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Vitol near purchasing Exxon, QatarEnergy stakes in Italy LNG terminal, sources say

Vitolbacked energy storage business VTTI is close to obtaining a majority stake in Italy's. biggest liquefied natural gas import terminal from Exxon Mobil. and QatarEnergy, 2 sources with knowledge of the. matter stated on Monday.

The deal, which sources previously stated could value the. whole terminal at about 800 million euros ($ 868 million), would. provide VTTI a function in the European LNG market at a time when circulations. of the liquefied gas to Italy are on the increase.

Exxon put its 70.68% interest in the Adriatic LNG terminal. up for sale in 2015, as part of a strategy to divest non-core. assets. QatarEnergy owns a 22% stake.

VTTI and QatarEnergy were not available for remark outside. working hours in Europe and the Gulf. Exxon did not immediately. respond to an ask for comment.

As soon as a deal is signed, Italian gas grid operator Snam, which. presently owns a 7.3% in the terminal, will have 45 days to. choose whether to exercise its right of very first rejection to. increase its stake in the job.

The chief executive of state-controlled Snam said in January. the group might increase its stake in the terminal to as much as. 30% under a contract with the existing investors, boosting. its influence over a property considered tactical for the. nation.

Among the sources stated last-minute surprises to VTTI's. purchase effort could not be eliminated. The sources declined to. be named due to the fact that they were not authorised to speak openly. about the matter.

Financial investment supervisor BlackRock in December bailed out. of special speak with acquire the property, reopening the. possibility for VTTI to buy it.

The Adriatic LNG terminal is located about 9 miles (15 km). off the Veneto coastline and has a regasification capability of 9. billion cubic metres of natural gas each year.

It is the only Italian LNG terminal that can receive. so-called very massive LNG vessels with a capacity of up to. 217,000 liquid cubic meters.

(source: Reuters)