Italian energy company Eni said today it would sell the stake to Rosneft. The Russian company will pay USD 1.125 billion for the holding in the Shorouk concession, which contains the giant Zohr gas field, and USD 450 million to cover past expenditures. It has the option to buy a further 5 percent.
Russia media cited Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin as saying in Egypt that the agreement was signed.
The deal is the latest in a series of major acquisitions for Rosneft, which in October purchased Russian producer Bashneft for USD 5.3 billion and bought into India's Essar Group. Eni said the sale to Rosneft was part of its asset divestment strategy.