The firm was in touch with investors including Singapore's GIC, Abu Dhabi's Investment Authority (ADIA) and EQT's infrastructure arm according to the report.

The joint venture, Messer Industries GmbH, owns former Linde assets in North and South America and could be valued at up to 7 billion euros.

Germany's Linde sold the assets in 2019 to a consortium of Messer and buyout group CVC in a deal agreed the year prior to secure antitrust clearance for its planned $87 billion merger with U.S. group Praxair.

(Reporting by Victoria Waldersee, Editing by Louise Heavens)