Saudi Aramco has signed an agreement to buy Sempra Energy, an energy infrastructure company based in San Diego. The acquisition comes with the state-owned oil giant’s vision of becoming a prominent player in the international gas sector.
According to Giles Farrer, research director at energy and minerals consultancy Wood Mackenzie, said, if it transitions to a sales and purchase agreement, it will become of the ‘largest LNG deals ever signed and the largest deal signed since 2013’.
Under the terms of the agreement, Aramco will make a 25 percent equity investment in Sempra’s Port Arthur LNG facility in Texas. Sempra will significantly benefit through the agreement because it becomes one of the many companies attempting to develop the US facilities to export LNG.
It also appears that Aramco has been targeting investments in a US LNG facility. With that, the agreement with Sempra is a great opportunity for both companies. For Aramco, the deal is a way forward in its long-term strategy to become a global LNG player, Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said in a press statement.
“With global demand for LNG expected to grow by around 4% per year, and likely to exceed 500 million metric tons a year by 2035, we see significant opportunities in this market and we will continue to pursue strategic partnerships which enable us to meet rising global demand for LNG,” he said.
CNBC reports that Aramco has been exploring North America, the Russian Arctic and Africa for natural gas partnerships and assets. The company has outlined a goal to double its total gas production 23 billion cubic feet per day over the next 10 years.