Gazprombank’s unit files bid to buy gas assets of ALROSA

MOSCOW, Jan 9 (PRIME) -- LLC Status, a subsidiary of Russia’s Gazprombank, has asked the Federal Antimonopoly Service to allow it to buy natural gas assets of uncut diamond mining giant ALROSA, a representative of the service told PRIME on Tuesday.

“We have received requests from Novatek and LLC Status, a subsidiary of Gazprombank,” the representative said, adding that the service was yet to receive a request from oil major Rosneft.

But Rosneft complained to the service about conditions of the auction, the representative said.

In December 2017, ALROSA said it planned to auction gas producing companies Geotransgaz and Urengoi Gas Company on February 19, 2018. The company planned to auction a single lot comprising 100% in Maretiom Investments Limited and Velarion Investments Limited, which own 100% in the two gas companies, with the initial price set at 30 billion rubles.

Rosneft’s press secretary Mikhail Leontyev said that the oil major also bid, but at the same time sent complaints to the service, the Finance Ministry, and the Federal State Property Management Agency asking them to change conditions of the auction as they violate competition legislation and create advantages for some possible contenders.

(57.6002 rubles – U.S. $1)

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