Pertamina shows interest to buy French oil refinery

State owned oil and gas company Pertamina have indicated its interest to acquire an oil refiner in southern France owned by LyodellBasell Industries NV (LYB), a local media reported on Friday.

French Energy Minister Arnaud Montebourg said that he had received a letter of intent indicating the interest of Pertamina in Berre-l?Etang refinery, which LYB planned to shut down permanently due to the decline in the demand.

The French government has asked LYB to mothball the refinery after the company said last it planned to shut down the plant permanently and cut 370 jobs because it couldn?t find a buyer. It was the third closing of a crude-processing plant announced in France within 18 months as weaker demand for fuel curbed earnings

When asked about the French oil refinery plan, Pertamina?s vice president for corporate communications Ali Mundakir refused to give any comments. ?I am sorry, I am not able to give any information about the plant because it is related to the company?s strategy,? he said. (*)