GE and Baker Hughes today announced that the companies have entered into an agreement to combine GE’s oil and gas business and Baker Hughes to create a world-leading oilfield technology provider with a unique mix of service and equipment capabilities.

The “New” Baker Hughes will be a leading equipment, technology and services provider in the oil and gas industry with $32 billion of combined revenue and operations in more than 120 countries.

By drawing from GE technology expertise and Baker Hughes capabilities in oilfield services, the new company will provide best-in-class physical and digital technology solutions for customer productivity, said a statement.
 
Under the terms of the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, at the closing of the transaction Baker Hughes shareholders will receive a special one-time cash dividend of $17.50 per share and 37.5 per cent of the new company. GE will own 62.5 per cent of the company. The transaction is expected to close in mid 2017.
 
“This transaction creates an industry leader, one that is ideally positioned to grow in any market. Oil and gas customers demand more productive solutions. This can only be achieved through technical innovation and service execution, the hallmarks of GE and Baker Hughes,” said Jeff Immelt, chairman and chief executive officer of GE.

“As we built the GE Oil & Gas business, I have always been impressed by the respect our customers have for Baker Hughes. GE Oil & Gas is a key GE business, one that fully leverages the GE Store. As we go forward, this transaction accelerates our capability to extend the digital framework to the oil and gas industry. An oilfield service platform is essential to deliver digitally enabled offerings to our customers. We expect Predix to become an industry standard and synonymous with improved customer outcomes. GE investors will benefit through ownership of a stronger business with substantial synergies and an improved competitive position. The transaction is expected to add approximately $.04 to GE EPS in 2018, $.08 by 2020.”
 
Martin Craighead, chairman and chief executive officer at Baker Hughes, said: “This compelling combination brings together best-in-class oilfield equipment manufacturing and services, and digital technology offerings for the benefit of all customers and stakeholders. The combination of our complementary assets will create a platform capable of seamless integration while we enhance our ability to deliver optimized and integrated solutions and increase touch points with our customers. In addition, Baker Hughes shareholders will receive a special one-time cash dividend of $17.50 per share and benefit from the upside of a stronger, larger business. With employees of Baker Hughes and GE Oil & Gas coming together, the new company will be an industry leader, well-positioned to compete in the oil and gas industry while pushing the boundaries of innovation for our customers.”   
 
Complementary assets and integrated offerings will provide differentiated services for combined company’s customers. The company will combine the digital solutions, manufacturing expertise and technology from the GE Store and the outstanding track record of success Baker Hughes has in the oilfield services sector. With combined revenue of over $32 billion the product portfolio of GE Oil & Gas and Baker Hughes in drilling, completions, production and midstream / downstream equipment and services will create the second largest player in the oilfield equipment and services industry.

"Customers should expect sustainable innovation and integration that will deliver valuable outcomes. As one company, we will have operations in more than 120 countries. Both companies have invested even in the downturn and have strong, complementary competitive scope across the industry. From GE’s fullstream oil and gas manufacturing and technology solutions spanning across subsea & drilling, rotating equipment, imaging and sensing to the Baker Hughes portfolio in Drilling & Evaluation and Completion & Production, the combined company will be moving beyond oilfield services and into oil and gas productivity solutions," the statement said.
 
The “New” Baker Hughes will have dual headquarters in Houston, Texas and London, UK.  
 
Jeff Immelt, chairman and CEO of GE, will serve as chairman of the board of directors and Lorenzo Simonelli, president and CEO of GE Oil & Gas will serve as president and chief executive officer. Martin Craighead, Baker Hughes chairman and CEO, will serve as vice chairman of the board.  - TradeArabia News Service