Raizen, Ultrapar among likely bidders for Petrobras refinery in Parana: Sources
Brazil's Petroleo Brasileiro SA is set to receive binding offers on Thursday for its Presidente Getulio Vargas refinery, with local firms Raizen and Ultrapar Participacoes SA among the likely bidders, sources familiar with the matter said.
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Petrobras, state-controlled Petroleo Brasileiro SA, is seen at their President Bernardes Refinery in Cubatao, Brazil June 8, 2017. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker
SAO PAULO: Brazil's Petroleo Brasileiro SA is set to receive binding offers on Thursday for its Presidente Getulio Vargas refinery, with local firms Raizen and Ultrapar Participacoes SA among the likely bidders, sources familiar with the matter said.
The sale is part of a multi-billion plan by the state-controlled oil company, known as Petrobras, to divest assets, with interest from ethanol and fuel distribution company Raizen and conglomerate Ultrapar powered by deep-pocketed foreign investment firms.
Based in the southern Brazilian state of Parana, Repar is Brazil's fifth-largest refinery, able to process 208,000 barrels per day, representing 9 per cent of the country's capacity. It supplies the states of Parana, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo and Mato Grosso, making it a good fit for both Ultra and Raizen, which have fuel distribution businesses in these areas.
Raizen, a joint venture between Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Brazilian ethanol producer Cosan SA, is teaming up with US-based private equity firm Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) to bid for various Petrobras refineries, Reuters reported in January. GIP has more than US$50 billion in assets under management.
Raizen declined to comment. Petrobras didn't immediately reply to a request for comment.
Ultrapar could look to buy the refinery on its own or in a joint bid with Patria Investimentos Ltda, an investment fund backed by Blackstone Group Inc, which reached a 5 per cent stake in the company in June, according to one source familiar with Ultrapar's deliberations.
Ultrapar didn't immediately reply to a request for comment. Patria declined to comment.
Another source said Petrobras was expecting additional offers for Repar, without naming potential bidders.
Indian conglomerate Essar Group had considered a bid in recent months, but it was not clear if the company would follow through, another source said. Essar didn't immediately reply to a request for comment sent outside regular market hours in India.
The Parana unit is the second of a group of refineries that Petrobras is putting on the block as part of government efforts to bring more competition to the sector. Petrobras is in talks with Abu Dhabi investment firm Mubadala about finalising an offer for the first refinery put up for sale, Rlam, in the northeastern state of Bahia.
Repar produces mostly gasoline and diesel, up to 70 per cent, combined, as well as asphalt base, aviation fuel and butane gas. The unit is being sold with five storage terminals, one in Parana state and four in Santa Catarina, and 476 kilometres of oil pipelines.
