BP-Shell Megadeal Would Create European Rival to Exxon Mobil

If Shell Plc were to acquire BP Plc, it would be among the largest deals in European history, creating for the first time a European oil major that could challenge industry leaders Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp.

The circumstances for such a takeover might not be auspicious for BP — its shares have lost almost a third of their value in the last year and investors are unconvinced by the company’s turnaround plan — but the deal would be transformative for Shell.

Since Bloomberg reported that Shell has been studying the merits of an acquisition — something both ...