Report: Repsol Revives Talks With Talisman Energy Inc.

Talisman Energy Inc. TLM gained as much as 16 percent from near a 52-week low Monday on a report of revived merger talks with Spanish oil concern Repsol SA REPYY. Calgary based Talisman confirmed in July it was in talks with Repsol about "various transactions" although it hadn't struck a deal. Talisman shares have since fallen about 65 percent. http://talismanenergy.mwnewsroom.com/press-releases/talisman-responds-to-media-reports-tsx-tlm-201407230958905001 Bloomberg reported Monday that Repsol was again considering a deal that could include the whole company or only certain assets. Repsol had backed down from a full acquisition in August and was interested instead in acquiring only Talisman's Canadian shale assets, according to an earlier report from Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-28/repsol-said-to-drop-talisman-purchase-considers-assets.html Talisman has apparently stymied activist investor Carl Icahn, who controls two seats on its board and first took a significant stake in October 2013. The company has since then unsuccessfully sought to sell assets in the U.S., Canada and Norway. Bloomberg reported Nov. 17 that Talisman was in talks to sell its pipeline serving the Marcellus Shale region in New York and Pennsylvania for $1 billion to Regency Energy Partners LP RGP. A deal was said to be possible within three weeks, although no announcement has materialized. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-17/talisman-said-in-talks-to-sell-marcellus-pipelines.html