Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.9101 — ExxonMobil/Qatar Petroleum/ExxonMobil Exploration Argentina/Mobil Argentina) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance.)
Date: 2018-09-18
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: chemical industry, economic concentration, electrical energy, energy production, gas industry, merger control, oil industry, petrochemicals








C_2018329EN.01000501.xml










18.9.2018   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 329/5






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.9101 — ExxonMobil/Qatar Petroleum/ExxonMobil Exploration Argentina/Mobil Argentina)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2018/C 329/04)

1.   
On 10 September 2018, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).
This notification concerns the following undertakings:






—


Exxon Mobil (United States),










—


Qatar Petroleum (Qatar),










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ExxonMobil Exploration Argentina SRL (Argentina), belonging to ExxonMobil,










—


Mobil Argentina SA (Argentina), belonging to ExxonMobil.




Exxon Mobil and Qatar Petroleum acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of ExxonMobil Exploration Argentina SRL and Mobil Argentina SA.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


2.   
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






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Exxon Mobil is active worldwide in the development, production, and sale of crude oil and natural gas; the refining and sale of refined petroleum products; the development, production, and sale of various chemical products; and power generation,










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Qatar Petroleum is active worldwide in the exploration, drilling and production operations, transport, storage, marketing and sale of crude oil, refined products, liquefied natural gas (LNG), petrochemicals and fertilisers,










—


ExxonMobil Exploration Argentina SRL and Mobil Argentina SA are wholly owned affiliates of ExxonMobil in Argentina, which own and operate the Vaca Muerta shale field in Neuquen province in Argentina and are active in the exploration, development, production, and sale of crude oil and gas in Argentina.






3.   
On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.
Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.


4.   
The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.
Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified:
M.9101 — ExxonMobil/Qatar Petroleum/ExxonMobil Exploration Argentina/Mobil Argentina
Observations can be sent to the Commission by email, by fax, or by post. Please use the contact details below:





E-mail: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu




Fax +32 22964301




Postal address:




European Commission




Directorate-General for Competition




Merger Registry




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË







(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.