NEW DELHI/MOSCOW : Rosneft and Saudi Aramco are unlikely to bid in the privatisation of Indian refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp, sources familiar with the matter said, as low oil prices and weak demand curb their investment plans.
Russia’s Rosneft had expressed an interest in buying the federal government’s 53.29% stake in Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) when its chief executive Igor Sechin visited New Delhi in February, while India’s trade minister has said that Saudi oil giant Aramco was enthusiastic about the stake sale.
A Rosneft source, however, said it will not buy BPCL, while another said the Russian oil major would only be interested in BPCL’s marketing business, which is comprised of fuel depots and more than 16,800 fuel stations.
