PKN Orlen wants to form consortium

PKN Orlen has initiated yet another attempt to take over Grupa Lotos (the former Rafineria Gdańska), it made a proposal to a number of companies that are realizing Lockheed Martin's offset investments, in order to form a consortium aimed at purchasing the Pomeranian refinery. The refinery's management, however, believes that the Treasury Ministry has its own plans concerning its path of development. In a few days time the Treasury Minister, Piotr Czyżewski, will announce the Ministry's decision on the development and privatization of Grupa Lotos. Meanwhile, the battle over the refinery's future is intensifying. PKN Orlen, whose actual chances of taking over Grupa Lotos have somewhat waned, intends to use all its resources to execute the takeover. Orlen's management members met recently with the managers of MW Kellogg, the main organizer of the consortium whose aim is to construct an installation in Gdansk for processing crude oil by-products, the so-called IGCC. Orlen has proposed to join forces in the building of the installation, and has suggested that members of this consortium join the Orlen and Rotch group that is fighting over the acquisition of a 75% stake in Grupa Lotos," said an anonymous source. (Puls Biznesu, p. 10) A.C.