(Updates to add BP, Harbour Energy and Adura's statements)
Shell (SHEL.L, SHELL.AS) and Equinor's (EQNR.OL) 50/50 Adura joint venture, and TotalEnergies (TTE.L, TTE.PA), Repsol (REP.MC), and HitecVision-backed Neo Next+ are among the companies interested in acquiring BP's (BP.L) North Sea assets, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday.
People familiar with the matter told the news agency that other possible bidders include EnQuest (ENQ.L), Harbour Energy (HBR.L), Ithaca Energy (ITH.L), Serica Energy (SQZ.L), and Vår Energi (VAR.OL). Talks are in progress, and there is no guarantee that any of the potential buyers will make an offer, according to the report.
In July, BP announced plans to sell its North Sea business, which includes five production hubs, as part of its portfolio review and capital allocation strategy.
Vår Energi and Ithaca Energy had no comment when reached by, while BP said it does not comment on market speculation. Harbour also does not comment on speculation about its portfolio.
Meanwhile, an Adura spokesperson said the company's priority is "securing consent for Jackdaw and Rosebank - two advanced projects of national importance that can define the next chapter for the North Sea and for UK energy security."
Neo Next+, EnQuest, and Serica Energy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)