MOSCOW, Feb 4 (Reuters) - AAR, the consortium of Russian shareholders of TNK-BP may sell its stake in the oil firm to Rosneft or the Russian government, Vedomosti business daily reported on Friday, citing four sources.
State-controlled Rosneft last month struck a share swap and Arctic exploration deal with British major BP, which owns half of TNK-BP.
AAR is fighting to stop the proposed joint venture which it says violates their shareholder agreement with BP, and this week secured a court injunction in London to freeze the negotiations.
Some investors have been puzzled as to what AAR hopes to achieve by opposing the deal, which is backed by Russia's powerful Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. A sale of its TNK-BP stake to Rosneft could offer a way out of the conflict.
Rosneft declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. BP declined to comment when contacted by Vedomosti, while AAR denied the sources' information.
Two of the sources told Vedomosti that there were discussions about swapping shares in TNK-BP -- the other half of which is owned by BP -- for Rosneft shares, either fully or with a cash element.
Another source, close to Rosneft President Eduard Khudainatov, said Rosneft was looking into buying out AAR.
'The management of the company was told to prepare for the purchase of the stake of Russian TNK-BP shareholders,' the source said.
According to Reuters data, TNK-BP closed on Thursday with a market capitalisation of $45 billion.
(Reporting by Alexander Ershov; Writing by Toni Vorobyova; Editing by Lincoln Feast) Keywords: ROSNEFT TNKBP/ (antonina.vorobyova@reuters.com; Tel: +7495 7751242, Reuters Messaging: antonina.vorobyova.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
State-controlled Rosneft last month struck a share swap and Arctic exploration deal with British major BP, which owns half of TNK-BP.
AAR is fighting to stop the proposed joint venture which it says violates their shareholder agreement with BP, and this week secured a court injunction in London to freeze the negotiations.
Some investors have been puzzled as to what AAR hopes to achieve by opposing the deal, which is backed by Russia's powerful Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. A sale of its TNK-BP stake to Rosneft could offer a way out of the conflict.
Rosneft declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. BP declined to comment when contacted by Vedomosti, while AAR denied the sources' information.
Two of the sources told Vedomosti that there were discussions about swapping shares in TNK-BP -- the other half of which is owned by BP -- for Rosneft shares, either fully or with a cash element.
Another source, close to Rosneft President Eduard Khudainatov, said Rosneft was looking into buying out AAR.
'The management of the company was told to prepare for the purchase of the stake of Russian TNK-BP shareholders,' the source said.
According to Reuters data, TNK-BP closed on Thursday with a market capitalisation of $45 billion.
(Reporting by Alexander Ershov; Writing by Toni Vorobyova; Editing by Lincoln Feast) Keywords: ROSNEFT TNKBP/ (antonina.vorobyova@reuters.com; Tel: +7495 7751242, Reuters Messaging: antonina.vorobyova.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
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