Freeport-McMoRan Cooper & Gold Inc. said that it agreed to issue senior notes via a private placement to fund its move into oil and gas production.

Though it lacks high-quality new cooper deposits, Phoenix, Arizona-based Freeport plans to acquire McMoRan Exploration Co. and Plains Exploration & Production Co. in separate deals worth $9 billion all.

Earlier this month, Freemont secured debt financing worth $7 million that includes a term load of $4 billion and a revolving credit facility worth $3 billion.

Together with the term load, the company will use the proceeds to find the deals which are due to close in the 2^nd quarter of 2013.

Freeport did not provide any further details about the value of the private investment.