March 27 (Reuters) - Britain's competition regulator

said on Thursday that oilfield services company SLB's

proposed $8 billion deal to buy smaller rival ChampionX ( CHX )

could result in a substantial lessening of competition in the

United Kingdom.

The deal will be referred for an in-depth probe unless SLB

and ChampionX ( CHX ) offer remedial measures, the Competition and

Markets Authority (CMA) said, adding that the companies had

until April 3 to offer those remedies.

SLB said it was committed to collaborating with the CMA to

address any concerns and was confident the transaction would be

cleared.

However, it added that it expected a further delay in

closing the deal, anticipating this would now happen in the

second or early third quarter of 2025.

Last month, it had pointed to an expected closing by the end

of the first quarter or early in the second.

The deal is also still under antitrust review in Norway,

while SLB is legally permitted to close the transaction in the

United States.

ChampionX ( CHX ) did not immediately respond to a request for

comment.