By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Oct. 22 -- Statoil ASA and Sweden-based Preem Petroleum AB have signed an agreement for the Statoil group to acquire Preem's Polish subsidiary. Under the deal, Statoil will assume ownership of 79 service stations, increasing its local network to more than 200 outlets.
"This acquisition will strengthen and promote our standing in the Polish market," said Kristian Hausken, managing director of Statoil Polska in Warsaw. "It also reinforces our position as one of the three international service station chains in Poland.
"The takeover may also be seen in the light of the current restructuring in the Polish petrol retail market," Hausken added.
The agreement is conditional upon approval by the Polish authorities.
Statoil's first service station in Poland opened in 1993, and the company now has about 2,000 employees in Poland.