Partnership will accelerate Aera Energy’s ability to further reduce carbon intensity and support the development of carbon capture and storage and other emerging technologies.
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) will partner with international asset management group IKAV to acquire California energy producer Aera Energy LLC.
In September 2022, IKAV, which has deep renewables expertise as well as a strong track record managing U.S. conventional energy assets, announced plans to acquire Aera Energy. CPP Investments, one of the world’s largest institutional investors, agreed to purchase 49% of Aera
Energy from IKAV. Created as a joint venture between Shell and ExxonMobil, Aera Energy is California’s second-largest oil and gas producer and accounts for nearly 25% of the state’s production.
IKAV, CPP Investments and Aera Energy recognize that meeting the complex challenge of climate change will require innovation across the global economy at a significant scale. CPP Investments and
IKAV intend to help Aera balance its energy transition efforts with the need to continue meeting California’s conventional energy demands by investing in a renewable energy portfolio that will power Aera’s existing operations. Over time, renewable power will be deployed across Aera’s land holdings, while selected legacy oil and gas infrastructure will be repurposed to create carbon capture and storage capability.
Constantin von Wasserschleben, Chairman of IKAV, comments: “We are aligned with CPP Investments in our commitment to achieving a smooth and sustainable transition to renewable energy. By delivering an energy solution at Aera that ties renewable growth with the safe and responsible operation of conventional energy assets, we are pursuing the right steps to balance California’s energy demand with its future climate goals.”
Erik Bartsch, Aera Energy President and CEO, comments: “We are excited about the IKAV and CPP Investments joint ownership of Aera Energy. It tells us they believe in the need to meet the energy needs of Californians for decades to come and are confident in our ability to deliver innovative solutions that will help the state meet its bold climate goals. Aera will continue to power the California economy and live our values of exceptional care for people and the environment. We also remain committed to the principles that make us an employer of choice and a valued partner in the communities where we live and work.”
Aera is the largest onshore oil producer in Ventura County, with oil and gas operations covering approximately 4,300 acres located largely in an unincorporated area just to the northwest of the city of Ventura. Production averages 12,000 barrels per day of crude oil and seven mmcf per day of natural gas. Oil is transported to refineries in the Los Angeles basin; natural gas is shipped to Southern California Gas Co.
Aera and its forerunner companies have been actively producing crude oil in Ventura County since the 1920s. Much of the operation is now in secondary recovery water injection.
Aera and its employees in Ventura are actively involved in the local community. Our company is a longtime member of both the Ventura Chamber of Commerce and the Ventura County Economic Development Association.
