1.   

On 3 April 2020, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).

This notification concerns the following undertakings:

—	Saudi Aramco Development Company (‘SADCO’, Saudi Arabia),

—	Baker Hughes Company (‘BHC’, United States),

—	a newly created joint venture company (the ‘Proposed JV’, Saudi Arabia).

Saudi Aramco Development Company (‘SADCO’, Saudi Arabia) and Baker Hughes Company (‘BHC’, USA) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of a joint venture company to be created (the ‘Proposed JV’, Saudi Arabia).

The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares. SADCO and BHC intend to each purchase 50 % of the share capital of the Proposed JV.

2.   

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—	for SADCO: exploration, production and marketing of crude oil and, to a lesser extent, production and marketing of refined products and petrochemicals;

—	for BHC: provision of integrated oilfield products and services for oil and gas development upstream, midstream and downstream,

—	for the Proposed JV: production and marketing of non-metallic/composite products for use in oil and gas applications.

3.   

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.

Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.

4.   

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified:

M.9804 – Saudi Aramco Development/Baker Hughes/JV

Observations can be sent to the Commission by email, by fax, or by post. Please use the contact details below:

Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu

Fax +32 22964301

Postal address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË