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Exxon Mobil has lost its arbitration challenge to block Chevron's $55 billion Hess acquisition deal, but the top U.S. oil producer managed to delay the tie-up by over a year, costing its rival billions in lost Guyana oil revenue and slowing integration.

The conclusion of the saga removes a stock overhang for Chevron and paves the way for the $53 billion deal to close immediately, which the oil giant said it could happen within a couple of days.