Chrysaor will acquire from Shell a mix of older fields, new developments and infrastructure in a move analysts say could breathe new life into one of the world's oldest offshore basins where production has been in a steady decline since the late 1990s.
The anticipated deal in what is a relatively high-cost region has been seen by the industry as a test for the sector's appetite for buying and selling oil and gas fields as it slowly emerges from two-and-a-half years of downturn.
The deal is expected to be announced in the coming days to coincide with Shell's full-year results released on 2 February.
Chrysaor will take charge of hundreds of Shell and former BG employees that work on the platforms.
