Lukoil’s refineries in Bulgaria, Romania and the Netherlands are included in a deal by billionaire Todd Boehly to acquire the Russian oil giant’s international assets. The transaction, backed by US President Donald Trump and his administration, is expected to generate billions of dollars for Washington, The New York Post reports, citing a US government source, BTA says. The newspaper recalls that Lukoil’s foreign assets are valued at $20 billion, with a production capacity exceeding 350,000 barrels per day.
Last month, the Financial Times reported that the American billionaire and financier had secured the backing of the US government and influential Gulf figures with ties to the Trump family for the proposed acquisition of Lukoil’s international assets.
The news comes amid President Donald Trump’s statement that the United States would import diesel fuel from Russia, as well as his remarks about an energy truce in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Lukoil’s refinery in Burgas has said there is no reason to fear a diesel shortage on the Bulgarian domestic market. This was stated in a position sent by the company to BTA.
The refinery produces between 240,000 and 260,000 tonnes of diesel fuel per month, while domestic consumption in Bulgaria reaches up to 190,000 tonnes. The company insists that the lifting of the ban on diesel exports does not increase the amount of fuel available to Bulgarian consumers, but instead curbs production and puts pressure on the refinery’s operational efficiency.
Edited by Ivo Ivanov