Saudi Aramco has finalised with Royal Dutch Shell the execution of definitive agreements to separate and transfer the assets, liabilities and businesses of the Motiva Enterprises joint venture.

The discontinuation of the joint venture and redistribution of the assets allows each company to focus its downstream business, said a joint statement.

As per the terms of the non-binding letter of intent the partners signed in March 2016, both companies have evaluated options and through constructive and successful negotiations selected an optimal deal structure to divide and transfer Motiva Enterprises' assets, liabilities and businesses between the companies, it said.

“Our longstanding investment in the United States is continuing to evolve and strengthen. We view this transaction as a positive outcome of the strong and historic business of Saudi Aramco in the US, and see next steps to support Motiva in its ongoing role as a major refiner and a top provider of refined products and derivatives in the US,” said Amin H  Nasser, president and CEO, Saudi Aramco.  
Under terms of the agreements, the assets retained by Saudi Aramco’s wholly owned Saudi Refining (SRI) subsidiary include:
* The Motiva Enterprises name and legal entity, which will be used in continuing its operations as a Texas-based refiner, distributor and marketer of gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products;
* The 600,000 barrel per day refinery at Port Arthur, Texas. This complex also includes a 40,000 barrel per day base oil manufacturing plant;
* A network of 24 distribution terminals with a total storage capacity of 11.1 million barrels. These facilities support product delivery to approximately 5,300 Shell-branded service stations and unbranded wholesalers, as well as product storage for third-party customers;
* Motiva will have the right to exclusively sell Shell-branded gasoline and diesel in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC, as well as the majority of Florida and the eastern half of Texas.

Shell will assume sole ownership of the Norco refinery (where Shell operates a chemicals plant), the Convent refinery, 11 distribution terminals, and Shell-branded markets in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, a portion of the Florida panhandle, and the North-eastern region of the US.  These assets will be fully integrated with Shell’s downstream business in North America.  

Nasser added: “We fully support Motiva’s transition to a stand-alone integrated downstream provider of energy and with its strategic position, I am confident it will enable new opportunities for growth in the US energy sector.  Saudi Aramco will provide Motiva with the strong financial support and necessary liquidity needed to maintain an investment grade credit rating and capitalize on growth and expansion opportunities to help the company become a highly competitive major downstream player in the US.”

Dan Romasko, Motiva president and CEO, said: “In preparation for transaction close, we are working diligently on two fronts – delivering on our 2017 business plan and preparing the company for a successful transition to stand-alone operation.”

The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2017.

Saudi Aramco’s subsidiaries and affiliates have operated in the US for more than 60 years and are a contributor to the US energy sector through employment, partnerships with energy peers and oil services companies, joint industry and academic collaborations, and research and technology development in three US-based research labs.  SRI’s involvement in the Port Arthur refinery began more than 25 years ago, the statement said.   - TradeArabia News Service