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Russia's Rosneft buys Essar Oil for Rs 86,726 crore in largest FDI deal

Russia's state controlled giant Rosneft and its partners took over India's Essar Oil in an all cash deal of around Rs 86,726 crore.

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In the largest inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI), Russia's state-controlled oil giant Rosneft and its partners, on Saturday, took over India's second biggest private oil firm Essar Oil in an all-cash deal valued at about $13 billion (around Rs 86,726 crore). 

Rosneft bought a 49 % stake in Essar Oil's refinery, port and petrol pumps, while Netherlands-based Trafigura Group Pte, one of the world's biggest commodity trading companies, and Russian investment fund United Capital Partners split another 49 % equity equally. The remaining 2 % will be held by minority shareholders after delisting of Essar Oil. The deal has an enterprise value of close to $12.9 billion (around Rs 86,059 crore)-$10.9 billion (around Rs 72,717 crore) being for a 20 million tons a year refinery in Gujarat and over 2,700 petrol pumps and another $2 billion (around Rs 13,342 crore) for Vadinar port in Gujarat. The deal factors in Essar Oil's debt of about $4.5 billion (around Rs 30,030 crore) and about $2 billion (around Rs 13,342 crore) debt with the port company.

Also, the near $3 billion (around Rs 20,013 crore) dues to Iran for past oil purchases will continue to be on Essar Oil books. Trafigura, which has been funded by Russian bank, may sell its stake to Rosneft at a later date. "We would be utilising significant portion of the deal proceeds in debt reduction. Group debt will reduce by about 50 %," said Prashant Ruia, Director, Essar Group. Essar Group, one of India's largest and most indebted conglomerates, would trim its about Rs 88,000 crore (over $ 13 billion) debt by half and ward off creditor pressure. The 49 % stake Trafigura and UCP are picking will be split between the two in 49:49 ratio while Essar Group will hold the remaining 2 %. Ruia said the equity value of the deal is "on or about Essar Oil's delisting price of $ 5.8 billion".

Of the $12.9 billion (around Rs 86,059 crore) value, $6.5 billion (around Rs 43,363 crore) is for the debt with Essar Oil and port company. Another $0.5 billion (Rs 3,335 crore) is for working capital, leaving $5.9 of equity value which is equal to the delisting price of Essar Oil. Ruia said as per SEBI order the shareholders of Essar Oil will be paid if the final equity value of the deal with Rosneft is higher than the delisting price. "We will get to know of that when the deal closes in first quarter of 2017," he said. 

The acquisition is the biggest in India and largest outbound deal for Russia. The all cash deal is expected to close in first quarter of 2017. The deal was announced as Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Panaji of the leaders of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). Ruia said Rosneft will continue to use Essar brand for the retail operations. "We have signed a branding agreement under which retail outlets will continue to use Essar brand because it is a very strong brand."

"We are not exiting oil and gas business. We continue to own and operate the Stanlow refinery in UK which is a 12 million tons refinery and has 12-13 % market share. Also, the upstream exploration and production business is not part of the deal," he said. He said two agreements were signed today for the sale.

The first sale and purchase agreement envisages the sale of 49 % to Petrol Complex Pte Ltd (a subsidiary of PJSC Rosneft Oil Company); the second envisages the sale of the remaining 49 % to Kesani Enterprises Company Limited (owned by a consortium led by Trafigura and United Capital Partners) at an enterprise valuation of Rs 72,800 crore ($ 10.9 billion). "An additional Rs 13,300 crore ($ 2 billion) will be paid for the acquisition of Vadinar Port, which has world- class storage and import/export facilities," Ruia said. As per the deal, Essar Energy Holdings Ltd and Oil Bidco (Mauritius) Ltd -- which control Essar Oil signed separate agreements for the 98 % stake sale. Russia's VTB Bank PJSC will lend Essar $ 3.9 billion to restructure debt, said Andrey Kostin, VTB CEO. Rosneft itself will pay about $ 3.5 billion for the Essar deal, Ruia said.

"We plan to utilise proceeds from the stake sale to deleverage the Group and pave the way for strategic consolidation and growth in other businesses," Ruia said. Essar Oil, part of a steel-to-ports conglomerate controlled by the billionaire Ruia brothers, operates a 405,000-barrels-a-day refinery at Vadinar in Gujarat. The refining complex also has a captive power plant as well as a port and terminal facilities.

The deal is the single largest foreign investment in the Indian refining sector and will strengthen the ties between the world's largest oil producer and the world's fastest growing fuel consumer. "The all-cash deal encompasses Essar Oil's 20 million tonne refinery in Gujarat and its pan-India retail outlets," Ruia said.

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