accc approval, page-6

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Here is another source, which includes direct quotes from the ACCC about them having no objection to the merger:

http://www.energynewsbulletin.net/storyview.asp?storyid=2488827§ionsource=s0

SANTOS' planned acquisition of Eastern Star Gas has been given the all clear by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, which said the purchase was unlikely to lessen competition in the domestic market.

The ACCC said the proposed acquisition would only lead to a "small horizontal aggregation" and there would continue to be a number of alternative sources of gas for domestic use in Australia.

In July after much speculation, Santos announced it would acquire ESG in an all-share deal valued at about $924 million.

Santos would then sell a 20% interest in ESG's coal seam gas permits to electricity supplier TRUenergy.

The watchdog said that while TRUenergy was involved in related downstream retail markets, the company's upstream interests after the acquisition would remain insignificant."

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