A High Court judge has failed to clear UK private equity firm Candover Partners' buyout of oil services company Expro International, adjourning the case until Wednesday in a move that could allow trade rival Halliburton to re-enter the takeover battle.

Halliburton, the world's second biggest oilfield contractor, revealed it was dropping its bid to acquire Expro on Friday after its £16.25 per share offer was rejected by the target, despite it being more than the £1.81bn (€2.2bn) proposal from the Umbrellastream consortium led by UK buyout firm Candover, which Expro had voted to accept.