One of the biggest foreign takeovers in Australian history will force regulators and politicians to weigh who controls critical energy infrastructure against the need to address a looming domestic gas shortfall.

Australia's second-largest gas producer Santos said on Monday it intended to support an all-cash $18.7 billion takeover bid from an international consortium led by Abu Dhabi's National Oil Company (ADNOC),

The latest offer follows two earlier confidential, non-binding, and indicative proposals from the XRG Consortium to acquire 100% of Santos shares