The FINANCIAL — Total has signed an agreement to divest its remaining 15% interest in the Gina Krog field in Norway to Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC).
This agreement builds on the 2016 transaction between Total and KUFPEC concerning Norwegian North Sea assets, which included a 15% interest in Gina Krog. The overall consideration for both deals will total $617 million, according to Total.
“We have decided to completely divest our interest in the Gina Krog project and focus on other opportunities in Norway, which remains a key country for Total,” commented Arnaud Breuillac, President, Exploration & Production, “This sale is in line with our objective to optimize the Group’s allocation of capital by efficiently managing our portfolio of assets. With the recent acquisition of Maersk Oil & Gas, announced on August 21, the Group’s position in the North Sea will be significantly strengthened.”
Upon completion of the sale, Total will no longer have an interest in the Gina Krog field, while KUFPEC will have a 30% stake alongside Statoil (58.7%, operator), PGNiG Upstream International (8%) and Aker BP (3.3%). The Gina Krog oil and gas field started production in June 2017.
Total Exploration & Production in Norway
Total has been present in Norway for over fifty years and has played a major role in the development of a number of large fields on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Total holds interests in 85 production licenses (including Gina Krog), 32 of which it operates. The affiliate Total E&P Norge AS, located in Stavanger, is one of the largest contributors to the Group’s equity production with 235,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2016.
