Geopolitical factors to restrict ELPE tender participation - ENERGY PRESS

18/04/2018

Geopolitical factors constraining the range of participants in order to safeguard matters such as national and regional security will inevitably be incorporated into the terms of an international tender offering 50.1 percent of ELPE (Hellenic Petroleum), expected to be announced by TAIPED, the state privatization fund, any day now, possibly even today.

Though the terms to be applied to the ELPE tender remain unclear, Russian, Iranian and Chinese players, for example, stand little chance of emerging as candidates, given the current geopolitical climate in the southeast Meditteranean, polarized by US-Russian tension.

Also, European powers such as Germany, France and Italy have been requesting increasingly strict measures from Brussels for protection of strategically important European enterprises against Chinese acquisitions. ELPE belongs to this category.

Greek State to keep 36.25% of ELPE’s hydrocarbon rights - ENERGY PRESS

10.4.2018

The Greek State is expected to maintain a 36.25 percent share of ELPE’s (Hellenic Petroleum) hydrocarbon interests, close its current overall stake held in the petroleum company, following the sale of a 50.1 percent share to be offered to strategic investors through an agreement with co-shareholder Paneuropean Oil.

The Greek State currently holds a 35.5 percent stake of ELPE and Paneuropean Oil, a member of the Latsis corporate group, controls a 45.47 percent stake.

A new holding company is expected to be formed to host ELPE’s various hydrocarbon ventures, including one representing the Greek State’s 36.25 percent share, as well as companies currently holding exploration and production licenses for various blocks around Greece. These include Arta-Preveza, northwest Peloponnese, the Gulf of Patras, as well as the Ionian Sea’s Block 2, west of Corfu.

Just days ago, the Greek State and the Latsis corporate group reached an agreement to offer a 50.1 percent share of ELPE to a strategic investor.

Now that this agreement has been reached by the co-shareholders, TAIPED, the state privatization fund, is expected to announce an international tender within the next yen days. The sale procedure could be completed by the end of this year, according to the privatization fund.