In reporting its results for the second half of 2017, Australian mining giant BHP Billiton said it’s expecting initial bids for its U.S. shale assets by June. The company said Tuesday its underlying profit for the second half of 2017 improved 25 percent from the same period last year to $4 billion. BHP CEO Andrew Mackenzie said higher prices across commodities, including crude oil, delivered free cash flow of $4.9 billion. “We used this cash to further reduce net debt and increase returns to shareholders through higher dividends,” he said in a statement . BHP spent $336 million total on U.S. onshore and development during the second half of 2017 and spending targeting the more lucrative basins, like the […]