Qatar Expresses Interest In Buying Lukoil's Plant In Sicily - Reports

ROME (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th December, 2022) Qatari private holding GSSG, together with a group of Italian investors, has contacted the Italian government with an offer to buy the ISAB oil refinery in Sicily owned by Russian oil giant Lukoil, Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported on Friday, citing a participant in the talks.

The offer, led by GSSG founder Ghanim Bin Saad Al Saad, has been submitted to the Italian government by a group of experts, with former Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema being one of them, according to the report.

On Monday, General Manager of ISAB Eugene Maniakhine said that the refinery would be sold shortly.

ISAB's operations were put at risk due to EU sanctions against Russia targeting Russian oil exports. The Lukoil-owned plant currently refines Russia's Urals oil.

On December 1, the Italian government adopted a decree laying out an emergency scheme to keep the ISAB oil refinery operational, as it supplies around 20% of Italy's fuel needs. Industry Minister Adolfo Urso said the government might put the Italian energy giant Eni in charge of running the oil refinery.