Santos-Oil Search merger advances

Papuan court approval sees the deal pass another milestone

Shareholders at Papua New Guinea-focused Oil Search will vote on 7 December on their proposed merger with Australian independent oil and gas producer Santos, following a decision by the National Court of Papua New Guinea. The Papuan government had previously voiced concern about the merger, saying it needs to be in the country’s “national interest”. But the National Court has now approved distribution of the proposal to Oil Search shareholders and ordered the company to hold the vote. The offer “is in the best interests of Oil Search shareholders in the absence of a superior proposal”, concluded corporate financial advisor Grant Samuel & Associates, acting as an independent expert to th