Mercator Lines, is planning to expand its business portfolio by foraying into the offshore oil exploration sector. The company is looking for global partners to form a consortium to bid for Indian offshore blocks under the forthcoming round of NELP bids, apart from overseas blocks, including some of the South East Asian and Arabian Gulf blocks. It is in talks with a few European companies, sources said. Mercator Lines, which has forayed into offshore support services and is in the process of acquiring a $180m drilling rig, is aiming at forward integration by getting into the exploration business, which would also give it a captive market for its fleet of rigs and other offshore assets.