The Indian ONGC interested in shares of MANGISTAUMUNAIGAZ JSC (Kazakhstan)

/REUTERS, Almaty, Maria Gordeeva, October 9, 08, IRBIS/ - The Indian ONGC admitted its interest in share purchase in Kazakhstan oil producing company MANGISTAUMUNAIGAZ, the head of representative office of ONGC Videsh Limited in Kazakhstan said to Reuters. The day before the state company KazMunaiGaz was known to refuse the idea on joint venture with Russian Gazpromneft on the basis of MANGISTAUMUNAIGAZ. The most valuable asset of the last is 58 % in one of three Kazakhstan OPP - Pavlodar Petrochemical Plant. "There were no negotiations on MANGISTAUMUNAIGAZ. But we are interested in this asset" - Narinder Pal Singh said. Later the representative of ONGC said to journalists that "they (Kazakhstan) should make an offer". "If they offer, we'll certainly examine it, we are interested in it" - he added. The interest of Indian companies in hydrocarbon digging projects on Kazakhstan territory also admitted the Vice-Minister of Energy Lyazat Kiinov. "We have constant negotiations with India by one of blocks on the shelf (Caspiy). India is interested in other projects also" - Kiinov said. According to him, India's wants in oil import will make 180 m. tons a year by 2015. Advisor of the President of Kazakhstan Nurlan Balgimbaev said this week that negotiations for the sale of 49 % of MANGISTAUMUNAIGAZ are conducted with the foreign companies, while he did not specify whether the Russian companies included in it or not. Negotiations on purchasing majority holding of MANGISTAUMUNAIGAZ are conducted by KazMunaiGaz, which as the state company has pre-emptive right for oil assets in the country. The sources say that along with MANGISTAUMUNAIGAZ, on 99 % of which owned by Indonesian Central Asia Petroleum Ltd, future investors will also have one of the major fuel stations in Kazakhstan - Helios. Today it numbers 228 fuel stations all over the country and another 40 are in construction. Helios owns bulk plants in 12 cities and is constructing one more; fuel is delivered from Pavlodar Petrochemical Plant. [2008-10-09]