MELBOURNE (July 9): Malaysia-based Sapura Energy is considering to list its operations on the Australian stock exchange in a float that could be worth as much as A$2.7b, The Australian reports in its Dataroom section, citing unidentified sources.

* Plan comes as Sapura Energy moves to pay down its $4.5b debt pile, largely to Maybank, and as the oil price rally attracts equity investors to the resources space: Australian

* BoA Merrill Lynch is working for Sapura Energy and while it has made it known that it has an interest in listing its exploration and production assets on Bursa Malaysia, it is understood that the group is weighing the merits of listing in Australia instead

* An Australian listing would offer the company a more solid investor base: report