Maersk to list its oil arm, but not other units, report says

North Sea licensing — Industry has welcomed the launch of the 33rd round, though activists have warned of a legal challenge on the horizon.

Danish conglomerate Maersk will float its oil business but has dropped plans to list its smaller business units, a news report said.

“Maersk Oil will, according to the plan, be listed separately, and it will happen within the next six to 12 months,” a source told Danish newspaper Berlingske.

The report said Maersk Supply Service and Maersk Drilling won’t be listed.

The sources did say, however, that a final decision on the IPO of Maersk Oil had yet to be taken, and that a merger with another player, or a divestment, was still a possibility.

In September, Maersk announced plans to split into two separate divisions – transport and logistics and energy.

The group intends to have a plan in place for the separation by the end of 2018.