IOC/XOM Deal Struck?

[strategyguy536]

We are all speculating here. I suspect that what Will2 has said has happened, or something much like it, and that in fact much of it had occurred before the last CC. As I recall Hession said detailed planning was going on with "the partner" as well as negotiations. Whether all potential partners are as far along in planning and detailed proposals as the lead candidate (very likely XOM, at least at the time of the CC) or not we do not know.

When Hession said "any day..." he could mean that on any day one bidder could meet all the requirements of IOC and be so far ahead of others that the IOC BOD could decide in that bidder's favor.