media coverage on nsw and csg, page-18

I knew you would eventually see the light Yaq...... well done!

Let me throw this thought into the mix. It may be better in the long run for Santos if they sweetened the deal to 90 cents cash after the IER comes out. Most posters are conceding a 90c cash bid from anyone would get up. STO is best placed to offer this given it already has ~48% of the footprint, has TRU on board and is politically more palatable than most CSG companies. The ESG Board can pretend they pushed hard to secure this better deal and fully recommend the revised offer.

STO has the cash on hand already. Once they secure ESG they will reconfigure their gas allocations and GLNG Train 3 then moves into the frame as a likely 'goer'. As you correctly point out it would be smart business to negotiate a strategic deal with a major Japanese trading house like Marubeni.