bp to sell petrochemicals business to INEOS

bp has agreed to sell its global petrochemicals business to INEOS for a total consideration of $5 billion, subject to customary adjustments.

bp says this is the next strategic step in reinventing the company and the move will further strengthen bp’s balance sheet and deliver its target for agreed divestments a year earlier than originally scheduled.

Under the terms of the agreement, INEOS will pay bp a deposit of $400 million and will pay a further $3.6 billion on completion. An additional $1 billion will be deferred and paid in three separate instalments of $100 million in March, April and May 2021 with the remaining $700 million payable by the end of June 2021. 

Subject to regulatory and other approvals, the transaction is expected to complete by the end of 2020.

Bernard Looney, bp chief executive officer said: “This is another significant step as we steadily work to reinvent bp. These businesses are leaders in their sectors, with world-class technologies, plants and people. In recent years they have improved performance to produce highly competitive returns and now have the potential for growth and expansion into the circular economy.”

“Strategically, the overlap with the rest of bp is limited and it would take considerable capital for us to grow these businesses. As we work to build a more focused, more integrated bp, we have other opportunities that are more aligned with our future direction. Today’s agreement is another deliberate step in building a bp that can compete and succeed through the energy transition.”

In total, the businesses included in the transaction currently employ over 1,700 staff worldwide. These staff are expected to transfer to INEOS on completion of the sale.

This agreement means that bp has now agreed $15 billion of divestments and other disposals through 2019 and 2020 to date, an amount originally expected to be reached by mid-2021.

bp expects to report its second quarter 2020 results on 4 August and to hold a capital markets day to set out details of its new strategic direction in mid-September.