Chevron has scored a critical ruling in Paris that has given it the go-ahead for a $53 billion acquisition of Hess and access to one of the biggest oil finds of the decade.

ConocoPhillips is buying Marathon Oil in an all-stock deal valued at approximately $17.1 billion as energy prices soar and big oil companies reap massive profits.

The Federal Trade Commission is investigating Chevron’s acquisition of Hess oil company, the second inquiry the independent agency has opened this week of a major oil industry merger.