由于沙特阿拉伯計劃在明年把國有石油公司阿美（Aramco）的一部分賣給投資者，該國正在四處尋找新的能源資產。而他們已經把目光瞄準了美國的石油和天然氣廠家。

《華爾街日報》援引多個匿名消息源報道稱，暫定于2018年為阿美石油進行首次公開募股的沙特，據說已經把目標對準了美國的頁巖。這次首次公開募股本身就十分勁爆。讓阿美石油上市，將標志著該國對這家全球最大的石油生產商38年來完全控制的終結。

此舉預計會讓阿美石油一舉超過蘋果（Apple）和微軟（Microsoft），成為全球市值最高的公司，這種級別的首次公開募股很可能帶來深遠的影響，不僅限于石油市場和沙特阿拉伯。

它可能會讓阿美轉型成為一家業務更加多元化的公司，而其石油與天然氣的生產資產也將邁出沙特。

這時美國頁巖就能派上用場了?！度A爾街日報》報道稱，阿美已經與休斯敦的液化天然氣開發商Tellurian就控股后者或購買后者部分能源的話題進行了初步磋商。這家國有原油生產商還試圖收購Permian和Eagle Ford油氣盆地的資產?！度A爾街日報》表示，他們還接觸了其他公司，討論天然氣出口貿易的問題。

盡管這些商談可能還只是嘗試性的，處于初期，但也表明了阿美公司的明顯轉型。它還證明了美國蓬勃發展的頁巖油行業如何削弱了阿美的地位。

要明確的是，阿美目前尚未擁有美國的資產。不過這些都是煉油廠。阿美只在沙特阿拉伯生產原油和天然氣，目前他們也沒有進口這兩種商品。

甚至只需要收購一家美國天然氣生產商的一部分，就能幫助阿美以及沙特更好地在本土利用生產的石油。原因在于：沙特阿拉伯已探明的石油儲量是全球最大的獨立石油公司?？松梨冢‥xxon Mobil）存有石油量的13倍。該國還擁有298萬億立方英尺的天然氣。

然而，沙特使用了一部分石油儲量去發電。如果他們能使用更多的天然氣發電，阿美就能保留更多的原油用于出口了。（財富中文網）

As Saudi Arabia prepares to sell a piece of its government-owned oil company Aramco to investors next year, the country is sniffing around for new energy assets. And it has its eye on the oil and gas production in the United States.

The kingdom, which has tentatively planned an IPO in 2018 for Aramco, is reportedly focusing on American shale country, according to the WSJ, which cited several unnamed sources. The IPO itself is momentous. Taking Aramco public would end 38 years of complete state control of the largest oil producer in the world.

The implications of an IPO, which is expected to beat out Apple and Microsoft to become the world’s most valuable company, will likely have far-reaching effects. And not just on the markets and Saudi Arabia.

It would likely reshape Aramco into a more diversified company with oil-and-gas production assets outside of Saudi Arabia.

And that’s where American shale country comes in. According to the WSJ, Aramco has had early talks with Tellurian, the Houston-based liquefied natural gas developer, about taking a stake in the company or buying some of its fuel. The state-owned oil producer has also looked into buying assets in the Permian and Eagle Ford oil and gas basins. Other U.S. companies have been approached about natural gas export deals, reported the WSJ.

These talks, as tentative and early as they might be, illustrates a dramatic shift for Aramco. It also points to how the booming shale-oil industry in the U.S. has weakened Aramco’s position.

To be clear, Aramco does own U.S. assets already. But these are refineries. Aramco only produces oil and gas within Saudi Arabia. And it doesn’t currently import oil or gas.

Snapping up even a piece of a U.S. gas producer could help the company, and country, make better use of oil produced at home. Here’s how: Saudi Arabia is sitting on proven oil reserves that are 13 times as large as the reserves booked by Exxon Mobil, which is the largest independent oil company in the world. It’s also sitting on 298 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

However, the country uses some of its oil reserves to produce electricity. If it can use more natural gas to produce electricity, Aramco can save its more valuable crude oil for export.