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Brookfield, KKR Said to Weigh Bids for Aramco Pipeline Stake

Published 21/01/2021, 10:51
Updated 21/01/2021, 10:54
© Bloomberg. Crude oil pipeline at Ras Tanura oil refinery in Saudi Arabia.

© Bloomberg. Crude oil pipeline at Ras Tanura oil refinery in Saudi Arabia.

(Bloomberg) -- Brookfield Asset Management (TSX:BAMa) and KKR (NYSE:KKR) are among top infrastructure investors weighing bids for a stake in Saudi Aramco’s oil pipelines, people familiar with the matter said.

Apollo Global Management (NYSE:APO) and China’s state-backed Silk Road Fund Co. have also been studying whether to make offers, the people said, asking not to be identified as the matter is private. The stake sale could fetch Aramco (SE:2222) around $10 billion, the people said.

The world’s top oil producer has asked for expressions of interest and aims to receive non-binding offers next month, according to the people. Aramco’s advisers are also gauging interest from other potential bidders including sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corp., the people said. Some bidders may team up given the size of the transaction, they said.

Aramco has been seeking to raise funds by selling stakes in non-core assets, mirroring a strategy adopted by Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. An investor group including Brookfield and GIC Pte invested $10.1 billion in Adnoc’s natural-gas pipelines last year.

While large Canadian pension funds often pursue such assets, some may shy away from the Aramco deal given political tensions between their government and Saudi Arabia, according to the people. Deliberations are at an early stage, and details of the potential transaction could change, the people said.

Representatives for Apollo, Aramco, Brookfield, CIC and KKR declined to comment. A spokesperson for the Silk Road Fund didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Aramco is lining up a loan of about $7.5 billion that will be offered to potential investors in the oil pipelines, people familiar with the matter said last week. The oil producer is seeking new sources of capital to maintain annual dividend payments of $75 billion at a time of lower crude prices. Most of those payouts go to the Saudi state, which needs the money to fund its budget.

(Updates with names of potential Chinese bidders in paragraphs 2-3)

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

© Bloomberg. Crude oil pipeline at Ras Tanura oil refinery in Saudi Arabia.

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