Rosneft continues to look at various options for buying stakes in TNK-BP, a Rosneft representative told Interfax.
"The company continues to look at various options and will inform the market as necessary and in the prescribed manner," the representative said.
Deal with TNK-BP could make Rosneft the largest oil producing company
After BP, Rosneft Finds Itself a 'Better' Partner in ExxonMobil
Alfa Access Renova (AAR) and BP own TNK-BP on an equal footing. Sources say the partners are in talks with Rosneft to sell their stakes to the state-owned oil firm: AAR is said to have reached a preliminary agreement to sell its 50 percent of TNK-BP to Rosneft for $28 billion, and BP to be close to selling its stake for $25 billion cash plus shares in Rosneft. In other words Rosneft might buy 100 percent of TNK-BP, but it is also possible that BP will remain in TNK-BP in partnership with Rosneft.
The Russian Energy Ministry sees no reasons for an oil market monopoly if Rosneft buys TNK-BP, Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters.
"I consider there won't be [an oil market monopoly]. This is an entirely normal market structure," Novak said.
"I think there won't be a monopoly situation. We have quite a lot of competition in the market," he said.
Novak said Rosneft had not presented agencies with any configuration for a possible deal for the purchase of a stake in TNK-BP or of the company as a whole.
"TNK-BP might get another shareholder [in the form of] BP [in addition to Rosneft]. Rosneft itself has other shareholders," Novak said
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