China National Offshore Oil Corp Ltd has issued $2 billion worth of bonds to international investors to raise funds for general corporate purposes, the company said Thursday.
CNOOC Ltd., China's offshore monopoly producer, said in a statement that it has priced $1.5 billion worth of 10-year bonds at 3.875%/year and $500 million worth of 30-year bonds at 5%/year. The notes will be issued on the Hong Kong stock exchange by its subsidiary CNOOC Finance.
"The new offering further implements the company's strategic plan to enhance our financial flexibility by tapping various funding sources to support business growth," Chief Financial Officer Zhong Hua said in the statement.
The notes are expected to be rated Aa3 by ratings agency Moody's and AA- by Standard and Poor's, CNOOC Ltd. said.
(Standard & Poor's, like Platts, is owned by The McGraw-Hill Companies.)
Moody's said Wednesday that its rating reflects CNOOC Ltd.'s stand-alone rating of A2, plus a "two-notch raise based on the high level of expected support" from its parent firm CNOOC Group, which is owned by China's State Council or Cabinet.
"Nevertheless, CNOOC Ltd.'s rating is constrained by its strong appetite for acquisitions and its large capex plan," Moody's analyst Kai Hu said in the ratings note.
Barclays Bank, BOCI Asia and Citigroup are acting as the joint lead managers and joint bookrunners for the offer.
