MEXICO CITY, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Australia's BHP Billiton onMonday won the contest to partner with Mexican state oil companyPemex in a joint venture to develop a deep water field in thecountry's untapped Gulf waters.
A local unit of BHP Billiton won the rights totie-up with Pemex on its light oil Trion field, less than 50miles (80 km) from the U.S.-Mexico maritime border.
BHP outbid Britain's BP, the only other company thatparticipated, with a $624 million offer to complement itsroyalty bid, the country's oil regulator said. (Reporting by David Alire Garcia and Adriana Barrera)