 The final form of Saudi Aramco’s initial public offering (IPO) is not yet decided due to potential complications in the share sale, The Economist reported on its website, citing chairman Khalid al-Falih.
Due to the huge size of the issue, it can only be handled by the largest stock markets like New York and London, which could lead to potential legal problems that could have ‘unintended consequences’, The Economist quoted Falih as saying.
A listing in New York would raise the possibility of ‘frivolous lawsuits’ against the Saudi kingdom, while a London listing may lead to ‘awkward questions’ about the reach of British authorities into a company’s global revenues and assets, according to Falih.
Saudi Aramco is considering investments in liquefied natural gas and other gas-related projects abroad, Falih said, adding that it also plans to build up domestic businesses in chemicals, power and renewable energy, according to the report.
Though the reserves are constitutionally the property of the kingdom, a concession and an appropriate fiscal regime would enable the company to promise a steady stream of forward income to shareholders, The Economist said, citing Falih.
The world’s biggest oil and gas company last week outlined financing plans that will support its expansion into new areas under a sweeping economic reform plan released by Riyadh this week.
Under the reform plan, a stake of less than 5% of Aramco is to be offered to the public, as well as stakes in some subsidiaries. An IPO, which will be a complex process given the company’s size and strategic importance, may occur in 2017 or 2018.
