I think WPL had it's hands full at the time as said by Pat...

I think WPL had it's hands full at the time as said by Pat picking up it's own bargain with which it had synergies. STO with it's involvement already in PNG and OSH had it's synergies there.

Great shame WPL or any othe roiler didn't throw in a bid just to force STO to pay up a bit more. OSH management IMO sitting on hands and not chasing another bid was near criminal to get greater value particularly form other partners in PNG.

Truth is PNG partners all probably have project option of approving new partners and possibly last right of refusal on buy out of any particular project / field / joint facility so they already had control and ability to buy in after all others have done bids. Not sure any others wanted exposure to PNG govt would be my first guess and not sue they wanted Woodside.

STO has got very lucky IMO and I hope they manage it well and if miracles happen and there is stable PNG govt policy and internal politics for a coble of years it will pay off in spades. Even if PNG plays the " resuem assets for state" game again STO has a much larger world disverfication taht OSH and a larger turnover so it won't kill STO like it nearly did for OSH an dlots of PNG oil / Gold companies.

Lets hope STO value now gets recognised, games stop being played with price and value is realised fr all holders before any new world callamity happens