http://www.intellinews.com/middle-east-and-north-africa-1003/interview-hungarian-government-open-to-mol-bid-for-gulf-keystone-sees-mol-becoming-regional-flagship-national-economy-minister-32694/?back=search&f=hxxp%3A%2F%
| March 25, 2014, 1:25pm GMT
inShare
WASHINGTON (CI MENA) -- Hungarian Minister of State for National Economy Prof. Dr. Zoltan Csefalvay said the government would be open to state-controlled oil and gas group MOL (BSE:MOL) bidding for listed UK independent E&P company Gulf Keystone Petroleum (LSE: GKP).
Gulf Keystone, one the major producers in oil rich Iraqi Kurdistan, has been seen as a takeover target for the past two years and is an important a joint venture partner with MOL. In January, MOL sources said they do not exclude making a bid for Gulf Keystone.
In an interview at the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, Csefalvay said while the “strategy of MOL is decided by MOL,” the country would welcome MOL becoming a flagship company on regional level.
“We can say from a foreign policy point of view to have some regional player would be very important. Not just in energy but in other fields,” he said.
MOL can easily receive financing for any potential bid for Gulf Keystone through its Gulf based shareholder Oman Oil, financial sources in the west and in Oman said. Oman Oil owns a 7 percent stake in MOL while Sharjah, UAE-based Crescent Petroleum owns a 3 percent stake.
Another potential partner for a MOL bid for Gulf Keystone could be Russia’s Gazpromneft, a Gazpromneft source said. The source said Gazpromneft is currently developing fields in Kurdistan and that Gulf Keystone could represent an interesting target.
In mid-March, MOL announced it has launched early production from Bijell Field on its Iraqi Kurdistan Akri Bijeel Block.
The block is operated by MOL's 100% owned subsidiary Kalegran. Production at the Bijell-1B is around 3,500 barrels per day. Production at the Bijell-2, -4 and -6 wells will start later this year and at the Bijell-8, -9 and -10 blocks will begin in the first half of next year.
Kalegran holds an 80% working interest in Akri-Bijeel block and Gulf Keystone owns the balance. Kalegran and Gulf Keystone partner in the exploration of Kurdish Shaikan Block.
Minister Csefalvay spoke with IntelliNews/Capitol Intelligence at a Visegrad Group conference titled Central Europe: Innovative and Open for Business hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC on March 24, 2014.
By PK Semler in Washington, DC