New Fortress Energy said it would buy two Golar LNG units in a combined deal valued at $5 billion, expanding its presence in Brazil but also acquiring a fleet of vessels.
The US firm led by businessman Wes Edens signed definitive agreements to acquire Hygo Energy Transition, a joint venture consisting of Tor Olav Troim-led Golar and Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners, but also Golar LNG Partners.
The move is certainly one the biggest deals in the LNG industry since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic early last year.
“With a strong presence in Brazil and a world-class LNG shipping business, Hygo and GMLP are excellent additions to our efforts to accelerate the world’s energy transition,” said Edens.
He said the addition of Hygo would quickly expand the firm’s footprint in South America with three gas-to-power projects in Brazil’s large and fast-growing market.
“With GMLP, we gain LNG ships and world-class operators that are an ideal fit to support our existing terminals and robust pipeline,” he said.
“The consolidation of two of the entrepreneurial LNG downstream players gives the company improved access to capital and creates a unique world-leading energy transition company which Golar shareholders will benefit from being a part of going forward,” Troim said.
Hygo deal and Brazil expansion
With the acquisition of Hygo, New Fortress will acquire an operating floating storage and regasification unit terminal and a 50% interest in a 1500MW power plant in Sergipe, Brazil as well as two other FSRU terminals with 1200MW of power in advanced stages in Brazil.
Hygo’s fleet consists of a newbuild FSRU and two operating LNG carriers.
Under this deal, New Fortress will buy all of the outstanding shares of Hygo for 31.4 million shares of NFE Class A common stock and $580 million in cash.
The transaction has a $3.1 billion enterprise value and a $2.18 billion equity value.
Pursuant to the transaction, Golar will receive 18.6 million shares of New Fortress Class A common stock and $50 million in cash and Stonepeak will receive 12.7 million shares of Class A common stock and $530 million in cash.
Hygo’s Board of Directors, together with Golar and Stonepeak, have already approved the proposed transaction.
In addition, the closing of the transaction is subject to certain regulatory approvals and third party consents.
New Fortress expects the deal to close in the first half of 2021.
Golar LNG Partners deal includes interest in world’s first converted FLNG
As part of GMLP transaction, New Fortress will get a fleet of six FSRUs, four LNG carriers and a 50% interest in Trains 1 and 2 of the Hilli, world’s first converted FLNG vessel working offshore Kribi, Cameroon.
New Fortress has agreed to acquire all of the outstanding common units of the partership for $3.55 per common unit in cash.
Furthermore, the US firm will also buy GMLP’s general partner for equivalent consideration/
The transaction has a $1.9 billion enterprise value and $251 million common equity value.
GMLP’s board of directors unanimously approved the proposed transaction.
Moreover, the closing of this transaction is also subject to several approvals and New Fortress expects to finalize these in the first half of this year.