Oct 3 (Reuters) - BP Plc (BP.L) is exploring the sale of a 49% stake in its U.S. oil and gas pipeline network in the Gulf of Mexico, hoping to raise as much as $1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.
While it boosted its shareholder payout by 10% in second-quarter earnings in August, BP's net debt stood at $23.7 billion.
BP has placed its stakes in U.S. Gulf of Mexico pipelines in a new company in which it will hold a 51% position and sell the rest, the sources said.
The pipelines entity generates 12-month earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization of around $200 million, the sources added.
Among the pipelines in which BP holds stakes are the 161-mile Mars Oil Pipeline, the 89-mile Endymion Oil Pipeline and the 115-mile Cleopatra Gas Pipeline, according to its website.
Persons:
Bernard Looney, Shariq Khan, David French, Ron Bousso, Cynthia Osterman
Organizations:
BP Plc, BP, Argos, Pipeline, Gas, Sixth Street Partners, Sixth, Bloomberg News, Thomson
Locations:
Gulf of Mexico, Gulf, Mexico, U.S . Gulf of Mexico, Bengaluru, New York, London