TNK-BP seeks partner for energy JV - Slobodin
MOSCOW. March 28 (Interfax) - TNK-BP is talking with Inter RAO UES , Technopromexport, and the Summa group on the creation of a joint energy venture, TNK-BP's Vice President for strategy and business development Mikhail Slobodin has told reporters.
TNK-BP is prepared to offer its selected partner 75% in the JV, and stands ready to provide gas and guarantee energy purchases.
TNK-BP's energy development department director, Konstantin Konstantinov, said that options are now being discussed that involve a pilot partnership prioritizing greenfields projects. This involves associated gas, company sources said, without specifying either how much might be supplied or from what deposits.
Konstantinov said that the plans for setting up the JV represent a form of market-testing. Slobodin added that the initial negotiations have confirmed power industry interest in cooperation of this kind. The negotiations have only been underway for a few months, and are still in the preliminary phase.