Mergers, Acquisitions and Takeovers Case Study

ConocoPhilips' Acquisition of Burlington Resources : The Strategic Fit

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Abstract:
In late 2005, ConocoPhillips (the number three integrated US oil company) has acquired Burlington Resources (one of the prominent independent oil companies of the US) for $35.6 billion. This is one of the major deals in the wave of consolidation that is sweeping the US oil industry since the 1970s. Analysts rationalise that as finding new sources and setting up facilities have become expensive, acquiring assets would save capital investment for major companies. The current consolidation is nothing new for the US oil industry which has witnessed benefits of consolidation during John D. Rockefeller's time. While executives of ConocoPhillips say that acquisition would help them in saving operational costs, experts opine that the deal is overpriced.

Pedagogical Objectives:

• To discuss the acquisition made by ConocoPhilips as to whether it is over priced and to discuss whether the acquisition would reap the benefits of consolidation.

Keywords : Mergers,Acquisitions,Alliances Case Study;Oil companies in the US; Consolidation in the US oil industry; The history of the US oil industry; Standard oil; Expansion strategy of ConocoPhillips; Global oil prices; Investments in Russian oil industry; Mega-mergers in the US oil industry; Economies of scale in the oil industry

Contents : 
US Oil Industry: The Consolidation Phase
Companies Created from Standard Oil
ConocoPhillips’ Acquisition of Burlington Resources: The Strategic Fit?
Consolidation in the US Oil Industry
Consolidation in the US Oil Industry from Late 1990s