Oil Search in talks to join InterOil, Total in PNG project

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Oil Search International (OIS) says it is in talks about getting involved in development of the Elk and Antelope oil discoveries in Papua New Guinea, which may contain more than 5T cu. ft. of natural gas.
Just three days ago, InterOil (IOC) agreed to sell a majority interest in the discoveries to Total (TOT) in a deal worth up to US$3.6B, depending on how much gas is confirmed to be there.
TOT had hinted at a selldown when confirming the deal with IOC but didn’t name a prospective partner; one way to facilitate OIS’s entry into Elk-Antelope could be an equity swap involving part of its stake in the Taza oil and gas discovery in Iraq's Kurdistan.
IOC +4.8%, TOT -0.6% premarket.