Simmons & Simmons is advising energy supplier Argos Oil on its merger talks with energy supplier North Sea Group (NSG). If the talks are successful, this autumn will see the creation of the largest independent player on the North-West European market, with more than 850 employees, a combined tank storage capacity of over 1.5 million m3 and annual turnover of approximately €10 billion.

NSG and Argos Oil are strong in midstream and downstream activities. The new company will be active throughout Western Europe; in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France and Switzerland. Outside Europe, the envisaged combined organisation will be represented in Brazil, Singapore and China, among others.

The Simmons & Simmons team is being led by corporate partner Pieter van Uchelen, together with corporate associates Rhamsey Croes and Martijn Stuart, competition partner Marco Slotboom and competition associate Sebastiaan ter Wee.

Pieter van Uchelen said: “We have a long standing relationship with Argos and have worked with them on various matters, such as financing transactions and international joint ventures.  This is a major development in the North-West European energy market and we are proud to be involved in this transaction, both during the initial strategic considerations as well as during the merger discussions.”