Lukoil currently has 87 petrol stations in Poland, 83 of which it acquired from US-based ConocoPhillips at the end of 2006, and four of which it acquired from UK-based BP at the start of 2007. A Polish news bulletin has reported Mr Zandier as saying that Lukoil will first re-brand its acquired stations, then start building its own outlets.
Platts also cited Mr Zandier as telling Puls Biznesu: First, we want to acquire the stations bought from the Americans. Then, we will build our own stations. Till 2008, there will be about 100 of them, and in the upcoming years, 300 stations.
According to Petrol Plaza, Gennadij Krasovski, deputy director of Lukoil’s investment analyses department, has commented that Lukoil is aiming to amass a 10% to 15% share of the Polish market.
Despite Lukoil’s ambitious aims, industry analysts are skeptical about the company’s chances in Poland. In 2002, Lukoil had to abandon its tender for Lotos shares because of Polish reluctance towards Russia. The Polish news bulletin commented that, in order to overcome this apparent anti-Russian feeling, Lukoil would have to make sure it was very competitively priced.
Lukoil’s reported aims come as Poland’s PKN Orlen is reported to be planning the acquisition of Czech petrol stations from the ExxonMobil-owned Esso chain, through its Czech-based fuel retail subsidiary Benzina. While Benzina has stated that it plans to expand its footprint in the region, Interfax news agency has cited the company as refusing to confirm that it is planning to achieve this through the acquisition of 42 Esso service stations.
Lukoil has come into direct competition with Benzina since acquiring ConocoPhilips’s Czech stations, and it looks as though Benzina may be planning a response to enhance its competitive position. The Polish news bulletin commented that, if Bezina acquires the Esso stations, its Czech market share would increase to 17%, making it the market leader.
