Why should Total buy IOC?

[Crippsfl]

Almost all of you know more about oil and oil companies than I do but I read a book that stated that the majors do not bid against each other. That seems like the best maybe only explanation to me.

Obviously not bidding against another major is not on Exxon's list of things not to do.  In reality, the OSH bid was a Total backed offer.  Exxon was bidding against Total.

i cannot believe that Total is going to sit back and let Exxon to destroy their plans for PNG and pay them to do it.  If the resource estimates come in where we believe they belong, Total will finance the Exxon purchase. If I were a Total shareholder, I would be going ballistic!