Pump jacks and wells in an oil field Sometimes one number is all that matters. In the case of the proposed takeover of BG Group by Royal Dutch Shell , that number is the oil price. In short, the success or failure of the blockbuster energy deal hinges on Shell’s long-term oil price assumptions for the transaction involving a range of $70 to $110 per barrel for Brent crude, according to some of Europe’s biggest investors. “The real issue is whether you believe the oil price will rise to $90 a barrel or not, which is in the middle of Shell’s range. If it rises to $90, then this deal becomes financially brilliant,” says Matthew Beesley, head of global equities at Henderson Global Investors, which holds shares in Shell and BG. “If the oil price rises to $70 dollars, then the deal is financially tolerable, but if it does […]