过去三年中表现优于竞争对手的关键驱动因素。赫斯交易将帮助雪佛龙缩小这一差距。

沃斯表示，目前与埃克森美孚没有进行平行谈判。仲裁程序由国际商会管辖。

“在仲裁程序启动之前，我们一直在进行对话，赫斯也一直在与该联合运营协议的其他成员进行对话，以努力了解他们的担忧，”沃斯说。 “仲裁确实结束了当时的讨论，这就是我们今天走的路。”

主要图片（来源：路透社）

World Oil

(Bloomberg) – Chevron Corp. expects a resolution to a dispute with Exxon Mobil Corp. over a Guyana oil contract in coming months that would allow for the completion of the $53 billion acquisition of Hess Corp. this year.

Exxon began arbitration proceedings in March, arguing it has a right of first refusal over Hess’s 30% stake in the Stabroek Block operated and 45% owned by Exxon. Hess has asked for a hearing in the third quarter and a decision in the fourth quarter.

“That’s the timing we’re working toward in a process that’s still unfolding,” Chevron Chief Executive Officer Mike Wirth said in a Bloomberg Television interview on Monday. Five to six months is “a sufficient time frame within which to clarify the specific contract provisions here.”

Exxon and Chevron have both appointed one arbitrator to what will be a three-person panel that will decide the case. Chevron argues Exxon’s right of first refusal does not apply because its deal is a corporate merger with Hess, rather than an asset sale.

“We’re confident we have the right interpretation of this contract,” Wirth said.

The dispute already has delayed Chevron’s acquisition of Hess, threatening to leave the oil giant in strategic limbo for months or longer. The transaction still needs approval from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission through a separate process. Exxon’s discovery of an 11 Bbbl trove of oil offshore Guyana is a key driver of the stock’s outperformance relative to rivals over the past three years. The Hess deal would help Chevron close that gap.

Wirth indicated there are currently no parallel negotiations ongoing with Exxon. The arbitration proceeding is governed by the International Chamber of Commerce.

“Before the arbitration process was initiated, we had been in conversation, and Hess had been in conversation with the other members of this joint-operating agreement in an effort to understand their concerns,” Wirth said. “The arbitration really ended those discussions at the time, and that’s the path that we’re on today.”

Lead image (Credit: Reuters)