Experts believe that LUKOIL's stance may lead to a "two-stage process" of sale. This could mean that one investor, for example, an investment company, will first buy all of LUKOIL's foreign assets and then resell them in parts. In particular, Exxon and Chevron are interested in LUKOIL's stake in the West Qurna-2 oil field in Iraq, while Adnoc is also considering other assets, especially in the gas production sector in Uzbekistan.
It is worth noting that on October 22, the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions against LUKOIL, Rosneft, and 34 subsidiaries, which includes freezing their assets in the United States and prohibiting American companies from doing business with them. In October, LUKOIL reported an offer from Swiss trader Gunvor to buy its assets; however, a week later, the offer was withdrawn after the U.S. Treasury refused to issue the necessary license. Reuters also mentioned Chevron as one of the potential buyers of the company's assets.
