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(Removes extra word "be" from quote in sixth paragraph)
By Li-mei Hoang
LONDON, Oct 28 (Reuters) - London-listed support servicesfirm DCC expects to see more acquisition opportunitiesas oil majors slim down, and is looking to expand its energybusiness beyond Europe into areas such as South East Asia andSouth America over the long term.
DCC earlier this year agreed to buy French gas firm Butagazfrom oil group Shell for 464 million euros ($514 million) in itsbiggest ever deal.
It is aiming to spend around 150 million pounds ($230million) a year on acquisitions across all of its business, butwould consider more for the right deal, CEO Tommy Breen said.
While DCC is looking to grow all three of its core businessareas of energy, technology and healthcare, the fact oilcompanies such as Shell and BP are sellingdistribution and marketing assets to focus on exploration andproduction is providing particular opportunities, he said.
Donal Murphy, managing director of DCC Energy, said the firmhad researched markets such as South East Asia and South Americawhere demand for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is growing.
"We're learning about those markets, I think we'd certainlybe hopeful that there will be opportunities," he said.
"If we take a long term view, we would be disappointed ifour Energy business was not operating outside of Europe over thenext three to five years," he added.
DCC, whose activities range from oil distribution to wastemanagement, made an operating profit of 222 million pounds inthe year ended March 31, with about 55 percent coming from itsenergy business.
While more than two-thirds of profit is made in Britain andIreland, the group has moved into western Europe in recentyears. That region would continue to be a focus for expansion,while Canada and the United States were also possibilities.
DCC has bought assets from oil companies such as Chevron, ExxonMobil and Total and Breen saidthis would help it secure more deals in future.
"We'd like to think ... that we've developed a partnershiprelationship with them and that whenever they come to sell otherassets that there will be opportunity for us," he said.
"There will definitely be more deals, probably most of themwill be in the kind of 100 to 200 million (pound) range, but ifsomething like Butagaz came along again then absolutely, if itwas right we would do it," the 55-year-old said.
($1 = 0.6525 pounds)
($1 = 0.9033 euros) (Editing by Mark Potter)
