Global oil giants eye picking up majority stake in BPCL

As per official sources, Saudi Aramco, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (Adnoc), Rosneft of Russia and Exxon Mobil intend to participate in the bidding process for the PSU. The deadline for submitting EoIs has been postponed twice and the current deadline ends on July 31.

 Indian oil majors are not behind their global counterparts and are also actively pursuing the prospects of bidding for BPCL. Oil-to-telecom major Reliance Industries is understood to have shown interest for the bid.

The disinvestment in BPCL involves the government selling its entire 52.98 per cent stake in the company to a strategic investor with transfer of management control. The government has barred PSUs from bidding for BPCL and expects private sector Indian players and global MNCs to bid for its stake.

 The Centre has allowed prospective bidders with a minimum net worth of $10 billion to present their bids. Another condition pertains to a maximum of four members are permitted in a consortium, and the lead member must hold 40 per cent in proportion. Other members of the consortium must have a minimum $1 billion net worth.

 The EOI allows changes in the consortium within 45 days, though the lead member cannot be changed.

 The Centre proposes to disinvest its entire shareholding in BPCL comprising 1,14,91,83,592 equity shares held through the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, which constitutes 52.98 pc of BPCL’s equity share capital, along with the transfer of management control to the strategic buyer (except BPCL’s equity shareholding of 61.65 pc in Numaligarh Refinery and management control thereon).

 The government’s stake in BPCL is worth around Rs 43,000 crore at BPCL’s current share price.