Lukoil interested in buying around 50 fuel stations

Russian oil giant Lukoil announced yesterday it was considering the purchase of about 50 fuel stations in Poland by 2007 even if it does not participate in the privatization of the sector. Lukoil Polska Ltd. managing director Nikolay Ivchikov said Lukoil was still interested in buying Poland's number two refinery, Rafineria Gdańska, even though it has been dropped from a consortium which is holding exclusive talks on the purchase with the State Treasury. Lukoil was considering entering the market with foreign partners, Ivchikov said, but gave no details. However, ha added that the Russian giant was not interested in purchasing shares in top refiner PKN Orlen. The media have long speculated that Lukoil could eventually try to buy Orlen, one of the most liquid domestic stocks with 72% in free-float, to gain access to its refining as well as its retail market of some 1,500 stations. (Reuters; Puls Biznesu, p. 8) J.K.