This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20030610

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
BP sells TNK-BP stake to Russia's Rosneft BP sells TNK-BP stake to Russia's Rosneft
(35 minutes later)
Oil giant BP has agreed to sell its 50% stake in TNK-BP to Russia's Rosneft in return for cash and shares.Oil giant BP has agreed to sell its 50% stake in TNK-BP to Russia's Rosneft in return for cash and shares.
The UK firm will get $17.1bn (£10.7bn) cash and a 12.84% stake in Rosneft, enabling BP to continue to share in Russia's vast energy resources. href="http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7079089" >The UK firm will get $17.1bn (£10.7bn) cash and a 12.84% stake in Rosneft, enabling BP to continue to share in Russia's vast energy resources.
BP has agreed to eventually use some of the cash to buy further Rosneft shares, taking its stake to 19.75%.BP has agreed to eventually use some of the cash to buy further Rosneft shares, taking its stake to 19.75%.
Rosneft is also buying the other half of TNK-BP from the AAR consortium of Russian billionaires for $28bn.Rosneft is also buying the other half of TNK-BP from the AAR consortium of Russian billionaires for $28bn.
TNK-BP is one of Russia's biggest oil firms, but dealings between BP and its joint venture partners were difficult. Companies active in Russia's energy sector have come under political pressure in the past.
The acquisition of the stake will make Rosneft the world's largest publicly-traded oil group. However, this deal has the blessing of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said state-controlled Rosneft had made a good deal at a good price: "This is a good, large deal that is necessary, not only for the Russian energy sector but also the entire economy."
Lucrative venture
The acquisition of the stake in TNK-BP, one of Russia's biggest oil firms, will give Rosneft about half of Russia's energy sector and make it the world's largest publicly-traded oil group.
BP said that once the proposed transaction gets the necessary shareholder and regulatory approval, it will use $4.8bn of the cash received on buying a further 5.66% of Rosneft shares.BP said that once the proposed transaction gets the necessary shareholder and regulatory approval, it will use $4.8bn of the cash received on buying a further 5.66% of Rosneft shares.
The purchase of BP's TNK-BP stake would make Rosneft the world's biggest publicly-traded oil company.
Although BP's involvement in the Russian joint venture has been lucrative, paying billions of dollars in dividends to the UK company, relations with its partners have often been fraught with disagreement.Although BP's involvement in the Russian joint venture has been lucrative, paying billions of dollars in dividends to the UK company, relations with its partners have often been fraught with disagreement.
A tie-up with Rosneft would keep BP in Russia so that it can continue to explore and exploit the country's vast energy resources, including in the Arctic region. Rosneft would be able to tap into BP's expertise in exploring in difficult and potentially hazardous conditions. In 2011, the AAR consortium attempted to block a drilling joint venture in the Arctic between BP and Rosneft through the courts.
The plan was eventually dropped.
As well as internal wrangles, BP employees at TNK-BP have fallen foul of Russian authorities.
While serving as head of TNK-BP, Bob Dudley - now the head of BP as a whole - had his office bugged and raided by the police and met with onerous back-tax demands, legal action and visa problems.
He eventually fled the country in 2008.
A tie-up with Rosneft would keep BP in Russia, allowing it to continue to explore and exploit the country's vast energy resources, including in the Arctic region. Rosneft would be able to tap into BP's expertise in exploring in difficult and potentially hazardous conditions.
Rosneft said it would have BP representatives on its board and that it would "benefit from BP's significant experience and successful track-record of applying best international practices in Russia".