Support The Moscow Times!

BP Board Considering Rosneft Bid


A takeover of TNK-BP in its entirety would mean that Rosneft controls about half of the Russian oil industry. Maxim Stulov


BP's board on Friday will consider a bid by Rosneft to buy the British company's stake in TNK-BP, news reports said.



The cash and stock offer is worth more than $25 billion.



The board may have to reconvene for a more in-depth consideration of some aspects of the offer, a source said, Reuters reported. 



Rosneft has also reportedly made a $28 billion offer for the other half of TNK-BP, a stake held by four billionaires.



Both of the deals are subject to government approval at a time when Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is pushing for the state to cede its assets in privatization deals.



A takeover of TNK-BP in its entirety would, thus, require Rosneft to cough up more than $50 billion worth of cash and equity.



In that event, Rosneft would expand to control about half of the Russian oil industry. Rosneft is already the country's leading crude producer, while TNK-BP is the third-largest.



Gazprom Neft, another state-controlled oil company, is the industry's fifth-largest in Russia. It used to be a private company called Sibneft before Gazprom agreed to buy the asset.


Related articles:

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more