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Russneft confirms sale talks



By Upstream staff 

The owners of Russian oil firm Russneft confirmed have confirmed they are in talks to sell the company and are close to reaching a deal with billionaire Oleg Deripaska.

"The owners of Russneft have transferred control in the company to a number of investment structures, which were holding talks with a number of contenders," president of BIN bank Mikhail Shishkhanov said through a spokesman.

"We would be happy if Basel becomes the new owner," said Shishkhanov, referring to Deripaska's investment vehicle

Shishkhanov is a business partner of Mikhail Gutseriyev, the founder of Russneft and BIN.

Basel confirmed on Friday it had filed for permission with Russia's antimonopoly agency to buy control in Russneft.

Russneft had previously denied its shareholders were planning to sell out.

Sources close to the talks have said Deripaska would pay around $6.5 billion for Russneft, including $3 billion cash and assuming the company's heavy debt, Reuters said.

Gutseriyev, whose personal fortune is valued at $3 billion by Forbes magazine, will also step down as Russneft's president this week, the sources said.

Deripaska, Russia's second-richest man, is seen a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, but market players have suggested there could be other contenders to buy Russneft, including state-controlled oil major Rosneft.

Russneft has two refineries and recoverable oil reserves of around 4.6 billion barrels.


Monday, 30 July, 2007, 01:25 GMT  | last updated: Monday, 30 July, 2007, 01:25 GMT

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