RLPC-Gazprom Neft appoints lead banks for $1 bln loan-sources

LONDON May 22 (Reuters) - Russia's Gazprom Neft (SIBN.MM), the oil arm of Gazprom (GAZP.MM), has appointed five banks to arrange a $1 billion, three-year unsecured syndicated loan, a banking source said on Thursday.

The arranging banks are BBVA, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi-UFJ, Barclays, SMBC and WestLB, the source added.

President Alexander Dyukov said in April Gazprom Neft was planning to raise up to $2 billion via syndicated loans before the end of this year to fund new acquisitions and boost production.

Gazprom Neft's last loan was a $2.2 billion, three-year amortising term loan that signed in November 2007. That deal paid a margin of 75 basis points (bps) over LIBOR.

Gazprom Neft is Russia's fifth-largest oil producer. (Reporting by Christopher Mangham)