PKN eyes 41 stations put on block by Esso - paper

PRAGUE, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Leading Polish oil group PKN Orlen <PKNA.WA> is interested in acquiring 41 petrol stations put up for sale by a unit of U.S. oil major ExxonMobil <XOM.N> in the Czech Republic, a weekly newspaper reported on Monday.

The business weekly Euro quoted an unnamed source as saying PKN, the owner of Czech oil group Unipetrol <UNPEsp.PR>, had negotiated about a potential takeover with Esso Deutschland, which owns the Czech fuel retail network through a local unit.

Unipetrol's fuel retailer Benzina has the biggest network of more than 300 filling stations in the central European country.

The Czech Esso unit declined comment. "We are not going to comment on market rumours," said Vladimir Handlir, managing director at Esso s.r.o. in Prague.

PKN officials were not immediately available for comment.

Last month, Unipetrol unveiled a 1.3 billion crown investment plan to revamp Benzina and help boost its market share in the country of 10 million people to 14-15 percent by 2009, from a current 10 percent.

Benzina's Chief Executive Martin Durcak told reporters at the time that potential acquisitions would also be considered.

PKN Orlen holds 63 percent of Unipetrol, which is involved in crude oil refining, petrochemicals and fuel distribution.

Czech media earlier reported that local units of Austrian oil and gas group OMV <OMVV.VI> and Royal Dutch Shell Plc <RDSa.L> might also be interested in taking over the Czech fuel retail chain operated by Esso. ((Reporting by Marek Petrus; Editing by Rory Channing; Reuters Messaging: rm://marek.petrus.reuters.com@reuters.net; e-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com or marek.petrus@reuters.com; Tel: +420 224 190 477))

Keywords: ENERGY CZECH ESSO