????通訊員 據3月2日路透社報道，周二美國貝克休斯(Baker Hughes)和挪威的Akastor公司在一份聯合聲明中表示，兩家公司計劃合并各自的海上石油鉆井設備部門，組建一家為能源行業服務的全球性公司。
????受新冠肺炎疫情和去年油價暴跌影響新鉆井設備的需求一直疲軟，兩家公司表示，新部門的預估收入在2020年下降了16%，至7.13億美元。
????貝克休斯海底鉆探系統公司與Akastor公司的MHWirth成立了合資公司，雙方各持有50%的股份，并在德克薩斯州休斯頓和挪威南部小鎮克里斯蒂安桑設有兩個總部。
????兩家公司表示:“該項目將產生一家領先的設備供應商，其具有綜合交付能力、財務實力和靈活性，以解決客戶的各種優先事項。”他們還補充稱，這可能導致恢復增長。
????在交易完成后，貝克休斯將從新公司獲得1.2億美元的現金，8000萬美元負債；而Akastor將獲得1億美元現金，2000萬美元負債。
????他們表示:“公司將通過銀行貸款獲得2.2億美元，對貝克休斯和Akastor的現金對價提供資金。”
????Akastor股價在早盤交易中創下了12個月來的新高，截至格林尼治時間0938時上漲5%，高于奧斯陸基準股值，后者下跌0.1%。
????該交易須經監管部門批準，預計將于2021年下半年完成。
????馮于榮 摘譯自 路透社
????原文如下：
????Baker Hughes, Akastor merging offshore oil drilling ops
????Engineering companies Baker Hughes and Akastor plan to merge their offshore oil drilling equipment units to form a global company serving the energy industry, the U.S. and Norwegian firms said in a joint statement on Tuesday.
????Demand for new drilling equipment has been weak amid the COVID-19 pandemic and last year’s plunge in the price of oil, and the companies said proforma revenue for the new unit declined by 16% in 2020 to $713 million.
????Forming a joint venture owned 50% by each of the parent companies, the merger of Baker Hughes Subsea Drilling Systems with Akastor’s MHWirth maintains dual headquarters in Houston, Texas and the southern Norwegian town of Kristiansand.
????“The transaction will result in a leading equipment provider with integrated delivery capabilities, financial strength, and flexibility to address a full range of customer priorities,” the firms said, adding that this could result in a return to growth.
????Baker Hughes will get a cash payout of $120 million from the new firm when the deal closes, and will be owed a further $80 million, while Akastor will receive $100 million in cash and be owed another $20 million.
????“The company will finance the cash consideration payable to Baker Hughes and Akastor by way of a $220 million bank facility,” they said.
????Akastor shares hit a 12-month high in early trade and were up 5% at 0938 GMT, outperforming Oslo’s benchmark stock index, which was down 0.1%.
????The deal is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the second half of 2021.
