When QGC threw in the towel, the then MD Richard Cottee said publicly that QGC had developed to a stage where it needed an established international player to successfully take it to the next stage wrt to production and international marketing.
AOE at this stage may have progressed a bit more than QGC then. But likewise it still has the same big hurdle to clear the transition to be a successful international player.
Yes, AOE has every potential to the next WPL but it must be able a major player in LNG production and marketing. ND and team may be thinking that if the international assets can produce better and quicker returns without having to raise huge capitals for LNG plants in India, China, Vietnam or Indonesia, why all the headache of an LNG plant in FL? Handball to Shell and cash in first, and move on to the less complicated business of proving reserves and supplying gas to the big domestic markets in Asia
One must remember that QGC did not plan for an LNG project even though it was about the same size as AOE. No other CSG players in the ASX would dare even to think of an LNG project. I believe without exception everyone of them would hope to prove some great reserves and then start praying for the "White Knight" to appear.
DYOR
AOE Price at posting:
$5.04 Sentiment: LT Buy Disclosure: Held
