BP Amoco and Atlantic Richfield Co. plan to take the next formalstep to close their merger by restarting the required 20-day noticeperiod, suspended Nov. 2, to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC).The companies concede the FTC has concerns about their pairing, butthe merger partners said they don’t agree with the issues raised bythe commission.

The companies said they believe the combination would enlargerather than adversely affect competition. They have failed to getFTC acceptance of a number of concessions. BP Amoco and Arco saidthey accept that re-triggering the notice could prompt the FTC toseek resolution of the issues through litigation. A meeting withthe FTC is set for today to discuss next steps.

The $26.8 billion merger was announced April 1. In December BPAmoco secured Alaskan agreement for the deal after agreeing to apackage of measures with Governor Tony Knowles (see Daily GPI Nov.3, Dec. 3, 13). The package included divestments of 175,000 barrelsa day of Alaskan production and 620,000 acres of state and federalexploration lands, along with the sale of a matching stake in theTrans-Alaska pipeline and the sale or transfer of Jones Act shipsto buyers of production – actions facilitating the entry of one ormore major new operators in the state

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