CNOOC sells $4B of bonds to pay for part of Nexen transaction debt

CNOOC Limited announced on April 23, 2014 New York time the pricing of its offering of US$4,000 million aggregate principal amount of guaranteed notes.

The offering consists of US$1,250 million of 1.625% guaranteed notes due 2017, US$2,250 million of 4.250% guaranteed notes due 2024 and US$500 million of 4.875% guaranteed notes due 2044 (collectively, the “Notes”). The Notes will be issued by CNOOC Nexen Finance (2014) ULC, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company incorporated in Nova Scotia, Canada, and will be guaranteed by the Company.

The net proceeds from this offering are expected to be approximately US$3,963.2 million. The proceeds are intended to be used in part for repaying all or part of a US$2.0 billion facility that was entered into for the purpose of repaying part of the bridge loan that financed the Company’s acquisition of Nexen Inc. The remaining proceeds, if any, will be used for general corporate purposes.

Related: CNOOC Expands Overseas Businesses with Acquisition of Nexen (Canada)

Application has been made to The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited for listing of, and permission to deal in, the Notes by way of debt issue to professional investors only. Listing of the Notes on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited is not to be taken as an indication of the merits of the Notes, the Company or CNOOC Nexen Finance (2014) ULC.

BOCI Asia Limited, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Deutsche Bank AG, Singapore Branch, Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc and UBS AG, Hong Kong Branch are the joint lead managers and joint bookrunners for the offering