17.11.2007   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 276/10

Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.4908 — STV Fund/Smith/@Balance)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2007/C 276/09)

1.

On 12 November 2007, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Shell Technology Ventures B.V. (‘STV Fund’, the Netherlands) will relinquish sole control over the undertaking @Balance (the Netherlands) in favour of joint control, within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation, together with Smith International Inc. (‘Smith’, USA).

3.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—

for undertaking STV Fund: oil and gas technology venture fund,

—

for undertaking @Balance: provision of technology used to assist in drilling oil and gas wells,

—

for undertaking Smith: world-wide supplier of premium products and services to the oil and gas exploration and production industry, the petrochemical and other industrial markets.

4.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice

5.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax ((32-2) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under reference number COMP/M.4908 — STV Fund/Smith/@Balance, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

J-70

B-1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

(2)  OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32.