Chesapeake to spinoff oil field services unit, divest $4 billion in assets

摘要

Chesapeake Energy Corp., Oklahoma City, has decided to proceed with spinning off its oil field services business, currently conducted through its wholly owned subsidiary Chesapeake Oilfield Operating LLC (COO), almost 3 months after reporting that a spinoff or outright sale of the business was under consideration (OGJ Online, Feb. 24, 2014). COO will also convert into a corporation and change its name to Seventy Seven Energy Inc. Upon completion of the spinoff and an expected recapitalization, $1.1 billion of consolidated COO debt will be eliminated from Chesapeake's balance sheet and Chesapeake will receive a $400 million dividend that will be applied to pay off intercompany debt from the oil field services business, the company said. Chesapeake expects the spinoff and recapitalization transactions to be completed by June 30.