Abraaj Consortium Eyes Viking

A consortium led by UAE-based private equity firm Abraaj Capital is currently holding talks to acquire the oilfield services businesses of TransAtlantic Petroleum, Abraaj said in a statement today.

The deal, if completed, will allow the consortium- which includes Dalea Partners and LP- to takeover Viking International Limited and Viking Geophysical Services, it said.

Viking, an integrated oilfield service company, operates in Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania, and is planning to expand further into emerging markets.

“Abraaj Capital will facilitate and support Viking management in expanding its footprint across its target markets,” Ahmed Badreldin, senior partner at Abraaj Capital said in the statement.

The equity firm has been increasingly focusing on acquisitions that will expand its presence across emerging markets. Earlier this week, Abraaj Capital announced that it had signed a deal to buy UK-based fund manager Aureos Capital, creating “the world’s largest emerging markets small and medium enterprises focused private equity platform.”

Aureos provides funding to small and medium-sized businesses in Asia, Africa and Latin America and manages assets worth $1.3 billion.

“The combined entity will have approximately $7.5 billion in assets under management, a presence in over 30 countries across all global emerging markets,” Abraaj said.