By Tom Fairless

BRUSSELS--Halliburton Co. (HAL) and Baker Hughes Inc. (BHI) formally notified their $35 billion merger to European Union regulators Thursday, kicking off the EU's review of a deal that has been expected to face resistance from antitrust authorities.

The two oilfield services firms, the second and third biggest in the industry, agreed to join forces last November following a sharp drop in oil prices.

They filed paperwork in Brussels Thursday that launches the EU's review process, lawyers for Halliburton said.

To address possible antitrust concerns, Halliburton agreed in November to sell businesses that generate up to $7.5 billion in revenue. But antitrust experts said the merger could face resistance from regulators because it would leave the industry highly concentrated between two large companies: the merged Halliburton, as the new company would be named, and Schlumberger Ltd.

Earlier this month, the companies agreed to extend the U.S. Justice Department's antitrust review period until at least Nov. 25. Halliburton also proposed to U.S. authorities a plan to divest more businesses than had been previously announced.

Slowing demand for oil and rising supply has put pressure on firms across the industry. As a result, oil-field services companies, which are hired to drill and pump wells, face less demand for their services and pressure to cut prices.

Write to Tom Fairless at tom.fairless@wsj.com

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