By Hadeel Al Sayegh, Federico Maccioni and Yousef Saba
DUBAI (Reuters) – A group of investors led by BlackRock’s Global Infrastructure Partners are in talks with lenders to secure up to $10.3 billion in financing for Aramco’s Jafurah infrastructure deal, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
Banks, including JPMorgan and Japanese lender Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, are in talks to participate in the transaction, the two sources said.
The debt financing will be split into two parts, a short-term and a long-term loan, said the people, declining to be named because the matter is not public. Aramco, BlackRock, JPM and SMBC declined to comment.
Under the deal, a newly formed subsidiary, Jafurah Midstream Gas Company (JMGC), will lease development and usage rights for gas processing facilities around the Jafurah gas development and lease them back to Aramco for 20 years.
Aramco will retain a 51% stake in JMGC, with the remaining 49% held by the investor group.
(Reporting by Hadeel Al Sayegh, Federico Maccioni and Yousef Saba)
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