Petrom wooed by 21 suitors

The Office for State Interests and Industry Privatisation (OPSPI) at the end of last week released a list with 21 potential investors, interested in the privatisation of SNP (National Oil Company) Petrom, Romania’s largest enterprise. The list comprises world leaders of the oil industry, such as Exxon Mobile (USA), Shell, BP (Great Britain) and TotalFinaElf (France), but also strong companies from Central and Eastern Europe – OMV (Austria), MOL (Hungary) and Russian companies Lukoil, Yukos and Rosneft. “The list includes potential SNP Petrom investors and was drafted by the consultant appointed for the company’s privatisation. This does not necessarily mean that groups such as Exxon Mobile will surely enter the Romanian oil market. We are open to every bid, whether it comes from strong western groups, Russian firms or even Romanian companies,” said the OPSPI head, Doru Laurian Badulescu. ZF