(Reuters) - Australia's competition watchdog on Friday released a draft decision proposing to authorise joint gas marketing arrangements between Central Petroleum Ltd <CTP.AX> and Macquarie Mereenie, owned by Macquarie Group Ltd <MQG.AX> .
The two firms are joint venture partners at the Mereenie oil and gas field in Australia's Northern Territory.
In order to allow development of Mereenie gas as soon as possible, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said it granted interim authorisation to allow the companies to start negotiating joint supply deals with customers, pending a final decision. It proposes to allow joint marketing for a three year term.
(Reporting by Aaron Saldanha in Bengaluru; editing by Richard Pullin)
