LONDON, April 30 (UPI) --
Britain's BG Group made a $13 billion bid for Australia's Origin Energy.
Origin Energy is Australia's second-biggest electricity and gas retailer with nearly 3 million customers in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and New Zealand. It also has several gas-fired power stations. Analysts, however, say BG wants to use Origin's Queensland coal-seam methane gas reserves to export millions of tons of Australian liquefied natural gas to the Asia-Pacific region, the Australian reported.
BG assured the government it will increase domestic gas supplies if its bid is successful, but some fear a foreign company would push Australian gas prices up.
The Origin board had not yet considered the proposal and officials said a meeting between the parties would be held. The bid would still need to be approved by the Foreign Investment Review Board.© 2008 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
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