OSLO, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Norwegian oil firm Aker BP reported inaugural earnings ahead of analysts'expectations for the third quarter on Monday and said it wouldinitially pay a dividend of at least $250 million per year.
Operating profit before depreciation and amortisation(EBITDA) stood at $179 million in the July-September period,slightly beating an average $173 million forecast in a Reuterspoll of eight analysts.
Formed in September through the combination of BP's Norwegian unit and Det norske oljeselskap, a firm controlled byinvestment firm Aker ASA, the new entity is owned 30percent by BP and 40 percent by Aker.
"The integration process continues to be on track," Aker BPsaid in a statement.
"The company aims to sustain a minimum dividend level of$250 million per year going forward, payable quarterly and toincrease this level once Johan Sverdrup is in production," itadded.
The company holds an 11.6 percent stake in the JohanSverdrup oil field, the North Sea's largest discovery indecades, which is expected to come on stream in late 2019. (Reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Ole Petter Skonnord)