Published in Oil Industry News on Tuesday, 20 January 2015 Schlumberger, the world’s largest provider of oilfield services, will buy interest in a Russian drilling contractor Eurasia Drilling Company Limited (“EDC”). Under the agreement, the principal shareholders of EDC will take the company private. Upon delisting of the company from the London Stock Exchange, Schlumberger, through one or more subsidiaries, will acquire a minority equity ownership interest of 45.65% in EDC, in exchange for consideration of $22 per share. The total cost of acquiring this minority interest, including the cost of a call option and various non-competition agreements, is approximately $1.7 billion. The call option will allow Schlumberger, at its election, to purchase the remaining shares in EDC during a two-year period starting three years from the closing of the transaction. This transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of 2015, and is subject to customary closing conditions. EDC is the