I wonder if, as the awards date/time got closer and closer, if CVX/XOM or Sinopec, etc. made last minute pitches to EO / Nigeria with bigger and better offers? Or made them to Sao Tome (maybe that makes more sense) This whole thing wasn't supposed to happen until next week anyway. It was pushed through, it would seem. Weren't we all surprised that it went through ahead of schedule? For what purpose?
1. Either to cement the deal quickly for some reason (drilling schedules, ability to plan next steps, everything was ready so why delay, etc.). It does seem as though the Nigerians wanted it to be pushed through quickly. If pushed through, it would mean no 1st shot there for CVX/XOM, which sure ups the pressure on them for B4.
2. Or, to arrange a sort of "mock" signing, in order to solicit heated competition for this real estate, now that more is known about the underlying structures. Force the hands so to speak. If indeed the B1 structure overlaps into B2 and more, the prospect of today's signing could have caused some pretty fast negotiation by some of the others. Maybe "just in time" to delay the signings. Could the Sao Tomians be savvy enough to orchestrate this? FM could be... This would place Addax or Conoil as the vulnerable party.
disclaimer: you all know I don't know anything. Just brainstorming.
News 
Market Data 
Discover 
