Preussag, Shell and Todd application

Commerce Commission: Preussag, Shell and Todd apply for restrictive trade practice authorisation

Three parties, Preussag Energie, Shell Exploration and Todd Petroleum Mining, have applied to the Commerce Commission for authorisation to enter into arrangements to jointly market and sell gas produced from the Pohokura field off the Taranaki coast.

The Commerce Act prohibits competitors agreeing to work together in a way that reduces competition between them. However, the Act does allow for authorisation of potentially anti-competitive business practices if the public benefit is greater than the detriment to competition.

The Act sets no deadline for the Commission to consider authorisation of a potentially anti-competitive practice. Public notices asking for submissions will be published shortly.

A public version of the application will be available on the Commission’s website, http://www.comcom.govt.nz, in the New Year.

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