BP is creating a new business to manage its US onshore oil and gas assets, in an effort to compete more effectively with the smaller independent companies that dominate America’s shale industry.

英国石油(BP)即将创办一家新公司，来管理其在美国的陆上石油和天然气资产。此举旨在帮助BP更有效地与主导美国页岩气行业的中小规模独立企业展开竞争。

Analysts said BP could ultimately sell the new unit if its performance did not improve. Last year, the oil group said it planned to divest $10bn of assets by the end of next year – on top of the $38bn disposal programme implemented in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010.

分析师们表示，如果新成立的美国公司业绩得不到改善，BP最终仍可以把它卖掉。去年，BP表示，它计划在2010年深水地平线(Deepwater Horizon)事故后实施的380亿美元资产处置计划基础上，到明年底再剥离100亿美元的资产。

Bob Dudley, BP’s chief executive, played down the possibility of a sale, saying that the new US business “will remain a critical part of BP’s portfolio over the long term”. However, he added that the move “creates optionality for us”.

BP首席执行官戴德立(Bob Dudley)表示，BP不大可能卖掉这家新成立的美国公司，称其“长期而言仍将是BP资产组合中的一个关键组成部分”。然而，他补充表示，此举“为我们提供了选择的机会”。

BP will own the US unit, but it will operate separately from the rest of the company, be led by a separate management team and publish separate financials from 2015.

新成立的美国公司将为BP所有，但该公司将与公司其余部分分开运营，由单独的管理团队领导，并从2015年起单独发布财报。

BP’s plan reflects the difficulties that oil majors including ExxonMobil and Royal Dutch Shell have had in trying to make money from US shale gas. All have been hit by the driving down of US natural gas prices caused by the shale boom.

BP此项计划凸显出，包括埃克森美孚(ExxonMobil)和荷兰皇家壳牌(Royal Dutch Shell)在内的石油大企业，在试图从美国页岩气盈利方面遇到重重困难。页岩气繁荣压低了美国天然气价格，让这些大企业都受到冲击。