LatAmOil: Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim eyes larger stake in Talos subsidiary

Carlos Slim, the chairman of Grupo Carso and Mexico’s wealthiest individual, is reportedly looking to expand his portfolio of oil-sector assets in cooperation with US-based Talos Energy, in which he made a significant investment last year.

The tycoon indicated at a recent press conference that he was keenly interested in exploring other opportunities with Talos, the former operator of the offshore Zama oilfield, as part of a strategic push to expand his business empire. He said Grupo Carso was ready to extend beyond oilfield services into other parts of the oil and gas value chain, including petrochemicals. To this end, he said he would focus on increasing his stake in Talos Mexico, the Mexican subsidiary of Talos.

Slim declined to go into detail about his plans, explaining that the company’s next steps would hinge on undisclosed factors. “It depends on the conditions,” he commented in reference to the possibility of bolstering Grupo Carso’s holdings in Talos’ local unit. “But definitely. Investing in the parent company interests us.”